Mix 1 part vinegar with 1 part water (50:50 solution) in a spray bottle. Then spray the paste on the grout with this solution. Immediately, you should see the paste start bubbling, which indicates that the cleaning process has begun. Remember: Don't use vinegar on marble or limestone.
Make a paste from two parts bicarbonate of soda to one part water, then rub onto dirty grout using an old toothbrush. An electric toothbrush with an old head will also work wonders and save your elbows!
Try Vinegar and Warm Water For A DIY Solution
Fill a spray bottle with equal parts distilled white vinegar and warm water. Give it a good shake and then spray the grout. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Once it's absorbed, give your grout a scrub down with your brush.
If you know your grout has been sealed but it has accumulated heavy dirt or mild stains, turn to vinegar, that trusty old household staple. Fill a spray bottle with a half-and-half solution of vinegar and warm water. Spray the mixture on the grout, let it stand for 5 minutes, then scrub the surface with a stiff brush.
Grout that hasn't been sealed, needs to be resealed, or is in poor shape should not be cleaned with vinegar. The vinegar penetrates into the pores of the grout, further weakening the material. Over time, vinegar will deteriorate the condition of the grout by etching or wearing it away.
Vinegar is often recommended to be a grout cleaning home remedy, but The Grout Medic never recommends using anything acidic or alkaline to clean your precious grout and tile. You should also forego the traditional scrubbing and scouring, which also promote grout deterioration over time.
While strong bleaches may seem effective, they can actually weaken and destroy grout more quickly, causing grout to crack or crumble away.
First, wash your tiles and grout with sugar soap using a toothbrush and scrubbing brush. We used Selley's Sugar Soap concentrate for this, mixed with warm water in a bucket – it works a treat. Use your toothbrush, scrubbing brush and some elbow grease to scrub the grout and give it a good going-over.
So, how do you clean grout with vinegar and baking soda? Apparently, vinegar is a popular natural household cleaner, but it's too acidic for cleaning grout. In fact, the acetic acid in vinegar can corrode the grout over time, so you might want to avoid using it for cleaning in this case.
One way to clean grout without scrubbing is by mixing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide and mix into a paste. Follow with a teaspoon of dish soap. Apply the mixture to your floor grout and let it sit for 5–10 minutes.
TL;DR: Combine baking soda & white vinegar to create the perfect cleaning solution for tile grout. Scrub with a toothbrush and voila! For floor tiles, combine baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, apply paste, let sit, then scrub away and rinse off with warm water. Grout gets dirty and unsightly – quick!
Avoid Vinegar and Baking Soda
Vinegar and other acids are also a bad idea for stone tile because the acid can etch the stone. Another widely praised household cleaner, baking soda, is alkaline (not acid), but it is not very effective as a grout cleaner.
Simply pour vinegar from the bottle into the cap and pour it over the dirty grout lines. Allow the lemon juice or vinegar to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, scrub with a small brush or old toothbrush. Rinse the treated area and wipe dry with a towel or rag.
Try a salty vinegar mix.
Let the solution sit for 20 minutes, then use a small spoon to apply the mixture to the grout. Using a toothbrush or scouring pad, scrub the grout until clean. Once you're finished, mop the grout or use a damp cloth to wipe the grime away.
Start by spraying the grout with hot water and scrubbing with a stiff bristle brush or a grout brush to lift any dirt or grime on the surface. Using a steam cleaner (this tool is especially effective against grout stains, says Maker), apply steam directly to the grout, then use your brush to scrub in a circular motion.
(If it's too thin, add more baking soda. If it's too thick, add more vinegar.) Spread the paste in a generous layer along the area of grout you're cleaning. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
Run an old toothbrush under some warm water and squeeze a small amount of toothpaste onto the bristles. Gently buff the white grout borders of your kitchen or bathroom with the paste. Adopt a circular motion for this to lift dirt and disturb any deep-rooted stains which may be lingering.
Arguably the most common homemade grout cleaner, a mixture of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap works best for kitchen and shower tile since the paste is easy to rinse out. "The baking soda is going to give you a little bit more scrubbing power," Rapinchuk says.