First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot the spill with a paper towel or cloth now.
- Scrub with warm water and a white nylon pad for 60 seconds.
- Rinse the area with clean water when you're done.
Stains on grout behave differently from stains on the tile, because on cement-based grout a mark can become part of the grout itself. Epoxy grout can be brought back to its first shade, so the first thing to find out is which kind you have. That one answer decides how hard you'll have to work and which cleaner makes sense.
Work on grout stains one small patch at a time, so the cleaner doesn't dry on the tile before you rinse it. Keep the cleaner on the mark just long enough to lift it, and don't let it dry in the joint. If a stain is still there after a few rounds of scrubbing, a gentle grout cleaner is the next thing to try.
Before you start
What this material can take
Safe to use4
- Water
- Hot water
- Enzyme cleaners
- Heat, once the stain is out
Use with care5
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
7 items
What you'll need
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- Paper towel or clothLifts the spill before it sinks in. (opens Amazon)
- White nylon padScrubs the grout without the harshness of abrasive pads. (opens Amazon)
- Soft nylon brushGets into the lines and works the cleaner in. (opens Amazon)
- Mild tile-and-grout cleanerFor stains that stay after the warm-water scrub. (opens Amazon)
- Alkaline tile-and-grout cleanerFor greasy soil. (opens Amazon)
- Mop or wet vacuumPicks up the dirty solution before it dries. (opens Amazon)
- Cleaner made for mold or soap scumFor those deposits.
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Wipe up the spill right away
Blot up the spill with a paper towel or cloth as soon as you can. The sooner it's up, the less of it can settle into the grout.
Tip. Blot rather than rub, so the spill doesn't spread.
Step 2 of 7
Test any cleaner on a hidden spot
Before you use any cleaner, try it on a small, inconspicuous area of grout. Let that patch dry so you can see the result before you treat the stain.
Tip. Pick a spot nobody looks at, like a corner by the wall.
Step 3 of 760 seconds
Scrub with warm water and nylon
Wet the stain with warm water and scrub it with a white nylon pad for at least 60 seconds. Work along the grout line rather than across it, so you don't push the stain deeper.
Tip. Rinse the pad often so you aren't moving dirt around.
Step 4 of 7A few minutes
Apply a gentle grout cleaner
If the stain is still there, apply a mild tile-and-grout cleaner. Let it sit for a few minutes, then agitate it with a soft nylon brush or nylon pad.
Tip. Work in small sections so the cleaner is still wet while you scrub.
Careful. Don't let the cleaner dry on the grout.
Step 5 of 7
Lift the solution and rinse
Pick up the dirty solution with a mop or wet vacuum before it dries. Rinse the area with clean water, then let it dry completely.
Careful. Don't leave cleaner residue; even good alkaline cleaners leave a sticky soap film that attracts dirt if not rinsed.
Step 6 of 73 to 4 minutes
Treat greasy soil with an alkaline cleaner
For greasy soil, dampen the grout and apply an alkaline tile-and-grout cleaner. Let it dwell for 3 to 4 minutes, then scrub with a white nylon pad for at least 60 seconds. Rinse, and repeat if the grease is still there.
Tip. The white pad shows you when it's picking up dirt.
Step 7 of 7
Use a mold or soap scum cleaner
For mold or soap scum, use a cleaner made for those deposits. On epoxy grout only, a bleaching cleanser can be scrubbed in with a nylon pad for tough soil, and this is the last step after everything is rinsed. If you don't know whether your grout is epoxy, skip the bleaching cleanser.
Careful. Keep chlorine cleansers off stainless partitions and fixtures; the chlorine may damage the finish.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best stain removers for grout
A gentle tile-and-grout cleaner and an alkaline version cover most jobs, and a soft nylon brush does the scrubbing. A pressurized steam machine is a useful backup only for stains that survive those.
Zep Grout Cleaner & Brightener
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on grout, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Know the stain? Use its own guide
Every stain on grout
Mold & outdoor1
Body fluids2
Water, rust & minerals3
Paint, glue & adhesives3
Discoloration & marks4
Oil & grease1
Food & drink2
Dye & color1
Ink, marker & crayon1
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The stain should lighten after the first warm-water scrub, which tells you the grout is responding. If nothing changes after the cleaner step, the stain is likely set in, so move on to the set-in options instead of scrubbing harder.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your grout
Shower grout
Shower grout gets the same steps, but it usually picks up soap scum and greasy soil, so the alkaline cleaner step matters most there. Give it the full 3 to 4 minutes of dwell before you scrub.
Some heavy-duty cleaners can dwell for up to 10 minutes, so follow the label rather than cutting the time short. Rinse the walls and grout with clean water before the shower dries.
Floor grout
Floor grout gets the same steps, and the rinse matters more because you walk over it and track dirt back in. Scrub with the white nylon pad and let each cleaner work for its full time before you move on.
If the pattern of the tile makes it hard to reach the grout with a pad, switch to a soft nylon brush and work in short passes.
Grout lines between tiles
Lines between tiles are narrow, so use a soft nylon brush to get into them and keep the scrub along the line rather than across it. Work one section at a time so the cleaner doesn't dry before you reach the next line.
Keep the 60-second scrub for each section and rinse each one before moving on, so the lines look even when you're done.
Bathroom, kitchen and tub grout
Bathroom grout usually calls for the soap scum and mold steps, while kitchen grout is more often greasy, so start with the greasy-soil step there. The same nylon pad and rinse apply in every room.
Tub grout sits where the grout meets the bath, so keep the cleaner on the grout and rinse it away fully. If the room has a mold problem, use a cleaner made for mold before anything else.
Cement and epoxy grout
Cement grout is the common type, and it's the kind that stains can become part of over time. Epoxy grout can always be cleaned back to its original color, and it's the only kind that can take the bleaching cleanser.
If you don't know which type you have, skip the bleaching cleanser and stick with warm water and a tile-and-grout cleaner. White, black and old grout follow the same steps, but older cement grout may keep a stain that doesn't come out.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old stain on cement grout has usually soaked in, and it may never come out fully. Go back through the alkaline cleaner step once more, letting it dwell for the full 3 to 4 minutes before you scrub.
If the stain has dried into the grout, use pressurized steam, which can lift stains that don't respond to regular cleaners. Keep the steam moving so it doesn't sit in one spot.
If the stain is still there, it's probably part of the grout now, and the realistic goal is a lighter, more even color. For deeply set stains, contact the grout maker's technical support instead of trying harsher chemicals.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on grout?
You'll find plenty of home remedies for grout online, but most were made for fabric or other surfaces. Cleaners made for tile and grout suit grout best, so they're the right first choice. Steam is the one backup worth knowing about, and it's covered below.
Skip6Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use acids on cement grout
Strong acid solutions, vinegar and lemon all etch cement-based grout. The grout can lose its color or turn powdery, and glazed tile dulls too.
Don't use oily or waxy cleaners
Oil- and wax-based cleaners leave a film in the grout. That film is a sticky surface that catches dirt, which is the opposite of what you want.
Don't mix bleach with ammonia
Bleach and ammonia, or any detergent that contains ammonia, form a toxic gas when they meet. Never combine them, even as a quick second wipe.
Don't use harsh cleaners for routine care
Strong alkaline, acidic, abrasive or ammonia-based cleaners can damage grout and greatly reduce sealer stain repellency. A gentle cleaner made for tile and grout is enough for everyday cleaning.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
Grout looks clean wet but dingy when dry
Residue is likely holding dirt. Rinse again with clean water and remove it with a mop or wet vacuum.
Kitchen grout stays dark after neutral cleaner
That usually means grease. Switch to the alkaline dwell and 60-second nylon pad scrub, and repeat once if needed.
Shower grout has black spots or a white film
Use a cleaner made for mold or soap scum, then rinse. A bleaching cleanser is an option only if the grout is epoxy.
A stain survives every cleaner
Try pressurized steam. If it still shows, contact the grout maker's technical support before considering anything stronger.
When to call a professional
If a stain survives the set-in steps, contact the grout maker's technical support rather than trying harsher chemicals. Efflorescence, the white haze that can appear on grout, is a job for a professional, since acid cleaning needs extreme care.
Questions
Does sealing grout keep it clean?
Sealer helps grout resist stains, but only while it stays intact. Harsh, oily or ammonia-based cleaners can break the sealer down, so stick to a gentle cleaner made for tile and grout. Regular gentle cleaning is what keeps the sealer working.
Can I use bleach on grout?
Only on epoxy grout, and only the bleaching cleanser for tough soil, used last after everything is rinsed. Never use bleach or acid cleaners on cement grout, because they damage it. If you aren't sure what your grout is, skip bleach and use a tile-and-grout cleaner.
How do I clean the whole grout area?
Stains get their own method first, so use a soft nylon brush or white nylon pad for the scrubbing and a mild tile-and-grout cleaner for routine marks. Use the alkaline version of that cleaner for greasy soil, and a cleaner made for mold or soap scum for those deposits. A pressurized steam machine is worth trying only when the stain survives the cleaners, and the full deep clean has its own guide on how to clean grout.
Can grout stains come out for good?
On epoxy grout, yes: it can always be cleaned back to its original color. On cement grout, an old stain can become part of the grout, so it may lighten without disappearing.
What should I do about mold on grout?
Use a cleaner made for mold or soap scum rather than a general cleaner. Scrub with a nylon pad, rinse with clean water and let the area dry. If it comes back quickly, moisture is probably the cause, and a cleaner alone won't fix that.
Is hot water safe for grout?
For epoxy grout, clean hot water is fine, since epoxy grout can be damp-mopped and rinsed with hot water. For cement grout, keep to warm water, which is the safe choice when you don't know the grout type.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.