Tackling that kitchen grout: a natural DIY tile & grout cleaner
April 16, 2014Our kitchen has undergone a number of improvements recently. New granite countertops, a new pendant light fixture, and new island baskets. We tiled the floor ourselves when we moved in (4 years ago) but never re-sealed the grout since then. Hmm… that’s probably why our grout didn’t look so hot! 🙂
The tiles are in good shape. They may be a little dirty, but they’re level and not cracked at all. The grout was quite dingy. I came across this post from Gathered in the Kitchen, and figured it would be worth a try to see if I can clean this grout naturally. If this didn’t work, I’d have to buy a chemical-laden alternative at the home improvement store. If that didn’t work, I’d probably need to re-grout the kitchen. Luckily, this recipe worked pretty well for me, with just a small adjustment in concentration. Let’s get to the details.
Tackling that kitchen grout: a natural DIY tile & grout cleaner
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/3 cup vinegar
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- Mix all ingredients into a spray bottle.
- Using a toothbrush, apply the mixture to the tile and scrub the grout.
- Wipe up excess liquid.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the grout has been thoroughly cleaned.
I increased the concentration of the acids in my solution, and that cut through some of the grime and dirt a bit better for me.
Below are a few of the BEFORE pictures.
No, I’m not proud… 🙂
In my defense, some of the worst tiles were hidden behind the kitchen island, so it was an area that was mostly out of sight most of the time. However, this picture below shows the grout before cleaning and this was from the center of the room.
The next picture is an In Progress photo. The grout in the background was cleaned already, and the grout in the foreground is still dirty.
And here are all AFTER pictures.
Notice how the tile shines so much now. And the grout is back to its original almond color.
Success!
And if youu don’t have the know-how tto truly put that sink bac together
ahain correctly, then you might end up with a much worsee problem than you had if
it was just leaking or dripping. Add enough water to thhe tub or shower soo that thhe head with thee plunger is submerged,
and hold a wet washcloth tightly upp againstt thee overflow holes above the spout.
Try to avoid this by not dropping pieces of soap
in the drain – Most experts haave claimed when you pour boiling water to thee drain of the bathtub
once every one month, it caan help in stopping any clogs from occurring.
Other manufacturers are producing carpet cushion materials that utilize recycled materials such as recycled post-industrial fibers, recycled polyurethane,
and jute and hair. Moving furniture – If you wish, you might relocate items yourself before the carpet cleaners arrive, definitely more freedom to go around.
The use of the organic cleaning agents can make your environment Eco friendly along with it
is safe to the thing that you just get cleaned.