4 Ways To Clean Grout Off Tile - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Clean Grout Off Tile PDF download Download Article Co-authored by Art Fricke

Last Updated: October 15, 2025 References

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  • Removing Grout Haze
    • |
  • Using Homemade Cleaners
    • |
  • Cleaning with Other Methods
    • |
  • Keeping Your Grout Clean
    • |
  • Expert Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by Art Fricke. Art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 151,857 times.

Laying tile can lead to an unsightly grout haze or even hardened grout that needs to be cleaned off your tile. Also, the grout in your kitchen and bathroom tiles is a virtual magnet for picking up dirt, mold, and mildew. You can tackle both of these situations with a little elbow grease, products found in your home, and some ingenuity. Before cleaning, test the methods you plan to use on a small portion of your tile and grout first. And once your grout is clean, be sure to take some preventive measures to help keep it looking good.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 4:

Removing Grout Haze

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  1. 1 Clean the haze with a damp tile sponge. Dip a large yellow tile sponge in a bucket of water and wring it out. Scrub the tile in a single direction, rather than moving back and forth or cleaning in a circular motion.[1] Rinse and wring the sponge frequently, and change out the water in the bucket when it gets dirty.
  2. Step 2 Use grout haze remover if water doesn't work. 2 Use grout haze remover if water doesn't work. Pick up grout haze remover from your local hardware store or tile supply store. Put the remover on a clean cloth or rag, and wipe the tiles with it. Advertisement
  3. Step 3 Mop the floor with vinegar and water as an alternative to haze remover. 3 Mop the floor with vinegar and water as an alternative to haze remover. Mix 1 cup (240 mL) of distilled vinegar with 1 quart (0.946 L) of warm water. Mop the floor with this solution. Use a scrub brush on stubborn areas. Don't rinse the vinegar solution off the floor. Allow it to dry completely before sealing.[2]
    • Don't use vinegar on marble, travertine, or granite.[3]
  4. Step 4 Remove hardened grout from your tile with sugar. 4 Remove hardened grout from your tile with sugar. Stir white sugar in warm water in a ratio of 1 part sugar to 10 parts warm water. Sponge this mixture into the hardened grout. Leave it alone for an hour, then scrape the grout off your tile. Keep applying sugar water as needed while you scrape to keep the tile moist.[4]
    • Adjust the ratio of sugar to warm water until you have an effective mixture.
    • Alternatively, you can apply undiluted vinegar to hardened grout to make it easier to scrape the grout off of your tile. Once the grout is removed, rinse the entire area thoroughly with plain water to remove all of the vinegar.
  5. Step 5 Sand it lightly if all else fails. 5 Sand it lightly if all else fails. Use a dry scrubbing sponge or cheesecloth to rub down the tile. Rub the tile until the haze is removed. After you lightly sand the grout off of the tile with the cheesecloth or sponge, vacuum up all of the dust before sealing.
    • Try this method on grout that has not set for long.
    • Don't wet the sponge or cheesecloth or the dust from the grout will stick to the floor again.
  6. 6 Avoid using commercial detergents. Though you may be tempted to spray a commercial cleaning product on the tile to remove grout haze, this could actually make the problem worse. Not only can it create additional haze, it may discolor the grout between the tiles.
    7. Advertisement
Method 2 Method 2 of 4:

Using Homemade Cleaners

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  1. Step 1 Use a paste of baking soda and bleach. 1 Use a paste of baking soda and bleach. Make a thick paste from ¾ cup (180 mL) of baking soda with ¼ cup (60 mL) of bleach. Use an old toothbrush or nylon scrubbing brush to work the paste into the grout. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then scrub it. Allow it to sit another 15 minutes, then wipe it off with a damp rag. Frequently rinse out the rag with water as you're wiping off the paste.[5]
    • Wear gloves when cleaning with bleach.
    • Open a window or wear a respirator to protect your nose, throat, and lungs.
    • Protect your eyes with safety glasses.
    • Wear old clothes that can get bleached.
  2. Step 2 Try baking soda and vinegar. 2 Try baking soda and vinegar. Rub baking soda into the grout with your finger. Make it stickier by combining water with the baking soda until you have a thick paste. Next, fill a spray bottle with vinegar and spray vinegar all over the baking soda. Let the mixture bubble for a few minutes, then scrub it with an old toothbrush or nylon scrubbing brush. Wipe up the solution with a damp rag that you rinse frequently.[6]
  3. Step 3 Scrub it with coarse salt. 3 Scrub it with coarse salt. Wet the grout and surrounding tiles with a damp sponge. Sprinkle it with a coarse salt, then scrub the salt into the grout with a toothbrush or nylon scrubbing brush. Allow the salt to dry overnight, then rinse it off in the morning.[7]
    • Scrub with any coarse salt, even Epsom salts.
    • You can use the same method to clean your grout with Borax. Put a damp scrub brush in a bowl of the Borax and use that to scrub the grout.
  4. Step 4 Clean and lighten the grout with cream of tartar. 4 Clean and lighten the grout with cream of tartar. Combine two teaspoons (9.85 mL) of cream of tartar with enough lemon juice to create a liquidy paste. Rub the paste into the grout, then scrub it with a toothbrush or nylon scrubbing brush. Rinse the paste off with plenty of water.
    • Use water if you don't have lemon juice.
    5. Advertisement
Method 3 Method 3 of 4:

Cleaning with Other Methods

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  1. Step 1 Steam clean your grout. 1 Steam clean your grout. Rent a steam cleaner if you don't own one. Use the steam cleaner to remove mold and mildew from your grout. The combination of high heat and pressure are very effective. Don't use a steam cleaner on enamel or anodized surfaces.[8]
  2. Step 2 Use oxygen bleach. 2 Use oxygen bleach. Mix 2 cups (480 mL) of powdered oxygen bleach with 1 gallon (7.57 L) of hot water. Scrub the water and bleach into the grout for 5 minutes. Next, leave the bleach on the grout for an hour.[9] Finally, scrub for another 5 minutes and rinse clean.[10] EXPERT TIP Dario Ragnolo

    Dario Ragnolo

    House Cleaning Professional Dario Ragnolo is the Owner and Founder of Tidy Town Cleaning, a home cleaning service in Los Angeles, California. His business specializes in residential & commercial cleaning. He is a second generation home cleaning expert, who grew up around his parents cleaning business in Italy. Dario Ragnolo Dario Ragnolo House Cleaning Professional

    You can also try using a cleaner made specifically for grout. One of the easiest ways to clean grout is with a commercial product like Goo Gone. You can then just scrub the grout with a brusher.

  3. Step 3 Try muriatic acid. 3 Try muriatic acid. Slowly pour 1 cup (240 mL) muriatic acid into 1 gallon (7.57 L) of water in a bucket. Next, apply the water and acid to the grout with a paint brush and wait a few minutes. Rinse the acid completely off the grout and then neutralize any remaining acid by applying a solution of 1 cup (240 mL) ammonia and 1 gallon (7.57 L) of water. Rinse off the ammonia solution thoroughly.[11]
    • Look for hydrochloric acid if you can't find muriatic acid. They are the same thing.
    • Don't add water to the acid or you might cause a dangerous reaction.
  4. Step 4 Clean it with hydrogen peroxide. 4 Clean it with hydrogen peroxide. Combine equal amounts of hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle. Spray this on the grout and let it stand for 15 minutes. Finally, wipe it off. For stubborn stains, keep the solution on overnight.[12]
    • Don't mix hydrogen peroxide with bleach.
  5. 5 Try bleach cleaner. Pick up a household cleaner that contains bleach. Spray it directly on the grout and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, use warm water to mop the entire floor. Be sure to wet and wring out your mop as many times as is necessary.
    6. Advertisement
Method 4 Method 4 of 4:

Keeping Your Grout Clean

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  1. Step 1 Remove all cleaners from your floor. 1 Remove all cleaners from your floor. Prevent any cleaning solutions from settling in grout on your floor by vacuuming and mopping to thoroughly remove cleaners. Try using a shop vacuum instead of mopping. To do this, put water on your floor and vacuum it up with the shop vac.[13]
  2. Step 2 Seal it. 2 Seal it. Every couple of years, maintain your bathroom and kitchen grout and tiles with a sealant. Clean the grout first, make sure it is completely dry, then apply a sealant. Consult with your local hardware store about the right kind of sealant for the tiles you own.[14]
  3. Step 3 Prevent mold and mildew. 3 Prevent mold and mildew. Wipe down and dry the tiles in your bathroom and kitchen whenever they are damp, steamy, or wet. This will slow the growth of mold. Also keep your kitchen and bathroom doors and windows open, or use a humidifier or exhaust fan to reduce damp and steam in rooms with tiles.[15]
    4. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

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  • Question How can I get fresh grout off of tile? Art Fricke Art Fricke Home Renovation & Repair Specialist Art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile. Art Fricke Art Fricke Home Renovation & Repair Specialist Expert Answer Wipe it up with a damp sponge. Work in circular motions to lift the grout off of the tile before it dries completely. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0
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Tips

  • If the cleaner you use softens the grout between the tiles, simply smooth it out with a plastic putty knife and let it dry completely. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

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References

  1. ↑ Art Fricke. Home Renovation & Repair Specialist. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ https://chrislovesjulia.com/removing-grout-haze-the-easy-way/
  3. ↑ http://www.cleanandscentsible.com/2015/09/how-to-clean-grout.html
  4. ↑ https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/cleangrout.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.practicallyfunctional.com/make-your-own-grout-cleaner/
  6. ↑ http://makinglemonadeblog.com/green-cleaning-with-vinegar-grout-tub-sink-cleaner/
  7. ↑ http://www.naturallivingideas.com/clean-tiles-grout/
  8. ↑ http://www.homeadvisor.com/r/clean-grout/#.WQqmasm1t-0
  9. ↑ Art Fricke. Home Renovation & Repair Specialist. Expert Interview
More References (6)
  1. ↑ https://www.homerepairtutor.com/clean-ceramic-tile-and-grout/
  2. ↑ https://www.hunker.com/12369193/how-to-clean-tile-grout-with-muriatic-acid
  3. ↑ http://www.cleanandscentsible.com/2015/09/how-to-clean-grout.html
  4. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/how-to-clean-old-tile-grout-thats-become-unsightly/2016/06/03/86cef8c2-2442-11e6-9e7f-57890b612299_story.html?utm_term=.120b3b61d5b0
  5. ↑ https://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/house-cleaning/surface/how-to-clean-grout/
  6. ↑ https://www.bhg.com/how-to-get-rid-of-mold-and-mildew-8674585

About This Article

Art Fricke Co-authored by: Art Fricke Home Renovation & Repair Specialist This article was co-authored by Art Fricke. Art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile. This article has been viewed 151,857 times. 9 votes - 67% Co-authors: 9 Updated: October 15, 2025 Views: 151,857 Categories: Tiling Grout Article SummaryX

To clean grout haze off your tiles, dip a large tile sponge in a bucket of water, wring it out, and use it to scrub your tiles in a single direction. For stubborn grout haze, mop the floor with a mixture of 1 cup of white vinegar and 1 quart of warm water. Then, let the tiles dry completely before sealing the floor. If the grout is already dry, apply vinegar and water to it and let it sit for 1 hour. Then, scrape the grout off your tiles and rinse the area with water to remove the vinegar. To learn how to clean grout haze with other household iproducts, like bleach and baking soda, scroll down! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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  • Suzanna

    Suzanna

    Aug 12, 2022

    "Getting the haze off that covers entire tile."
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Art Fricke Co-authored by: Art Fricke Home Renovation & Repair Specialist 9 votes - 67% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 9 Updated: October 15, 2025 Views: 151,857 Suzanna

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Aug 12, 2022

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Tag » How To Remove Dried Tile Grout