How To Clean Tile Grout With Oxiclean

How on world do you clean ceramic tile and grout…and what products work best?

This was a question I was pondering while taking a shower the other 24-hour interval. Primarily because the grout on our shower's ceramic floor wasn't looking so good.

I endeavour to keep our shower clean, just with ii adults and ii kids, it'due south pretty darn difficult to maintain Mr. Make clean's level of tidiness (hey, the guy has no hair and that helps a lot with keeping showers looking immaculate).

We have small 2-inch by 2-inch square tiles on our shower flooring (sound familiar) and my primary goal was to make up one's mind the best way to clean them. I also wanted to see if the same solution used to clean the ceramic tile could clean the grout.

Hither's what I used

OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover
Eco Orangish Citrus Cleaner
Chlorox

I've read so many articles on the awesomeness of OxiClean (oxygenated bleach) and wanted to meet for myself how it would work on ceramic tile & grout.

My married woman bought Eco Orange Citrus Cleaner from a salesperson in our neighborhood because it's supposedly non-toxic and kid-friendly. Nosotros've used it for general cleaning and information technology seemed like a good thought to try information technology on the shower, besides.

And as a last resort, I tried Chlorox bleach. It'due south non my preference due to the noxious fumes and the likelihood y'all'll ruin your clothes using information technology.

Admittedly I hit a roadblock the commencement few times I used OxiClean. I'll share my feel considering it sheds light on the amount of OxiClean I institute to accept the most ability. At the very least you'll want to curlicue through the pictures since I was growing my cheesy mustache to heighten money for prostate cancer sensation.

Permit's get started!

How Much OxiClean Powder Should be Used to Clean Ceramic Tile & Grout?

This is a great question because everyone's ceramic tile & grout has a different level of dirtiness.

Let's commencement discuss how the makers of OxiClean recommend using it for hard surfaces like tile & grout.

Cleaning Shower Ceramic Tile & Grout-OxiClean

The directions on the OxiClean container say to make full the OxiClean scoop to line 4 and add together it to ane gallon of water. It'south also suggested that a more full-bodied solution/paste may exist required for surfaces like grout and I'm certainly going to discuss this indicate.

They then recommend applying the OxiClean & water solution to tile with a sponge or castor or by pouring it directly on superlative of the surface. And the final stride is to let the OxiClean stand on the tile & grout for 5-30 minutes and to not allow it dry out.

Okay, that's what you'll read on the OxiClean box.

I performed three different tests on my ceramic tile to see what concentration of OxiClean would work all-time. My hope was that I'd only have to exercise one experiment and POOF, I'd be be a cleaning genius.

But no such luck.

The first test I did used ane/two loving cup of OxiClean added to one gallon of hot water. I permit the solution stand on the tile & grout for xxx minutes and scrubbed for most 5 minutes. This produced somewhat cleaner grout simply the tile didn't look any meliorate.

The second test used i cup of OxiClean added to i gallon of hot water. Again, I allow the solution stand on the tile & grout for 30 minutes and scoured for v minutes. The results were a mixed bag. The grout was clean in some areas and muddy in others as was the tile.

The 3rd examination involved 2 cups of OxiClean added to i gallon of hot h2o. This time I let the solution correspond hr and scrubbed for v minutes at the commencement and end. As a result, the tile & grout looked much meliorate. The tile in particular sparkled and some of the grime I couldn't become off with the scrub brush in tests #1 and #2 was completely gone.

Cleaning Shower Ceramic Tile and Grout-How much OxiClean to Use

My conclusion is that two cups of OxiClean mixed with one gallon of hot water will defintely clean ceramic tile. I barely had to use the nylon scrub brush to become the tiles looking make new. This concentration volition besides eliminate mild grout stains and dirt.

But there were still sections of discolored grout. Maybe my grout was too far gone to be cleaned by OxiClean only that doesn't mean I gave up.

Why Should You Use Oxygenated Bleach to Make clean Ceramic Tile?

I endeavour to stay as salubrious equally possible. And i sure mode to go sick is to expose yourself to harsh chemicals. Plus, my kids use the same bathroom and shower equally us. So the last thing I desire to exercise is use chlorine bleach or some other product that could harm their lungs & skin.

Oxygenated bleach contains sodium percarbonate. When oxygenated bleach is dissolved in water a chemical reaction occurs that releases hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate.

This reaction is non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Plus, oxygenated bleach doesn't contain chlorine. Then you don't have to worry about it discoloring carpets or clothing while cleaning tile & grout.

( IMPORTANT , never mix vinegar with hydrogen peroxide as this reaction forms peracetic acid which can cook lead bullets. I mention this considering many people might effort vinegar to clean tile So use OxiClean, a bad idea altogether!!)

Can Eco Orange or Chlorox Clean Shower Tile & Grout?

At this point in my experiment, the shower tile was immaculate. The grout was driving me nuts. Even though each successive OxiClean treatment improved the grout's look there were still discolored grout lines on some portions of the shower floor.

Enter Eco Orangish Citrus Cleaner. This stuff is expensive at $80 per gallon. Like I said in the introduction we've used it to clean dissimilar areas of our dwelling like sinks, bathtubs, floors, etc. It's marketed as being safe and non-toxic which is important to usa because nosotros have two young daughters.

It works actually well as a general cleaner (as information technology should for that price, holy mother of mercy).

I used 1 function Eco Orange to ii parts water. In this case 2 cups of Eco Orange to 4 cups of warm water. Once mixed thoroughly I poured it onto the shower tile & grout and scrubbed the grout for 5 minutes with a nylon brush.

Then I rinsed the shower floor with make clean h2o. Unfortunately, the grout was nonetheless discolored. If I had to just tidy up the shower floor I'd most certainly use Eco Orange because it would do a expert job eliminating superficial dirt. But grout renewer it is not.

Cleaning Shower Ceramic Tile and Grout-Eco Orange Citrus Cleaner

Moving on to Chlorox bleach.

I really dislike using Chlorox bleach, but wanted to run into if information technology could make a dent in my grout. After putting on safety gloves, a respirator, and center protection I mixed 3/4 loving cup of Chlorox with two cups of water.

Cleaning Shower Ceramic Tile and Grout-Chlorox bleach requires protective gear

This is super concentrated only that'southward the point. I didn't want to perform multiple experiments with bleach.

I scrubbed the tile grout for five minutes and let the Chlorox stand up on the tile surface for some other 10. And then I rinsed with make clean water.

After saying a fiddling prayer to the grout gods (just kidding, just if they existed you know I would kneel in reverence) and waiting ten minutes, I checked on the grout.

Sorry folks, Chlorox just didn't help in this case.

Cleaning Shower Ceramic Tile and Grout-Chlorox bleach

So what shall I practice?

The shower tile is looking fantastic simply the grout is still discolored in some areas.

Cleaning Shower Ceramic Tile and Grout-Mixed results

I started Abode Repair Tutor to share my wins and losses to assistance others. This is a tie 🙂

My promise was that ane of these 3 products could accept cleaned both the tile and grout in our shower. I'grand confident that OxiClean tin can clean anyone'south ceramic tiles. And while it didn't fully live up to my grout cleansing expectations I think y'all should try it since it helped brighten up about 60% of our grout lines.

It's relatively affordable at $7.52 and worth a shot since information technology'southward non-toxic.

I may try a few other products in order to go my tile grout looking ameliorate.