The best way to clean grout is a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, scrubbed into the lines with a stiff nylon brush, left a few minutes, then rinsed — followed by sealing so it stays clean. For tougher stains, oxygen bleach works well. Skip the acidic vinegar tricks on stone and unsealed grout, where they do more harm than good. Here's the full method and when it's worth calling a pro instead.
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Combine baking soda with enough hydrogen peroxide to make a spreadable paste. The baking soda is a gentle abrasive; the peroxide lifts stains and brightens. For heavy mildew in a shower, an oxygen-bleach powder mixed with water is the stronger option.
Work the paste into the grout lines with a stiff nylon brush or an old toothbrush for corners. Let it sit three to five minutes so it can work, then scrub again. Avoid metal brushes, which scratch tile and erode grout.
Rinse with clean water and wipe dry. If the grout came back to a uniform color, you're done. If it's still patchy, the grout is likely stained or worn rather than dirty — cleaning won't fix that.
Once fully dry, apply a penetrating grout sealer. This is the step most people skip and the reason grout re-stains so fast. Reseal high-traffic and wet areas every one to two years.
Most grout cleaning is a satisfying DIY job — you don't need to hire anyone for routine maintenance. Bring in a pro only when:
For a bathroom or a small kitchen floor, the baking-soda method and a sealer will save you a service call. Reach for a pro when restoration, not cleaning, is what's actually needed.
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It can on sealed ceramic, but avoid it on natural stone and unsealed grout where the acid etches and damages the surface. Baking soda with hydrogen peroxide is gentler and usually more effective.
It's likely stained or worn, or the sealer failed and dirt soaked in. At that point cleaning won't help — resealing, color-sealing, or professional restoration is the fix.
Every one to two years for showers, entryways, and other high-traffic or wet areas. A quick water test tells you: if drops bead up, the seal holds; if they soak in, it's time.
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