The seams between tiles in the bathroom are the most dirty place. It is most susceptible to mold and dust. And moisture getting on the seams will only strengthen the stains.
Regularly washing floors and walls after taking water procedures will not solve the problem, because not every housewife has time for this. Therefore, women are thinking about how to wash and clean the dirty seams between the tiles in the bathroom.
Cleaning the seams is not only an aesthetic and impeccable appearance of the bathroom, but also an important concern for the health of the household. It is there that bacteria and black mold, which is no less dangerous for the human body, multiply best.
Therefore, high-quality grout cleaning will create additional protection against harmful microorganisms, ensuring better hygiene.
Tile has long been a part of interior design, and experienced housewives know the secrets of returning the original appearance not only to tiles, but also to removing dirt on its seams. The most proven and effective methods to help fix bathroom tile seams are given below.
A mixture of baking soda, fresh lemon juice and vinegar
The amount of ingredients will be as follows:
- soda – ½ cup;
- vinegar (9%) – ¼ cup.
Dissolve all of the above components in 1.5 liters of boiled water and cooled to room temperature. The acid released by lemon and vinegar, entering into a chemical reaction with soda, will lead to increased foaming. To prevent splashes from staining surrounding objects, you need to stir the composition with leisurely movements.
First put rubber gloves on your hands. Rub the resulting product into the tile joints using an old toothbrush or a sponge with the hard side. The composition will return the tile and its joints to their original appearance in 15-20 minutes.
An alternative to lemon juice can be citric acid crystals.
Ammonia
Ammonia will not only clean the tiles, but also give them a dazzling shine. We need to act in the following way:
- dissolve one tablespoon of ammonia in two liters of clean water;
- using a spray bottle, spray the product onto each seam and tile squares;
- leave for 15-20 minutes;
- Wipe off any remaining solution and dirt with a slightly damp cloth.
Ammonia will cope not only with germs, but also remove fresh mold.
Bleach and soda are two active ingredients that also effectively deal with mold.
You need to prepare a paste using these products: pour the whiteness into a container and add enough baking soda so that the solution acquires a pasty consistency.
Using a spatula, apply the compound to each seam and leave until it is completely dry. After this, rinse off the product with water, using a brush or sponge for better cleaning.
If the color of the grout is not white, but of a different shade, then this method will not work, since the whiteness contained in the product will bleach the paint.
Since bleach is a substance not only with a pungent odor, but also contains chlorine, it is important to take precautions before work - protect your hands with rubber gloves, and your face with a gauze bandage.
Soda, lemon, toothpaste, mustard
In this case, you will need a mixture of baking soda, fresh lemon juice, toothpaste or powder and mustard. The proportions will be as follows:
- soda – ½ cup;
- lemon juice – 1/3 squeezed fruit;
- toothpaste or powder – 1 teaspoon;
- mustard powder – 1 tablespoon.
Pour 1 liter of water into a container and add all of the above components in the indicated quantities. Mix well. Using a sponge, rub the product into the surface of each grout joint. After 30 minutes, rinse off the composition with warm, clean water.
Hot steam
This means the absence of any cleaning products. A steam cleaner that produces high-pressure steam will quickly and efficiently clean the grout between tiles in the bathroom. A jet of hot steam will not only soften dirt, but also knock it out of the joints, killing fungus, mold and bacteria.
All of the above methods do not require much financial return or time investment. But they are not always able to cope with deeply ingrained dirt. In this case, you will have to use purchased compounds.
Household chemicals presented in household goods stores do not always meet health safety requirements. Many substances contained in the products are toxic.
Therefore, every time you work with them you need to use gloves and a protective mask on your face. How to clean seams using store-bought products? Which ones should you buy?
- It is filled with waterproof dye. In addition to destroying harmful microorganisms, the felt-tip pen will mask defects on the seams.
- Oxygen bleach. It is mixed with warm water in a 1:1 ratio. Apply the composition to the tiles with a sponge, paying special attention to the seams between the tiles. Leave for 1-1.5 hours. The ions contained in the bleach will destroy contaminants that have penetrated deep into the seams. Residues can be easily removed with a stiff brush.
- It can be used not only as part of folk remedies, but also as an independent substance. The entire surface of the tiles in the bathroom is treated with white, including the seams between the tiles.
- Melamine sponge- an expensive but effective remedy in the fight against visible pollution. However, it will not cope with mold.
Stores also sell other compositions for cleaning tiles in the bathroom and kitchen. These are Sif, Ultrastripper, “Mr. Muscle”, BOZO, “Atlas Dolphin”. They must be used in accordance with the instructions indicated on the packaging.
All purchased products contain chlorine in one way or another, so they should only be used on white grout.
A radical solution to the problem, or If the mold has penetrated too deeply
All the remedies described above can cope with dirt and mold, which appeared relatively recently. If the fungus has penetrated deeply into the grout joints, you will have to act radically.
A scraper will help. Use it to clean off all the grout. Ideally, if mold has appeared in the bathroom, you should change the tiles or remove them, clean them of glue or fastening mortar and reinstall them. But there is not always time and opportunity for this. But you can’t just let things take their course. Mold is dangerous to health, especially for people prone to allergic reactions and asthmatic attacks.
The solution is to completely remove the grout and disinfect it. A hand or eclectic tool will help you remove the grout from the seams. It is better to entrust such work to professionals. If you decide to act on your own, be sure to wear a protective mask and goggles on your face, since the dust generated as a result of the work can get into your respiratory system and eyes.
Before cleaning the seams, they need to be softened with water and vinegar. After the grout has been completely removed, each seam must be carefully treated with special antifungal solutions, then rubbed again with a compound for them using a spatula.
Little secrets
Cleaning any type of tile has its own characteristics. They influence selection of the tool that will be used in further work.
- If the surface of the tile is glazed, then acids cannot be used on it, otherwise the tile will fade.
- Upon completion of work, matte tiles should always be treated with a mastic with protective properties. It creates a film that will prevent the surface from getting dirty longer.
- Mosaic, like glass tiles, is resistant to irritants. But they should not be treated with products containing large quantities of alkali and acid.
- Compositions with abrasive elements - in the form of granular powders or crystalline components, as well as brushes that are too hard, should not be used on any surface.