6 tips for cleaning your grout so that your floor looks brand new

Tile floors are great for rooms where frequent messes happen. For the most part, you just have to wipe up the spill with a wet rag, and you won't be able to tell anything was there to begin with. But there is a disadvantage to tile floors. Grout.

The grout between your tiles is slightly more difficult to clean than the tiles themselves. And even if you keep it clean, grout can sometimes collect mold or mildew. Never fear, though, for there are plenty of simple ways to clean your grout that won't make you regret having tile floors.

Vinegar, baking soda & Dawn
Start by mixing water and vinegar (4:1 ratio) in a spray bottle and top it off with 2 tablespoons of Dawn dish soap. Sprinkle baking soda along the grout lines. If the grout is really dirty, press the baking soda into it. Spray the mixture over the baking soda and let it fizz for about 20 seconds before scrubbing it with an old toothbrush. After scrubbing away all of the dirt, wipe everything up with a damp rag. See this in action here. Toilet bowl cleaner
Toilet bowl cleaner is no longer just for your toilets. If you have the gel cleaner with bleach, you can also use it for the grout between your tiles. Just squeeze it along your grout lines and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Scrub the cleaner into the grout with a bristle brush and let it sit for another 5 minutes. When you're finished, mop the floor to clean away any leftover gel. Watch this in action here. Hydrogen peroxide
Your grout might still have a few stains even after you've cleaned it. Or you might be dealing with mold or mildew in the grout, especially if you have tile floors in your bathroom. To get rid of these problems, spray hydrogen peroxide on the stains, let it sit for a few minutes and then use a scrub brush to work it into the stains. Watch this in action here. Lemon juice
If you want a completely natural way to clean the grout between your tiles, head to the kitchen and grab a lemon. Squeeze out the lemon juice and pour it along the grout lines, then let it soak in for about 10 minutes. The citric acid in the lemon juice will help take care of stains as well as dirt in the grout, and then you can wipe up the juice with a damp cloth. Watch this in action here. Bleach pen
This tip works best if you're not dealing with a huge amount of tile, mostly because it would become tiring pretty quickly. But if you don't have too much grout to handle, a bleach pen is a quick and easy way to make it look new again. Just trace the pen along your grout lines and let the gel sit for 10 minutes. Use a sponge to wipe away the remaining bleach and rinse the grout with a damp cloth. Watch this in action here. Laundry bleach & baking soda
Mix 3 parts laundry bleach with 1 part baking soda to form a paste. Rub this paste into the grout and leave it for about 15 minutes before scrubbing over it with an old toothbrush. When you're finished cleaning the dirt, wipe everything up with a damp cloth. Watch this in action here.