Tile grout lines can be extremely difficult to clean, and simply mopping your floor won’t get the grime out. However, there is a simple solution cleaning professionals swear by that will make grout look brand new.
Home experts at The Spruce spoke to Jade Piper, a professional cleaner and Operations Manager for BetterCleans, to discover the best grout cleaner — and vinegar or baking soda is not needed. The answer? A steam cleaner. Jade explained: “My favourite grout and tile cleaner is not a chemical solution of some sort.
“Say goodbye to those because a steam cleaner is all you need!” She went on to say: “It cuts down the elbow grease by at least half, and you’re not hunched over with a toothbrush.
“I always cover way more ground in less time, and the results are way more consistent. Once you’re done, run a clean microfiber mop over the floor, then dry it asap with another dry mop or towel
“This keeps streaks away and stops any grime from settling back in.”
The professional cleaner recommends using the Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner, which can be found on Amazon.
The cleaner comes with a 17-piece Accessory Kit, including an extension tube, brass brush, garment steamer bonnet, nylon brush, and cleaning pad. It is priced at £159.99, down from £229.99.
The steam cleaner currently boasts an average of 4.3 stars from over 2,900 reviewers.
One happy shopper shared: “I’m genuinely impressed with the Dupray steam cleaner! First off, it’s incredibly lightweight and compact, which makes it easy to carry around and store, perfect for smaller homes or apartments. But don’t let the size fool you.
“On a single tank fill, I was able to deep clean an entire bathroom, tackle a heavily soiled oven, and refresh all my kitchen cabinets—without needing to stop and refill! The steam output is strong and consistent, and it made stubborn grime and grease disappear with minimal effort. This little machine packs a serious punch and has completely changed my cleaning routine. Highly recommend!”
Another customer commented: “I love that it comes with different attachments and the steam is ready pretty quickly and pretty powerful. However, steam cleaning requires constant steam on a surface for 30 sec to actually kill all germs so this becomes very time consuming.
“However, if you’re not concerned with sanitising, it still does a pretty good job on different types of flooring (mine was wooden) and material (couches, chairs etc). The assembly and removal of parts are very easy. However, the low efficiency meant I did return it as I didn’t want to wait 30 seconds every time.”
Elsewhere, you can grab a cheaper model at Argos. The Tower 16-in-1 Steam Mop costs just £40.
A popular ‘non-harsh’ cleaning method to get rid of grout is using lemon juice and baking soda. According to DIY Natural, lemon juice and baking soda are “excellent natural cleaners for most everything in your home”.
Start out with a certain amount of baking soda (maybe a quarter cup) and then add tablespoonfuls of lemon juice until you have reached” a thick paste.
“Spread the solution out on the grout lines,” they instructed.
“Let it sit for a few minutes, and then scrub it with the tile brush. A grout brush is a great tool for this because they have extra stiff bristles, but if you don’t have a grout brush, an old toothbrush is a great substitute.”
To finish, mop the residue paste off your floor.