Y’all, I really feel like I’ve struck gold. I’m certain I’m not the one particular person to ever do that, however I’ve by no means seen it earlier than. Should you search “learn how to clear white grout in a bathe” on Pinterest, you’ll discover all types of recipes that every one embody issues like baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, and so on. However the primary factor is that these recipes all embody directions that require you to placed on some gloves and begin scrubbing your grout.
That’s all superb and good, however when you may have an enormous bathe (ours is about 7′ x 7′, so someplace round 49 sq. toes, as a result of it’s wheelchair accessible), scrubbing the tile on the ground to make the grout white once more could be a two-hour job. I’ve typically used my steam cleaner (this is the one I have — affiliate hyperlink), which I nonetheless love and use usually, however even that could be a lengthy course of in such an enormous bathe. And whereas it was cleansing the cleaning soap scum off of the tiles, it nonetheless wasn’t getting the grout again to its authentic shiny white shade.
Proper after I completed tiling and grouting our bathe again in Could 2022, I keep in mind a number of folks warning me that I’d remorse having white grout on a bathe ground. And I keep in mind dismissing these feedback, pondering to myself, “Meh, I’ll let Future Kristi fear about that.” Properly, on Friday, that Future Kristi was down on her fingers and knees within the bathe, scrubbing and steaming the grout, and cursing Previous Kristi for her determination to make use of white grout on the bathe ground. 😀
Right here’s the issue. Our bathe has a low spot on the world that’s presupposed to be degree, and that low spot catches and holds water. Nevertheless it doesn’t simply catch and maintain clear water straight from the bathe head (which might nonetheless be an issue as a result of we’ve arduous water). It catches and holds water stuffed with cleaning soap and hair conditioner.
Not solely is all of that cleaning soap scum ugly to have a look at because it discolors the grout, but it surely’s harmful as a result of each time it will get moist once more, it’s very slippery.
I want that I’d have observed that low spot earlier than tiling the ground in order that I might have used a self-leveling concrete product on that space earlier than waterproofing and tiling the ground, however I didn’t. I used to be simply so anxious to get the tile performed that I didn’t discover it or give it some thought.
When I’ve the bathe curtains up, it’s actually not an issue as a result of the bathe curtains retains the water contained within the space of the bathe with the sloped ground.
However about six months in the past, I took the bathe curtains down to clean them and by no means put them again up. 😀 I stored that means to place them again up, however simply all the time obtained sidetracked and by no means obtained round to it. In order that low space was trying terrible and discolored.
I want I had taken earlier than footage, however to be fairly trustworthy, I had no intention of running a blog about cleansing the bathe tile. It didn’t even cross my thoughts that I’d be sharing this on the weblog, so taking earlier than footage was nowhere in my thoughts. I might kick myself for that now as a result of I actually really feel like I’ve struck gold right here.
Anyway, after getting my steamer out and scrubbing that space of the ground, the tile was getting clear, however the grout nonetheless regarded discolored and dingy. I used to be so pissed off, and commenced planning to seek out time in my schedule to purchase some Grout Renew in order that I might paint the grout on the complete bathe ground. That appeared to be my solely possibility for getting the grout again to its authentic shiny white shade.
After which I had an concept. I had simply bought a two-pack of this product…
I shared some time again that that is what I take advantage of to take away stains on our white concrete counter tops within the kitchen (along with its meant objective of retaining bathroom bowls glowing white). On our counter tops, I put this immediately on the stain, cowl it with paper towels, go away it in a single day, and by morning, the stain is gone.
I assumed if it really works on mustard stains and different cussed stains on white concrete counter tops, I’ll guess it’ll work on white grout! Plus, it has that very useful spout on it that makes it really easy to use precisely the place you need it. So I obtained a bottle and went to work. However I solely put it in that one nook of the bathe the place the water settles when the bathe curtain is down. It took lower than 10 minutes. I did it proper earlier than I went to mattress, and left it there in a single day.
After I obtained up the following morning, I went into the bathe and used the handheld sprayer to clean it off, and that grout was BRIGHT WHITE!! I imply, it was so white that that nook regarded model new, after which the remainder of the ground regarded dingy compared. 😀
At that time, I had no different possibility however to do the remainder of the ground. Then I used to be cursing myself for getting myself right into a state of affairs the place I used to be going to should put that stuff on ALL of the grout traces on the entire ground. I assumed it was going to take without end on such an enormous ground. Nevertheless it didn’t! I went in there proper earlier than bedtime, and doing the entire ground (once more, about 49 sq. toes of tiny tiles with plenty of grout traces) took about half-hour. And I put it on each single grout line on the bathe ground.
And once I obtained up yesterday morning to prepare for church, it took me only a few minutes to clean all of it away earlier than taking my bathe, and this ground now seems simply nearly as good because it did the day I completed grouting the tile.
Right here’s an image I took again in 2022 proper after I completed the bathe tile…
And right here’s what it seems like this morning…
And better of all…NO SCRUBBING NEEDED!! It did all of the arduous work for me whereas I slept.
I imply, does this appear like 2.5-year-old white grout on a bathe ground that has been used usually? It nearly seems whiter and brighter now than it did when it was new. 😀
After all, taking a look at these footage, I notice I ought to have used some on the vertical grout traces on the backside on the drain wall. That grout is trying a bit cleaning soap scummy as nicely. And because it’s a clinging product (made for lavatory bowls), I’m fairly certain it’ll work there as nicely. I’m going to strive it. However I did put it on the grout on that wall the place the wall meets the ground, and it introduced that again to shiny white as nicely.
Anyway, I’ll by no means scrub this grout once more. After all, I’ll even be placing these bathe curtains again up ASAP in order that that low spot doesn’t catch water. However I’ll be doing this no less than yearly any further. Forty minutes of time and fewer than $6 for a two-pack of Clorox Clinging Bleach Gel…and NO SCRUBBING…every year is a small worth to pay for retaining white bathe grout shiny white.
Observe: Should you determine to do this, I counsel testing it out first in a small, inconspicuous place first earlier than leaping in and doing the entire ground. And by no means use bleach on darkish grout or pure stone!
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and enhance the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
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