How To Clean Grout (It’s Easy & It’s EFFORTLESS!)

The whole purpose of showering is to come out looking and feeling clean. If your grout is mouldy, you’ll barely want to get in, let alone feel sanitised after the experience.

Although black mould and pink mildew can seem daunting – and a little disgusting – they’re often much easier to get rid of than you think.

To prove this to you, we took on the challenge of cleaning up a truly filthy shower, with blackened grout, mildew stains and even living, fluffy mould!

It was not the most pleasant of tasks, but there was something strangely satisfying in watching the grout return to its former pearly white as we cleaned.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally posted in October 2017 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness in December 2018.

How to clean grout in the shower
Now we’ve got that elephant in the room out the way, it’s time to get down to business.

1. Remove surface dirt & grime

The first thing you should do when faced with filthy shower grout is give it a good once-over.

We used limescale remover spray, and the rough side of a sponge with lots of fairy liquid.

This will remove the surface dirt, living mould and leave you with only the mould that’s in the grout itself, which we’re going to talk about tackling next.

Although this isn’t a particularly pleasant task (rubber gloves are advised!) you’ll see an immediate improvement in the appearance of your grout.

2. Bleach it up
The next step is slightly more intricate but still shouldn’t take too long. All you need is bleach and an old, hard-bristled toothbrush and you’ll be ready to clean your grout.

Pour 2 parts undiluted bleach into a small container, and add 1 part water. Ensure your rubber gloves are on and open all available windows to help ventilate the area.

Dip the toothbrush into the bleach solution, then, beginning from up high, lightly scrub the grout with the brush. Go over each section of grout thoroughly so that the bleach seeps deep into the grout.

Once you’ve covered the entire area, leave to sit for 30 minutes.

3. Scrub your grout once more
In order to really remove those blackened grout stains, you want to scrub the grout for a second time. There’s no need to add any more bleach, a damp toothbrush will do.

This will help the bleach penetrate ever deeper into the grout, killing mould and removing any stains.

4. Rinse the shower thoroughly
While amazing at cleaning, bleach isn’t particularly skin-friendly. To ensure nobody suffers from any irritation during their next bath or shower, it’s extremely important to wash the solution away thoroughly.

Wet the entire shower with the shower head, and use the rough side of the sponge to remove bleach residue. Use lots of water to ensure the tiles and bathtub are completely clean.

5. Give it time

If your grout is still looking grimier than you’d like, be patient. Over the next few hours, the grout will continue to whiten until it really does become completely transformed.

How to prevent mould & mildew in the bathroom
In order to prevent such a bad build up of mould in the future, there are several precautions you can take:

• Air the bathroom as much as possible, especially when taking bathing/showering.
• Run the extractor fan not only during your shower but for at least 10 minutes after to extract moisture from the air.
• Wipe the shower walls with a squeegee after use.
• Always scrub your grout during the weekly shower clean.
• Periodically treat shower grout with bleach to kill any mould spores.

Here’s to stepping out the shower feeling clean from now on!