How to clean grout (and keep it white)

Keep the grout framing your Alhambra White Decor Glazed tiles looking pristine. Clean grout ensures these beautifully textured ceramic tiles remain the radiant main focus of your wall.

To clean grout, sweep and rinse the tiles, work a paste of bicarbonate of soda into the grout lines, spray with white vinegar (on ceramic or porcelain only), leave it to fizz for 5–10 minutes, then scrub with a stiff nylon brush and rinse. For grout that has turned black or mouldy, use an oxygen bleach solution instead. Sealing the grout afterwards keeps it white for far longer.

Grout is porous, so it quietly absorbs soap, limescale, dirt and moisture until once-white lines look grey or black. The good news: in most cases you can restore it with everyday household ingredients. This guide covers routine cleaning, deep-cleaning discoloured grout, cleaning without scrubbing, and how to keep it clean once you're done.

How To Clean Grout: Step By Step

The beautiful structure of our Ixworth Bone Brick tiles relies on crisp grout lines. A simple bicarbonate of soda paste works wonders alongside these highly durable ceramic tiles.

1. Sweep and pre-rinse. Clear loose dirt and mop with warm water so you're working on the grout, not surface grime.
2. Apply a bicarbonate of soda paste. Mix it with a little warm water and work it into the grout lines with your brush.
3. Add white vinegar (ceramic/porcelain only). Spray over the paste and let it fizz for 5–10 minutes. On natural stone, skip the vinegar and use an oxygen bleach solution — acid etches stone.
4. Scrub the lines. Work in small sections along each grout line.
5. Rinse and dry. Rinse with clean warm water and buff dry with a microfibre cloth so no residue remains.
6. Seal the grout. Once fully dry, apply a grout sealer to slow future staining.

How To Clean Grout That Has Turned Black

Showcase the vibrant tones of our Retro Metro Lime House glazed tiles. Proper grout maintenance ensures these striking tiles stay the undisputed centrepiece of your bathroom.

Mould can quickly detract from beautifully selected tiles. Keeping grout lines clean ensures your tiles always command the attention they deserve.

Black grout is almost always mould (common in showers and wet rooms) or deeply ingrained dirt. Mix an oxygen bleach solution, apply it to the grout, and leave it to dwell for 10–15 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing. For persistent shower mould, a dedicated mould-and-mildew remover will break down the spores. If the staining keeps returning within days, or the grout feels soft or crumbly, it has likely failed and is better re-grouted than cleaned.

How To Clean Grout Without Scrubbing

For heavily patterned designs like the Kelmscott Emery Blue Patterned tile, steam cleaning offers a scrub-free way to lift dirt from grout lines while protecting the beautiful ceramic face.

If you'd rather not scrub, a steam cleaner is the easiest route — the hot vapour lifts dirt straight out of the grout lines. No steamer? Apply an oxygen bleach solution and let it dwell for 15–20 minutes so it loosens the dirt chemically, then simply rinse it away. It won't be quite as thorough as scrubbing on badly stained grout, but it handles routine cleaning well.

A Quick Word On Natural Stone

Natural stone demands special care. When cleaning the grout around our luxurious Carrara White Marble Honed tiles, avoid acidic solutions like vinegar to protect their authentic honed surface.

Marble, limestone, travertine and slate are acid-sensitive. Vinegar, lemon and many supermarket bathroom sprays will dull or etch the surface. Stick to a pH-neutral stone cleaner or a mild oxygen bleach solution, and always seal both the stone and the grout.

How To Keep Grout White For Longer

Seal your grout to maintain the perfect frame around colourful choices like our Cordoba Drift and Cordoba Lagoon glazed tiles, keeping your tile selection the focal point for years to come.

• Seal it. A grout sealer is the single biggest factor in how quickly grout re-stains.
• Dry surfaces after use. Wipe down shower walls and wet-room floors to deny mould the moisture it needs.
• Ventilate. An extractor fan or open window dramatically cuts mould growth.
• Clean little and often. A two-minute bicarbonate-of-soda clean every few weeks stops dirt ever building up.

Looking to refresh a tired bathroom or kitchen instead of the grout? Browse our bathroom tiles, floor tiles and mosaic tiles collections for inspiration.