Maintenance and Cleaning of Grout in the Bathroom Shower

Our cleaning team at Bright at Home Cleaning often gets requests from or clients for tips on how to get, and keep the grout in the showers clean. Even the newest of showers that have tile or rock soon have issues with unsightly mildew and mold formation in the grouting. Unfortunately there are several factors that create this undesirable occurrence. Areas that stay wet, like the inside of showers can easily set the stage for mildew (the pink stuff) and mold (pink stuff turned black) in a matter of days. Uninhibited mold will work its way beyond unsealed grout and eventually into the walls and foundation!

The most important step in the construction of showers with tile and rock is to have the grout sealed properly from the beginning. Many homeowners are unaware of the importance of this step, and don’t check with their contractors to make sure there was a good sealant put on the grout. Many homeowners are also unaware that putting a sealant on the grout is a regular part of maintenance on grouted tile and rock showers. It is easy to tell if your grout needs sealant. A drop of water on the grout should bead up. If the water seeps into the grout it is not sealed. Non sealed grout is porous, which allows water to stay inside and eventually turns into mold.

Mildew and mold that has formed on the surface of the grout can be cleaned with a good general purpose cleaner and magic sponge eraser or scrub brush. Mold that has already worked its way into the grout will require using chemicals such as a commercial strength grout cleaner with a hand held electric scrubbing tool or handheld steamer. Once the grout has been sufficiently cleaned, apply a simple to use water based sealant such as 511 Impregnator Sealer. Maintenance tips for keeping the newly sealed grout clean would include any way to help keep the shower dry between uses. Proper air ventilation is a key factor. Keeping a fan on in the bathroom, open doors and windows if possible. Using a squeegee on the glass and sides, or a microfiber towel or shower chamois to dry the shower. A mop with a dry microfiber mop-head is also great for drying up standing water after a shower.