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eldemila

FINALLY! Found A Way To Clean Grout!!!

eldemila
13 years ago

Just wanted to share that EUREKA, I finally found it! A way to get tile grout clean. You have NO idea how much money I've wasted on products that don't work. Wanted to share with others what worked for me. Can't guarantee it will work for everyone, but the grout I had to contend with, well, read on.

Bought a house almost a year ago. House was built in 1968. The grout looked like it hadn't been cleaned since then. Grout is white, though you wouldn't have known it from the look of it.

Bought a box of powdered TSP along with a great stiff grout brush at Walmart that of course, just as I find a brush I like, they discontinue carrying it (light blue non discript brush) and now carry one that I'm not sure is as good (stiff) made by Stanley (yellow and black)

I mixed the powder with water somewhat according to directions, probably making it a bit stronger than it should be and would pour small puddles and scrub the grout. Came out pretty good, some areas a little dingier than others so used a little bleach and scrubbed that as well.

The worst part was around the toilet. Men can't aim, and they sure can't clean up after themselves either. I tackled this area last and with hesitance. I've cleaned this particular bathroom over time, not in just one day, too tedious. This bathroom has 1x1 tiles!

So before I was going to clean this last "segment" I went to pick up some tile for a bathroom remodel and saw a product called GROUT 66. Never heard of it before and it was pretty pricey at $15 for a quart (they do have gallons but wasn't about to pay that much if I didn't know it was going to work). Guy showed me on their grout and I saw it work so I figured I'd give it a try.

I still used the TSP as I wanted to continue doing what I knew worked. The area around the toilet, the TSP didn't work as well as the other areas. I used the Grout 66 and I definitely saw a difference. You can actually hear this stuff work, it sounds like hydrogen peroxide when it makes an effervescent sound. Stinks like sulfur/eggs. What impressed me was there was an area in the corner back of where the toilet was where it looked like old blood, the tsp lightened it up a bit, bleach did nothing. Tried even vinegar on some areas, only the Grout 66 worked. And the tiles around the toilet, some took more than one application of the stuff, but the grout looks wonderful. Not pure white, maybe with a little more effort, but it looks fantastic, I think.

One thing I found that helped, esp. if you have tiny tiles like I do, I found I was wasting it as it says to apply to the grout, well, doing that on 1x1 tiles, easier to do with large tiles. Anyhow, went and bought a hair dye bottle with a very fine tip - lots easier, and less waste.

Anyhow, just wanted to share, and NO I do NOT have any stake in TSP or Grout 99. I just wanted to share this as I know there are others out there that have grout issues like me.

Before (worse around toilet, dirt and urine, this is just dirt)



This is after around the toilet area, grout looks better than what the camera captured.

Comments (14)

  • lizbeth-gardener
    13 years ago

    That is an amazing "before and after" --really impressive! Can it be used on grout next to marble? And if so, where did you find it? TIA

  • arkansas girl
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I did a google search and found a site with this and it says not to use it on stone so NO on the marble floor! I'd try some Bar Keepers Friend and see how that does, I just discovered that and found it worked amazingly on my porcelain sink and had read that it worked great on grout. It's super cheap so it won't hurt to buy some, readily available at most stores like Walmart or the grocery store. I don't know what's in BKF that works so good but Comet and Ajax just plain old don't work like they used to. Makes me want to stock up on the BKF before they take out what works as they have on almost every product made for cleaning.

  • jannie
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have two bottles of BKF left. The active ingredient is oxalic acid. I hope they never stop selling it and never change the flormula. I love it for my stainless kitchen sink! Will try it on my grungy bathroom tile. Love your before and after pics!

  • graywings123
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Grout 66 contains hydrochloric acid, so I imagine it would work well. I have used Stone Tech Restore, which is urea hydrochoride, and it was incredible.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Grout 66 MSDS

  • eldemila
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love BKF! That stuff is fantastic. I use it on my SS pots and pans and my sink. Here's a little tip that I have for that. The little Tupperware lids that go on the kids cups, had those when the kids were little, they fit PERFECTLY on the can of BKF and keeps out any moisture from humidity (live in FL, need I say more?) Also good for the bottom so if it gets wet, doesn't rust.

    LINDAC, I do need to seal the grout, thanks for the reminder.

    graywings, thanks for sharing the ingredients, I knew the way it stunk and sizzles that it had to have some type of acid in it. I'll have to look for the Stone Tech Restore, wonder how it compares in the way it cleans, along with pricing.

    I got the Grout 66 when I went to the Daltile Distributor to pick up my tile order. I don't know who else carries it, would think the website would have that info. I don't know if Daltile would sell directly to the consumer, I was going through my tile setter.

    It's ALWAYS a good idea to test something you're unsure of in an inconspicuous location JUST in case something doesn't jive.

  • lizbeth-gardener
    13 years ago

    arkansas girl: thanks for checking that. I do have BKF and love it, just hadn't thought about it for the grout/marble area. I am still trying to get used to what I can use on marble and polished nickel. I think I need to write it down, so I don't forget from one time to next.

  • eldemila
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I tried it on the ugly yellow hexagon tiles in the half bath. This is from using ONLY the Grout 66, no TSP, bleach or anything else as I tried with other tiles. Not going to waste it (or my energy) as I'm going to be replacing these tiles soon (or so I hope!)



    No too bad I must say!!!

  • arizonny
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That is soooo impressive!! I'm gonna have to find this product and get on my hands and knees.

  • cat_ky
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am going to look for some too. I have the same one inch tiles that you have in the bathroom, except that mine are all white, along with the grout. I have tried tsp and about everything else, anyone recommended. House was also built in 1968, and we have lived here about a yr and a half. I have been seriously thinking of putting vinyl tile over them, they look so nasty.

  • eldemila
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    cat ky, what happened when you tried the tsp? It did work for me, but this was icing on the cake and what the tsp didn't remove, this has. The bathroom I gutted out had white hexagon tiles with white grout. I didn't find the Grout 66 when I cleaned that grout but the tsp did a great job. Maybe you didn't do it strong enough? Use a good stiff grout brush?

    I see someone is selling it on Ebay but no idea how old it is because it mentions it as a previous name which changed.

    I suggest if you have a Dal Tile near you to call and see if they carry it, and if so, if they will sell that to you since they normally don't sell to individuals. They may know where to tell you to get it if they can't. Otherwise, call the company, they should be able to tell you who sells the quarts, which is what I bought.

    Also, go to your local hair supply store, I went to Sally, and get the applicator bottle with the fine tip and use that to apply it to the grout. Look at the tips, some are cut finer than others. Unfortunately, there's no cap, so whatever you don't use, just dump back in the original bottle.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Grout 66

  • caminnc
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Has anyone seen this in stores?

  • theanimala
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bumping this as well, I see it listed on ebay but it is rather expensive with shipping, would rather buy locally if available...

  • Alaina Chapman
    4 years ago

    Yes! thank you for this tip. The TSP worked! I wish I took before and after photos but I didn't. I had such grimy grout on my bathroom floor. I mixed 1;10 ratio TSP to water. I did have to scrub but it really worked. I used just a generic scrub brush and it seemed to do the trick.