Have you looked on enviously at the sparkling, spotless bathroom in your friend’s place and wondered why your bathrooms look dirty, despite all the scrubbing and cleaning? Dirty tiles marred by hard water stains and grimy grout lines are to blame. Fret not, for we have the right info to help you clean water stains and grouting.
Hard water, which is high in mineral content leaves behind an unsightly white or grey stain on tiles when it dries. These are called water stains. Another factor behind the dirty appearance of your bathroom is the grime that collects in grout lines. Grout is usually a mixture of water, sand, and cement that keeps tiles in place and they tend to collect dirt quickly if not cleaned regularly.
It’s crucial to clean water stains and grouting now and then to maintain the beautiful appearance of the tiles and to improve the hygiene factor of your bathroom. Below we have a few recipes for DIY solutions and commercial cleaning recommendations to help you transform your space.
You can follow your regular cleaning process of wiping, sweeping and mopping before you begin your task. Don’t forget to wear gloves. Also, remember that stubborn stains accumulated over time will demand more attention than new, lighter stains.
1. Vinegar and baking soda
Mix baking soda and vinegar to create a paste and apply it on stained tiles. Rinse it off with water after 15 minutes and wipe dry.
2. DIY baking soda, ammonia and white vinegar solution
Mix 7 cups of warm water with 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/3 cup of ammonia, and 1/4 cup of white vinegar. Mix until the baking soda dissolves completely. The solution can be sprayed generously across the affected areas and wiped dry once the stains come off.
3. DIY hydrogen peroxide and baking soda paste
Grout which has accumulated dirt over weeks or months is hard to clean. For such cases, a thick paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda can be applied to the grouting, a small section at a time. Spread the paste on the grout line so that it covers it completely and allow it to set for 5 minutes. Apply firm pressure and scrub it off using a toothbrush. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times, until the grout is clean.
4. Commercial cleaning solutions
If you clean the bathroom tiles often, the stains will be easy to remove. You can use readily available products like B&C, Eraser, Black Diamond, Tilex, Pupa, etc., to do a thorough job.
5. Grout Sealer
Once a year, apply a commercial grout sealer to help prevent spills from quickly seeping into the grout, and also to keep the bathroom free of mildew.
Once you clean water stains from the tiles, mop the area until it’s dry. After all, you don’t want any hard water accumulating on it. You’ll be surprised to notice the dramatic transformation in your bathroom once you’ve attacked the stains and grime.
Check out the Livspace installation process:
