What is the best way to clean grout?

Tile and grout floors are popular in many businesses, public buildings, and even residential homes because of their durability,  simple maintenance, and many style options. Their long life-span and professional appearance make them a great choice for high-traffic areas.

But, with a long life-span and lots of foot traffic comes lots of dirt and grime. 

A lot of that dirt and grime embeds itself in the tiles themselves, but even more of it penetrates into the cracks in-between the tiles–the grout lines.

What exactly is grout?

Grout is the porous material between your tiles that fills gaps, makes for a more even surface, and completes the tile barrier over your subfloor. Over time, this grout absorbs dirt, oils, stains, mildew, and more–almost always changing color and leaving your floors looking older than they are.

Unsettling Note: Many of the black grout lines you see in public places were not originally black. 

 If you’ve ever scrubbed grout yourself, you know what a challenge it is to clean those narrow lines.

Let’s explore what are the most popular options for grout cleaning

The Most Common Option

Most businesses and many residents simply DON’T clean their grout. They save time and energy by just mopping or using a floor cleaning machine and accepting continuous grout discoloring and dirt accumulation.

Next time you visit a public restroom or gas station, just look at their grout lines. Do they look like they’ve ever been cleaned?

Manual scrubbing with chemicals

Scrubbing is generally the most common method for residential grout cleaning, though most businesses avoid it. This is done with a grout brush and a chemical such as bleach or a dedicated grout cleaner.

Pros:

• Easy to find
• Almost anyone can “spray and scrub”
• Low cost of materials

Cons:

• Labor intensive and physically demanding
• Toxic fumes are a nuisance
• Chemical residue is often unsafe for children and pets
• Possibility or damage or discoloration
• Not efficient for large areas

Harsh chemical fumes and residue are quite concerning for most households and even commercial spaces like kitchens and hotels. However, most “grout owners” still need clean floors, so many choose to compromise by replacing dirt and germs with sanitizing cleaning chemicals.

DIY Cleaners

Do-it-yourself grout cleaning is almost exclusively used by residential or smaller community organizations.These diy grout cleaners include milder homemade solutions such as vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, and the like.

Pros:

• Eco-friendly 
• Cheap materials
• No toxic fumes

Cons: 

• Still requires substantial manual scrubbing effort
• Vinegar can damage unsealed grout
• Time-consuming (as it still requires scrubbing)
• Not effective against deep grime

While some homeowners are willing to try out these DIY solutions, most commercial cleaning teams or business staff are unwilling to spend time and energy only hoping for reasonable outcomes.

Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning utilizes high-pressure and high-temperature water vapor to deep clean and sanitize at the same time. 

The high pressure forces steam into porous surfaces and the steam separates dirt, grime, and stains, sanitizes the materials, and literally lifts these foreign substances to the surface (since steam usually expands and rises).

Pros:

• Deep penetration into porous grout
• Kills bacteria, mold, mildew, removes odor
• Little to no scrubbing
• Chemical free, eco and health-friendly method
• Long-lasting result.

Cons:

• Initial cost for purchasing or rental of a steam cleaning machine

However, Not All Steam Cleaners Are The Same.

What to look for when choosing a steam cleaner that will meet your needs:

• High Pressure and Heat: At least 90 PSI and 300°F+ steam temperature to penetrate grout pores.
• Continuous Refill System: Clean large areas without stopping for water refills.
• Durable Construction: Stainless steel boiler and frame built for daily use.
• Grout-Specific Attachments: Brass or nylon brushes designed for grout lines.
• Mobility: A portable unit with wheels or cart for ease of use.

Investing in the right machine ensures the power, safety, and efficiency needed for serious grout cleaning.

A Professional Example: The EAGLE™ Commercial Steam Cleaner

For commercial grout cleaning, the EAGLE™ Commercial Steam Cleaner stands out:

• High-Performance: 90 PSI pressure and 325°F steam temperature — powerful enough to lift years of grime.
• Continuous Refill: Clean large spaces without downtime.
• Durable Design: Stainless steel frame and boiler built for professional use.
• Complete Accessories: Includes brushes and nozzles for grout and tile.
• Trusted by Home Depot: Selected for their rental program specifically for tile and grout cleaning.

The EAGLE™ is designed for professionals who need reliability, power, and efficiency — turning a grueling task into a manageable job.

Conclusion: Steam Cleaning is the smartest way to clean grout.