Best Cleaners for Removing Mold from Grout

Since mold thrives in damp environments, it is common to find mold growth in your home’s bathrooms, kitchen, laundry room, or other spaces where moisture accumulates. This is especially true for tile grout because it is porous, and is ideal for microscopic mold growth. Since homeowners rarely take time to dry the tiles and grout of shower walls, kitchen backsplashes, and laundry room floor tiles, mold will eventually develop. So what is the best way to get rid of mold?

The Right Cleaner for the Right Tile

There are several simple cleaners that work well when eliminating mold from grout, however, it is important to choose the right cleaner for the tile type, as some cleaners like bleach and baking soda can be damaging to certain kinds of tile.

Safety Precautions

It is also important to be safe when cleaning mold with cleaning agents, and work in a well ventilated space with non-porous gloves to prevent damaging your skin. You may also want to use safety glasses to avoid splashing chemicals into your eyes.

Recommended Cleaners:

• Chlorine Bleach: If you’re cleaning white tile grout, chlorine bleach is a good option, though you should avoid using chlorine bleach on colored grout as it can cause fading. Never mix bleach with other cleaners, and where a mask to reduce inhalation of fumes. Focus on small areas, scrubbing the bleach into the grout with a stiff brush, allow to sit for 30 minutes, then flush with warm water.
• Distilled White Vinegar: For a natural alternative to chlorine bleach, distilled white vinegar does a good job at removing mold, and doesn’t cause colors to fade. Spray the moldy area and allow to sit for 30 minutes, then scrub with a stiff bristled brush, avoiding brushing away grout. Spray the area again, and allow to soak for another 30 minutes, then flush with warm water. Repeat as necessary.
• Baking Soda Paste: Homemade baking soda paste does wonders for cleaning mold. Simply mix ½ a cup of baking soda with a few teaspoons of water until the mixture is a pasty spread. Apply the paste on moldy grout and allow it to sit for 10 minutes before scrubbing with a brush. Flush with water and repeat as necessary.
• Baking Soda Plus Peroxide: Create the paste described above, then add a little hydrogen peroxide to the paste so that it fizzes. Scrub the paste while it fizzes, and flush with water. Repeat as necessary.

Tip for Caulking

If you find that the caulking around your tub or shower, sink, or commode has mold, the best solution is to remove the caulking, sterilize the area thoroughly, then apply new, mold resistant caulking.

When baking soda paste and white vinegar just isn’t enough, call the mold remediation experts at ServiceMaster of Florence, or our newest location, ServiceMaster of Columbia. We have the experience and tools to remove the mold safely, and get your home looking good as new. For more home and office cleaning and safety tips, follow the ServiceMaster blog.