oxygen bleach for cleaning grout

[Billy12]

Has anyone tried using oxygen bleach for grout cleaning. If so, which brands did you have good luck with?

Bill

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[duneslider]

Without looking up any details about the stuff, I would avoid it. You should only use products that are ph neutral and designed specifically for tile and grout. Anything else, and you chance causing irreversible damage.

[Davestone]

Well i have used it and it works pretty well.I think a lot of the cleaning people are using some form of it it really boost your cleaning solution to put a little in with your concoction, but as said if you don't know what you're doing avoid it especially for stone, but it is much less causitc than a regular acidic grout cleaner, and frankly a basic neutral cleaner ain't gonna get a problem area clean.

[duneslider]

Good to hear Dave. I am just always pretty cautious about using things that aren't "made" for cement products.

[JackieWI]

I have found that using Bar Keepers Friend cleanser in a paste with water the consistency of peanut butter does a fabulous job. For tougher cleaning leave on overnight and it will wipe right off. Very safe and no odor.

I cleaned apartment bathrooms with 1x1 tiles that the tenants had obviously never cleaned. Made my job so easy. I was given this solution by a carpet/tile installer.

[Billy12]

The main reason I want to avoid grout cleaning products is because it is caustic as Dave mentioned. Never heard of using Barkeepers Friend though. I think I have some. If so, I'll give it a try.

Thanks for the input,


Bill

[Davestone]

Barkeepers friend contains oxalic acid so it probably does a bit of polishing, but will eat marble, and rust metal,and needs to be rinsed at best.

[JackieWI]

I had been using straight gemicidal bleach in a spray. I wore a respirator and gloves. I would spray the bathroom tiles, close the door and leave a few hours or overnight. Talk about caustic. I've never used it again since the barkeepers friend. There's another cleanser that does not have bleach in it that can be used as well but forgot what it is. Make sure you leave the paste on for at least a couple of hours if not overnight.

Good luck!

[Billy12]

I think You're on to something Jackie. I used a little of the Barkeepers Friend on a couple of areas that didn't come clean after trying Tec brand grout cleaner last night and this stuff does work. The grout looks brand new. I think I'll try it on the 40 year old grout lines in my bathroom now.


Bill

[SABoyt]

Barkeepers friend is an oxalic acid. It will clean tile and grout. However, as with any acidic product you should not use it regularly on grout. It will cause the grout color to become splotchy and will reduce the color.

Bleach, as mentioned above, especially in a strong mix, will damage the grout and the tile if used often. I recently had a customer that began using bleach on her tile and after only a month, the top of the ceramic tile became white, like efflorescence. We could not clean this off because it was a reaction and not reversable. The grout was 10 different shades of brown and some of the grout began to let go and crack.

We do add Oxygen additives to some some of our cleaning agents when necessary. If done incorrectly this can also cause damage and should not be experimented with, in my opinion, unless you carry a large general liability policy, LOL.

Understanding ph and how it affects dirt, grime, fatty acids, stains, etc is the best way to clean and the safest. Also, realizing that there are 4 components to cleaning: Heat, chemical, agitation and dwell time. These have to be used in proper propotion or by balancing. After we clean we always suggest, as others have, that you use a neutral cleaner to do routine cleaning. Leave the heavy stuff to those that do it every day. If routine cleaning is done properly, the need for acidic and caustic products is greatly reduced.

[Billy12]

Dave, thanks for the info and words of caution. Any recommendations on a product for routine cleaning?

Thanks,

Bill

[LW]

I came across a newspaper article a few years back about how to get rid of mildew. The recipe came from USDA Forest Products Laboratory:

1/3 cup powdered laundry detergent
1 qt liquid chlorine
3 qts warm water

Add bleach to water first and then add detergent. Spray solution on grout and let it sit 5-10 minutes until the mildew turns white -BUT DONT LET IT DRY. Rinse with warm water and dry. If the mildew doesn't go away or returns then it may be time for new grout.

The only improvement I made was to reduce the water to make the the mix thick and pasty; then I used a scrub brush after the wait time to thoroughly remove the dirt and mildew. I had sparkling clean white grout after a couple hours of work! The wife was VERY happy!

[Davestone]

A said a neutral cleaner is best,if grease and oil are a problem a high alkaline cleaner may be in order, but it needs to be rinsed and never let it soak in and dry,same for acidic cleaners.When you start mixing things up you have essentially created a different chemical compound that you may not desire,or that was never meant for what you are cleaning.I routinely make my own cleaners but i know enough to be dangerous, mainly i do it to save money,i.e. acidic cleaners and boosted neutral cleaners, but i buy alkaline cleaners off the shelf.

[kcndc]

I've had great success with a product called "X-14 Mold & Mildew Stain Remover".
We have white grout in the bathrooms that the previous owners never cleaned...well, it was jet black when we moved in anyway. Tried scrubbing it with other cleaners and got it somewhat better but not much. The X-14 brought it back to bright white. Looks brand new.
Just spray it on and let it dry.
They say it's safe on *sealed* grout
Made by the WD40 people
http://www.x14brand.com/products/
Casey