By Grout cleaning is hard work and you do not want to make things harder by not being prepared. There are items and tools that are nice to have when cleaning grout and others that are absolute necessity like protective gear. In this post, I will touch on the items that I think you need in addition to grout cleaner when you take on a grout cleaning project in the kitchen or bathroom.
Gloves
You can’t mess around when taking on a serious cleaning project, and some grout cleaners can be especially harsh to skin (and anything else that’s not grout). Make sure you get a good high-quality pair of rubber gloves. Some thin dishwashing gloves just won’t cut it as the chemicals can leach through the thin rubber. You want rubber gloves, the thicker the better I say, otherwise double up on the thin dishwashing gloves.
Protective Eyewear
Tile and grout cleaning chemicals are typically made of bleaches and acids. That last thing you want when you are down on your hands and knees scrubbing some old grout is a flick or splash of acid in your eyes. Grab yourself some safety glasses and wear them!
Mask
Generally, you don’t need a mask. Open up the house and leave the doors and windows open to get nice clean fresh air blowing through the room your cleaning. Some stronger chemical grout cleaners can irritate your throat and in that case consider a mask and be sure to take frequent breaks and avoid exerting yourself.
Grout Brush
I used to use an old toothbrush to scrub my grout. It was OK, good enough, but not great. Grout brushes are made for one job. Yeah, cleaning grout. Fork over the few dollars they cost and grab yourself a customized tool for the job, you’ll never look back. You’ll likely want a few for larger grout cleaning operations as they can wear out on difficult stains. There are multiple types, pick one that you think best suits your needs, you can always change it up on the next project.
Mop
You need a mop and a bucket for cleaning up afterwards. I usually do a wet mop then a dry mop. Old habits die hard. I also don’t buy a new mop as often as I should. A dirty mop can quickly undo a lot of hard scrubbing. Is there another item that you use when cleaning grout? I would love to hear about it, so leave a comment below.
