We Tested 14 of the Best Grout Cleaners—See Which 7 We Recommend

While grout cleaners aren’t usually the first products we reach for when cleaning our floorskitchensor bathroomsthey can make a noticeable difference in restoring the appearance of tile surfaces to their original beauty. Stillsince they aren’t a frequent part of regular cleaningmost people haven’t tried enough grout cleaners to find a favorite. That’s why we tested 14 popular products on entryway tileskitchen backsplashesand shower enclosures before selecting the seven most effective options. 

Our top pick for transforming grout from grimydarkand dingy to smootherbrighterand cleaner is the Soft Scrub With Bleach Cleaner Gel. Not only is this gel effective and easy to useit also leaves behind a light and pleasant smell instead of a harsh chemical odor. Read on to learn more about this and the other products that made our list of the best grout cleaners.

1. BEST OVERALL: Soft Scrub With Bleach Cleaner Gel 
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2. RUNNER-UP: Black Diamond Ultimate Grout Cleaner 
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3. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Star Drops The Pink Stuff Miracle Cleaning Paste
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4. BEST ECO: Rejuvenate Tile and Grout Cleaner
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5. BEST HEAVY-DUTY: Skylarlife Mold & Mildew Stain Cleaner Remover Gel
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6. BEST GROUT-CLEANING TOOL: Rubbermaid Multi-Purpose Cordless Power Scrubber
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7. BEST DRILL ATTACHMENT: Useful Products Drill Brush Power Scrubber
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Grout Cleaners Comparison Chart

Our Top Picks

While making homemade grout cleaners isn’t all that difficultthe tested products on our list will save you the time and effort. All of the options we recommend are good grout cleaners that work well for tile and grout cleaning. 

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Performance 5/5; Scent 5/5; Value 5/5 

With a perfect score in all categoriesthis Soft Scrub gel was an easy choice for our best overall award. Not only did it work incredibly quickly and easily on all of the filthy grout surfaces in our kitchenbathroomand mudroomit can also clean pretty much anything in the houseincluding countertopstubsshowerssinksstovetopstilesand toilets. 

Since this grout gel contains bleachit works on everything from mold and mildew to limescale stains and plain old grime. In our testsit was more effective for tile grout whitening than any other cleanerand the difference between our grout before and after cleaning was drastic. While we appreciate how well this bleach-based product worksbleach can damage grout if not used appropriately. For that reasonit may be best to reserve this pick for periodic brightening rather than regular cleaning. Follow the manufacturer’s directionsand don’t let it sit on grout for longer than the recommended 1-minute soaking time. 

What our tester says: “We will admit that a spray option might be more convenientbut the fact that the Soft Scrub gel basically melted off stains and dirt makes using a squeeze bottle worth it. Plusit’s affordableso it’s perfect for cleaning up messes made by five childrentwo adultsand one farm dog.” —Chaunie BrusieProduct Reviews tester and writer 

Get Soft Scrub grout cleaner at Amazon (3-pack).

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4/5; Performance 4.5/5; Scent 3.5/5; Value 4/5 

This Black Diamond grout cleaner may not have as solid a score as our top pickbut it still has much of what we’re looking for in a grout cleaner: It comes as a convenient sprayit works very quicklyand it requires minimal scrubbing. We also really like that it whitened almost as much as Soft Scrub without containing bleach—which is especially impressive since most products didn’t brighten nearly as well. When tested on both white and colored grout linesthe difference it made was almost hard to believe. It also did a great job removing dirt and soap scum from our shower tiles. 

Stillas much as the aspects that impressed us about this pick really impressed usthere are a couple of things we don’t especially like. Firstwe found its smell fairly strongso much so that we eagerly opened our windows during use. Alsosince it’s acid-freeit didn’t clean calcium or water spots off our shower or tub. Finallythis product requires a bit more rinsing than others and will leave a residue if not properly washed away. 

Get Black Diamond grout cleaner at Amazon.

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4/5; Performance 4/5; Scent 5/5; Value 4.7/5 

It’s not too often teenagers ask their parents for specific cleaning productsbut that’s exactly what happened with The Pink Stuff well before we put it through our grout-cleaning tests. This social-media-famous natural grout cleaner is touted as a “miracle” cleaner for everything from grout and tile to shoes and stoves. After our testswe think its claims might be a little overblownbut this is definitely a value-pricedmultipurpose product we can see ourselves keeping around the house.

The Pink Stuff paste is made with a pretty simple list of ingredientsincluding quartzbaking sodaand glycerin. The manufacturer says it has a fresh and fruity rhubarb scentwhich we found light enough to be hardly noticeable at all. In terms of performancethis option didn’t whiten as effectively as either of our two top picksbut it did brighten our dingy mudroom grout a fair bit. It was tricky to keep the paste confined to the groutbut we didn’t mind since it made a definite difference when we decided to just clean the whole tile. Just be careful: its mild abrasive texture can scratch delicate materials like polished steel or ceramic. It may also be necessary to go over the clean area with warm water more than once to remove any residue. 

Get The Pink Stuff grout cleaner at AmazonThe Home Depotor Walmart.

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.5/5; Performance 3.5/5; Scent 5/5; Value 4.5/5 

One of the hardest parts of our testing process was keeping our dogs away from grout covered in chemicals that needed time to workso we found the fact that the Rejuvenate bio-enzymatic tile and grout cleaner is safe for use around pets and kids incredibly convenient. This easy-to-use no-scrub formula simply required us to spray it across our tile floormopand let dry. Instead of taking time to ensure we rinsed it thoroughly awaywe went on to other tests and let the enzymes continue to clean. 

While this Rejuvenate spray didn’t whiten our grout lines like some of the other products we recommendit did a great job breaking down dirt and grime so that we could easily mop it away. But since water works for mopping as wellwe also tested it on some dried-on pasta sauce. After spraying one spot with plain water and one with Rejuvenateit was obvious how effective the enzymes are at breaking down stuck-on stains. We’ll definitely be using this product with our tile floor mop for ongoing cleaning and maintenance without any worry about our pets stepping across it before it’s dry. 

What our tester says: “We kept using this spray after our grout tests were overand it’s our new favorite for keeping all our floors clean. We also use it as a shower cleanerand it does a great job of breaking down soap scum so that we can rinse our walls clean without scrubbing.” —Michelle LarsonProduct Reviews tester and writer 

Get the Rejuvenate grout cleaner at AmazonLowe’sor The Home Depot. 

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.3/5; Performance 4.5/5; Scent 4/5; Value 4.5/5 

Dealing with grout and caulk that’s seriously stained or covered in mold and mildew? This gel from Skylarlife can provide effective cleaning and whitening without any scrubbing. While we tested it for cleaning grout lines in our entrywayit also works well on caulk and sealant around sinkstubsand even windows. Though the heavy-duty formula is highly concentratedit still needs to sit on surfaces for 5 to 6 hours to deliver its full effects. Once that time is upslip on a pair of gloves and thoroughly wash it away.

While we appreciate this cleaner’s ease of applicationa tester did make the mistake of forgetting they’d applied the clear gel to a section of grout only to accidentally stick a hand in it later. Since the product is both an eye and skin irritantthey washed their hands well and were finebut it’s best to wear gloves and mark off the area so no petskidsor fully grown but forgetful adults get into it. User errors asidethis gel is excellent for brightening white groutand it really shines when used to eliminate mold and mildew from caulk and silicone sealants. 

Get the Skylarlife grout cleaner at Amazon.

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Performance 4.5/5; Scent n/a; Value 4.8/5 

Let us start by saying we really like this little grout cleaner tool. Sureit’s more effective when paired with a bottled cleaning productbut with water alone it removed dirt and other surface spots on grout and tile quite well. Its size was somehow ideal for the thick grout lines in our mudroom as well as the thin ones along our kitchen backsplash. And given the amount of manual effort it saveswe think it’s well worth its price.

This tool made quick work of cleaning grout and tile in our testing areabut we weren’t ready to be done with it yet. Before the day was overwe also used it to scrub around the jets in our tubclean between the handles on our bathroom sinkand knock limescale off our basement shower head. Since it’s battery-poweredweighs less than a poundand is watertight for use in wet environmentsthere really isn’t anywhere we won’t try this tool. The Power Scrubber is also available with various interchangeable heads as part of a larger kit for use in other areas of the homemaking it a compact workhorse. 

Get the Rubbermaid grout cleaner at AmazonLowe’sThe Home Depot (18-piece kit)or Target (with extra head).

Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4/5; Performance 4.5/5; Scent n/a; Value 4.7/5

Like many of the products that made our listthis set of drill brush attachments doesn’t only work on grout and tile. The kit comes with three medium-bristle brush heads: a 2-inch detail brusha 4-inch flat brushand a bullet-shaped brush for curved spaces. It’s designed for use on grouttileporcelaintubsshowersand toilets. Each head has a quick-change shaft that easily attaches to a corded or cordless drill or driver. 

Like the other grout-cleaning tool on our listthis pick may work best when used in combination with other products. Howeversince attaching it to a drill or driver adds such substantial powerwe still found it quite effective using water alone. It did feel like even the smallest head was on the large sidehoweverso this pick may be best for cleaning grout and tile simultaneously. To avoid unfortunate scratchingit may be smart to test it in an inconspicuous spot first. We found the bristles held up well across multiple surfaces and didn’t cause any damage. In factwe liked this kit so much that we’re already considering buying a heavier-duty set in preparation for outdoor spring cleaning. 

What our tester says: “My initial thoughts about this product were that I’d never take the time to dig out the heads and my drill just to clean my grout. But once I started using itI was so impressed with how much manual scrubbing it saved me that I found myself running around the house looking for other things I could clean.” —Michelle LarsonProduct Reviews tester and writer 

Get the Useful Products grout cleaner at Amazon or Drill Brush.

ALSO TESTED

Though each of the products we tested has relatively high user ratingswe don’t think they’re all cut out for cleaning grout. 

• The Microban 24-Hour Multi-Purpose Cleaner removed a few tough stainsbut it did not work as well as other cleaners. This product is probably better for sanitization and prevention than stain removal.
• We found the Zep Grout Cleaner & Brightener to be overwhelming in scent and limited in use. It didn’t clean grout particularly well and is not safe for marbleterrazzotravertinenatural stoneor Corian.

Jump to Our Top Picks

How We Tested the Best Grout Cleaners

After combing through the many grout cleaners available on the marketwe chose 14 highly-rated products for hands-on testingincluding a variety of spraysgelspastesand cordless tools. We then tested the cleaners on the (very filthy) grout in our kitchen and bathroom floorsmudroomentrywayshowerstubsand a smattering of other surfaces that struck our fancy.

During testingwe evaluated each product based on how easy it was to apply preciselyhow long we had to wait for it to workhow much scrubbing we had to doand how many times we had to rinse to remove its residue. We also considered its smell; how well it cleanedbrightenedand removed stains; and whether it had more than one useful application. After scoring each product using these parameterswe assigned the worthy contenders relevant awards and got rid of the rest. 

When to Consider When Choosing a Grout Cleaner

Grout cleaners should be gentle enough to polish tile without scratching but strong enough to eliminate discoloration due to moldmildewand dirt. Whether you plan on cleaning a floorkitchen backsplashor shower stallchoosing the right product depends on a variety of factors. 

Active Ingredients

The best grout cleaners should lift dirtkill moldclean soap scumand brighten tile with ease. But if you have pets or kids and are sensitive to chemicalsyou’ll want to consider ingredient safety as well. 

Mold and Mildew Removal

Depending on the severity of the mold situationa grout cleaner with one of the following ingredients may be necessary: an acidhydrogen peroxideoxygen bleachor chlorine bleach. 

• A mild acid-based cleaner (containing citric or oxalic acidfor example) is the least harsh of these formulas and typically won’t damage chromestainless steelor tile. 
• An oxygen bleach (containing hydrogen peroxide) is moderately strongwhile chlorine bleach is the strongest and most caustic. 
• Chlorine bleach formulas should only be used when the goal is to whitenas they can also lift color from dyed grout. 

All of these ingredients will also kill germs and bacteriawhichwhen applied in low dosescan be helpfulespecially in bathroom and kitchen areas.

Whitening and Brightening

While chlorine bleach is often a go-to ingredient in whitening productsit is not necessarily the best or only option. Bleach can release harmful airborne particles when mixed with other cleaning substances and is associated with health concerns (respiratory damagefor example). That saidit can be an effective part of a cleaning regimen if used in small doses. 

Beyond bleachboth citric and oxalic acid can lift soap scum and surface staining. Abrasive products can be great for getting out dirt and restoring grout and tile to an almost-new appearance. Products with minerals like feldspar can work wonders on hard surfacesincluding grout and tile.

Grout Color

Grout is porousso it will absorb any cleaner used on itand using the wrong cleaner could damage the grout lines. For this reasonit’s important to make sure the cleaner is compatible with the grout coloras not all grout cleaners are intended to clean colored grout. For examplethose that contain bleach are typically appropriate for use on white grout lines only.

While bleach and other harsh cleaners can be effective for cleaning white grout linesthey can also break down the grout over time and eventually cause damage that will allow mold to grow. Additionallybreaking down the grout can lead to even more discoloration. 

Tile Material

Not all grout cleaners can be used on all types of tiles. The more porous the tile materialthe more likely the wrong grout cleaner is to cause damage or discoloration. For examplesandstone is very porous and likely to be damaged by harsh cleaners. 

To ensure that a cleaner is safe for the tile in the homecheck the label for a list of the materials it can and cannot be used on. Still unsure? Test the tile by putting a drop of water on it. If the water absorbs and leaves a “wet” markit’s likely very porous. If the water sits on the tile and doesn’t absorbit is nonporous. Use additional caution when working with porous tile. 

Cleaning Time

One consideration when cleaning tile grout is that some types of grout cleaners can cause damage to the grout if they’re misused (for instanceby letting them sit on the grout for more time than recommended.)

Some of the best grout cleaners need to be allowed to sit for several minutes before scrubbing or wiping off to be effectivebut going over the manufacturer’s recommended time could lead to damage. Be especially careful with abrasive cleaners that contain bleach or other acid-based cleanersas these are most likely to lead to damage if left on too long. 

Application Method

Most grout-cleaning products are spraysgelsor pastes. Many spray and gel products claim to work without scrubbingwhich can save time and energy. On the downsidethese cleaners may contain harsher acidssolventsor chlorine bleach. Pastes that require users to scrub them in as part of the application process do require a bit more workbut they can be especially effective on floors and heavily soiled grout.

In terms of toolssome people choose to use old toothbrushes to clean grout linesbut a small battery-powered brush will be much more efficient and effective. Larger brushes and pads work well on wider grout linestile floorsand backsplashes. To prevent scratching nearby surfacesuse gentle pressure and avoid overly vigorous scrubbing. Harsh scrubbing action combined with abrasive cleaners can cause holes and break down the groutleading to damage that can eventually require grout repair.

Health and Surface Safety

Commercial grout cleaners can contain a variety of harsh chemicalsincluding bleach and ammonia. While these active ingredients can be efficient for lifting surface stainssoap scumand moldthey can also affect health and harm the environment. For examplechlorine bleach and ammonia can be caustic and poisonous if improperly usedcausing skin and eye irritation as well as respiratory damage. At the same timetheir whitening powers are almost unbeatableespecially for tough stainsmoldand mildew.

To minimize potential health and safety issueschoose one of the natural or eco-friendly grout cleaners from our list. They are effective for cleaning without using harsh chemicals. Consider looking for products with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Safer Choice seal or research the ingredients using the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning. 

When using a heavy-duty cleaner or one that contains bleachit’s smart to wear protective gear like rubber glovesa face maskand goggles and use them in well-ventilated spaces. Use extra care if pets or children could be exposed to that areaand be sure to protect surrounding spaces from getting unintentionally sprayed or splashed. 

How to Protect Tile Grout

There are two general types of grout: sanded and unsanded grout. Sanded grout is more commonly used on horizontal surfaces like tile floorswhereas unsanded grout often pairs with vertical tiles in showers or on backsplashes. Since it’s more porous (and likely subject to foot traffic)sanded grout is more likely to become stained through improper careaccidental spillsand dirt. Stillunsanded grout must contend with substances like dustdirty watersoap scumand moisture that can encourage mold and mildew growth over time.

Both grout types are subject to stainingespecially if they aren’t properly sealed. To help protect the grout and prevent future stainsbuildupand mold and mildew growthconsider using a grout sealer after cleaning. It’s smart to seal grout at least once a yearand more frequently if it’s a high-traffic area or often-scrubbed. 

FAQs 

Even the best grout cleaners may not be products you use especially oftenso you may still have some questions about how to use them. Below are answers to some popular questions about grout cleaners.

Q. Is bleach bad for grout?

Using bleach frequently to clean grout can eventually damage its structureso rather than using bleach cleaners for regular cleaningit’s best to use them periodically to return dingy grout to its original brightness.

Q. How do you clean really dirty grout?

Choose a cleaner tailored to the type of debris that you’re removing. Mold and mildewfor instancemay require a different cleaning agent than simple dirt does. If you need to remove grout hazeyou may need a different approach altogether. 

Q. How often should tile and grout be cleaned?

At minimumit’s a good idea to clean grout and tile at least every 6 months. In high-traffic areas or places prone to mold and mildewyou may need to clean your grout more frequently or use additional maintenance products like tile cleaners or shower tile cleaners. 

Q. What tool is best for cleaning shower grout​?

We think a power scrubber is the best tool-type cleaner for grout in a shower. Battery-powered mini scrubbers are great for more detailed grout cleaningand larger drill attachments work well on grout and tile together. If you have a grout steam cleanerit may also work well on shower grout. 

Q. How much should you spend on a grout cleaner?

The products we recommend in this guide cost between $5 and $20so you should be able to get one of the best grout cleaners without spending a lot of money.  

Q. Can grout cleaners damage tiles?

Yeschoosing a grout cleaner that’s not compatible with tiles can cause damage. It’s a good idea to read the label on the cleaner you’re considering to ensure it works with your tile materialand you can also review online guides like ours on how to clean ceramic tile for additional tips and techniques.

Meet the Tester

Michelle Larson has been writing and editing online content for over 10 yearsspecializing in everything from home improvementcleaningand beginner-level DIY projects to health and software. As much as she dreads dealing with detailed tasks like cleaning groutwell-maintained spaces are one of the things that bring her a true sense of calm and accomplishment. 

Additional research provided by Chaunie Brusie and Andréana Lefton.

 

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