How to Clean Shower Tile and Grout

Nothing can ruin the pristine look of a shower quite like dirty grout. Even after a thorough scrub, your tiles may still appear dull and grimy, all because of that stubborn buildup. The key to restoring your shower's sparkle is to use effective cleaning techniques for the specific mess at hand, whether it's pesky soap scum or mold lurking deep within the grout.

In this guide, we'll dive into methods for tackling mold head-on, explore when to use steam for a deeper clean, and share tips for keeping your grout looking fresh and clean for longer. You can say goodbye to a lackluster shower and hello to a gleaming, inviting space.

What You Need for Cleaning

You only need a few basic cleaning tools and materials to mix a cleaning paste before you start. Here are the items you likely already have at home:

• A stiff-bristle grout brush (metal bristles will scratch your tiles, so avoid those)
• Baking soda
• 3% hydrogen peroxide
• White vinegar
• A spray bottle
• An old toothbrush
• Rubber gloves for anything involving bleach

It helps to have everything within reach before you start cleaning, so you're not looking for supplies with wet, gloved hands halfway through the job.

How to Clean Shower Grout: A Step-by-Step Guide

The most effective method to clean shower grout is by using a paste made from baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, which should be allowed to sit before scrubbing. Follow these steps to clean grout in the shower:

1. Dry the grout first. Wet grout can dilute the paste and weaken its effectiveness before it has a chance to set properly. To remove excess moisture from the grout lines, wipe them down with a dry microfiber cloth or an old towel. If the shower has been unused, you can also run the fan for 15 to 20 minutes to help with air drying. Quickly drying the area with a towel is the fastest way to get started.
   Important: This method is best for white or light grout. Hydrogen peroxide has a mild bleaching effect, so on colored or dark grout, it can lighten the lines over time. If your grout is dyed or dark, skip the peroxide and use a baking soda and water paste instead, or test the mix on a hidden spot first.
2. Mix the cleaning paste. Combine two parts baking soda with one part 3% hydrogen peroxide, about three tablespoons of baking soda to one of peroxide, until you get a paste roughly as thick as frosting. That's enough for a standard shower. Mix a fresh batch each time rather than a big one, since peroxide loses its strength once it's combined.
3. Apply the paste to the grout lines. Load the paste onto your brush, then work it directly into the seams where soap scum and grime collect, not just across the surface. Use a toothbrush for corners and edges, and a wider grout brush for the long straight seams across the wall or floor, where it covers more ground per stroke.
4. Let the paste sit for 10 to 15 minutes. This duration lets the paste break down the grime built up in the grout pores, so that the scrubbing that follows can lift it.
5. Scrub along the lines. Short strokes that follow the grout direction concentrate the scrubbing on the recessed grout line where the dirt settles.
6. Rinse with warm water. Water lifts the paste and leaves grout residue-free. You can repeat these six steps on stubborn staining, or try an oxygenated commercial grout cleaner (look for "oxygen bleach" on the label) for tougher stains.

This baking soda and hydrogen peroxide method works on epoxy, cement, and urethane grout on ceramic or porcelain tile. However, be careful not to apply the paste on natural stone surfaces, which need a gentler, stone-safe cleaner.

How to Clean Mold from Shower Grout

You can clean shower grout mold with full-strength white vinegar. You'll need to keep a bathroom fan running or a window cracked while you work, and pour it straight onto the moldy grout.

Similar to the paste made from baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, let the vinegar sit for about an hour before scrubbing and rinsing the area clean. This gives it enough time to thoroughly kill any mold growing inside the grout pores.

Mold that appears darker and doesn't fully lift with vinegar is often more effectively treated with diluted bleach. To do this, mix one part bleach with ten parts water, then apply the solution to the affected areas using a toothbrush. Let it sit for about five minutes before thoroughly rinsing it off. It's important to wear gloves during this process and to keep a fan running to help dissipate any bleach fumes.

Although you can eliminate surface mold on tiles, if mold has infiltrated behind the tiles, it will likely require professional intervention. Warning signs of a more serious mold issue include the mold reappearing within a week after cleaning or spreading into the caulk.

Steam Cleaning Techniques for Shower Tile and Grout

Steam cleaning shower tile grout works as long as you're dealing with sealed ceramic or porcelain tile. Hot steam at around 100°C penetrates the grout pores, breaks down soap scum, and kills mold more effectively than scrubbing alone ever could.

However, you can't steam clean natural stone tiles. Marble, travertine, and other unsealed stone are porous enough that the same heat and moisture you use on sealed tiles soak directly into the material, causing micro-etching and lasting surface damage.

You can find out which type of tile you're working on by looking at its surface. A glossy, smooth tile is almost always ceramic or porcelain, both of which are safe for steam cleaning. A matte, textured, or visually varied surface usually means natural stone, and that's where steam should stay out of your cleaning routine.

It's very common to have mixed tile types in the same bathroom, so it's a good idea to do a quick check before you steam-clean any surfaces. If you're unsure, our guide on when steam cleaning is safe for floors covers the broader aspects for the rest of your home.

Additionally, you might find our guide on what floors should not be steam mopped helpful, as it goes into specifics regarding what surfaces to avoid. This way, you can ensure you're cleaning safely and effectively without damaging your tiles.

Once you've confirmed what type of tile you have, you can then find a suitable steam cleaner for it. The Dreame N20 Steam delivers a 100°C jet of steam through a narrow attachment designed to clean grout lines, break down buildup, and give your sealed tile a full reset in a fraction of the time it takes to scrub.

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How to Keep Shower Grout Clean Longer

Shower grout stays cleaner for longer when you address standing water and humidity after you shower. You can do this by running a squeegee over the shower walls when you're done and leaving the exhaust fan on for 15 to 20 minutes to remove excess moisture.

You can also suppress mold regrowth between cleans by spraying a light mist of equal parts water and white vinegar on the grout weekly after squeegeeing the walls. You'll also want to reseal the tiles annually to close the pores that lead to mold buildup, stretching the time before your next deep clean. Take a look at our complete bathroom cleaning guide if you're looking to deep-clean the rest of your bathroom.

Your Shower Grout Stays Cleaner With Less Work Over Time

Shower grout is much more manageable once you have the right cleaning process for each tile type and grout buildup, and maintaining daily habits means you'll also deep-clean less often over time.

You can use the N20 Steam to handle a deep clean on sealed ceramic tile when cleaning paste isn't enough to completely remove buildup or surface mold. Alternatively, you can browse Dreame's wet dry vacuum collection for other everyday cleaning needs around your home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does hydrogen peroxide clean shower grout?

Yes, 3% hydrogen peroxide is one of the most effective household options for cleaning shower grout. Its oxidation reaction breaks down the organic matter in soap scum and mildew, and mixing it with baking soda to form a paste helps it penetrate deeper into the grout pores. The 3% concentration found at most drugstores is the right strength, as concentrations above 6% may affect colored or epoxy grout.

Should shower grout be sealed, and how often?

Most grout types benefit from resealing once a year in a high-use shower. You don't have to reseal if you have epoxy grout, since it's already non-porous. A penetrating sealant works best when applied after the grout is clean and completely dry, and the product label will tell you the cure time, which is usually around 24 hours. If your grout is cracked or crumbling, you'll need to repair it before sealing, so the sealant has a solid surface to bond to.

Can you use bleach to clean shower grout?

Yes, but only when diluted first. Apply a mix of one part bleach to ten parts water to the grout with a toothbrush and leave it for five minutes before rinsing. This mix works well on stubborn dark mold that vinegar can't clear effectively. Bleach and vinegar react when combined, so you should do a thorough rinse after any vinegar cleanse before switching to bleach. Maintaining good ventilation throughout helps to clear the fumes during cleaning.

How long does it take to clean shower grout?

A standard shower with moderately discolored grout takes 30 to 45 minutes with the paste method and proper dwell time. Heavy buildup or mold pushes that to 60 to 90 minutes. A steam cleaner covers the same area in about 15 to 20 minutes once it has heated up.

What is the black stuff in the shower grout?

Black buildup in shower grout is almost always Cladosporium mold, the common bathroom variety that responds well to vinegar and, for stubborn cases, diluted bleach. A one-hour vinegar soak, followed by a scrub, clears it in most cases, and keeping up the squeegee and ventilation habits helps keep it from coming back. Black marks sitting in the caulk usually mean you need to replace the caulk itself as well.