The Best Grout Cleaners, According to Our Testing

Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about The Best Grout Cleaners, According to Our Testing and hope the blog can help you.

Restore the grout lines between kitchen and shower tile to their original color with one of these top-rated cleaners.

Grout isn’t something we usually notice until it becomes grimy, dark, or dingy. However, with the right cleaner, it’s easy to restore grout—and the surrounding tile—to its original beauty. Following application, grout lines can become smoother, brighter, and cleaner. But with so many kinds available, choosing the right grout cleaner can be tough. In order to help make the decision easier, we tested several types of grout cleaners to see which ones worked best and actually stood up to the claims they made to deliver a sparkling-clean result.

As a space filler between laid tile, cement-based grout is made of natural minerals mixed with water. Since it’s slightly porous, grout can become stained through improper care or accidental spills. Plus, dust, dirty water, and soap scum can coat it and even soak in over time (especially when it’s not properly sealed). This dirty, moist environment provides the perfect foothold for mold and mildew to take root.

While it’s possible to make a homemade grout cleaner, there are products on the market that can save time and energy while renewing grout. Keep reading to find out the results of our hands-on testing of some of the best grout cleaner options on the market and learn about some key information to consider when selecting a grout cleaner for your home.

1. BEST OVERALL: Soft Scrub with Bleach Cleaner Gel
2. RUNNER-UP: Black Diamond Ultimate Grout Cleaner
3. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: CLR Brilliant Bath Cleaner
4. BEST ECO-FRIENDLY: Seventh Generation Professional Tub & Tile Cleaner
5. BEST HEAVY-DUTY: Grout-Eez Super Heavy Duty Tile & Grout Cleaner
6. BEST FOR LARGE AREAS: Zep Grout Cleaner and Brightener
7. BEST GROUT CLEANING TOOL: Oxo Deep Clean Brush Set

ALSO TESTED

Microban 24 Hour Bathroom Cleaner
Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser Liquid

How We Tested the Best Grout Cleaners

We tested the cleaners on the (very filthy) grout in our kitchen and bathroom floors, mudroom, and showers and tubs. We looked at a few primary aspects for testing:

• How easy it was to the apply the cleaner where we wanted it
• The smell
• How long we had to let the cleaner sit in order for it to work
• How much scrubbing was needed to get the area clean
• How effective the cleaner was to whiten and brighten the grout and/or clean the area
• How well it removed any stains
• How much rinsing was needed to remove the product and what kind of residue was left

Our Top Picks

There are many types of grout cleaners designed for specific jobs, from antibacterial cleaning to blasting through dirt and soap scum. We tested a variety of the most popular options to see how they stood up to their claims. Check out how the following cleaners met the requirements of our hands-on testing process.

Best Overall

Soft Scrub with Bleach Cleaner Gel

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The Soft Scrub with Bleach Cleaner Gel was our favorite cleaner by far when testing. Not only did it work incredibly quickly and easily on all of the filthy grout surfaces in our house—including a kitchen, bathroom, and mudroom that five children, two adults, and one farm dog use—it also can clean pretty much anything in the house, including countertops, tubs, showers, sinks, stovetops, tiles, and toilets.

It contains bleach, so it will clean everything from mold to mildew to limescale stains to plain old grime. It made our grout whiter and cleaner than any other cleaner, and the difference was drastic. The only warning to be aware of when using Soft Scrub with Bleach is that it will stain dark clothing, so be sure to dress accordingly or wear protective gear when cleaning. Additionally, using bleach frequently on grout can damage it over time, so use this cleaner sparingly, and be sure to follow all recommended instructions, and do not let it sit for longer than the recommended 1 minute of soaking time.

We will admit that it would have been nice to have the convenience of a spray bottle, but the fact that it basically melted off stains and dirt makes it worth using a squeeze bottle. Plus, it’s affordable.

Product Specs

• Application: Squeeze-on gel
• Meant for: Safe for all surfaces, although prolonged contact with metal, old porcelain, or plastic countertops may cause discoloration
• Special features: Dye-free, made in the USA

Pros

• Formula is very effective at whitening
• Gel is very powerful at cleaning; no scrubbing needed
• Leaves behind a pleasant smell instead of a harsh chemical odor

Cons

• Contains bleach; will stain clothing very easily
• May not be safe for all surfaces

Get Soft Scrub bleach cleaner gel at Amazon.

Runner-up

Black Diamond Ultimate Grout Cleaner

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The Black Diamond product is an excellent grout cleaner because it hits all of the key grout cleaning boxes: It came as a convenient spray, worked very quickly, required minimal scrubbing, and brightened almost as well as our Best Overall pick but without bleach. With the active ingredients of sodium xylene sulphonate, dodecyldimethylamine oxide, 2-aminoethanol, benzyl alcohol, and 3-butoxypropan-2-ol, it does have a pretty strong smell, so it’s important to ventilate the space when using it.

Additionally, keep in mind that because it’s acid-free, it won’t clean calcium or water spots on showers and tubs. What it is good for, however, is cleaning both white and colored grout lines, along with dirt and soap scum. We also noticed that this cleaner required a good rinsing; even after one rinse, we could still feel a bit of a residue left on the floor.

Product Specs

• Application: High- or low-flow spray
• Meant for: Tile grout only
• Special features: Acid-free

Pros

• Convenient spray bottle is easy to apply
• Works immediately; no need to wait after application
• Cleans and brightens grout effectively

Cons

• Strong smell; may not be to everyone’s taste
• Won’t remove calcium or water spots
• Will leave residue if not rinsed properly

Get Black Diamond grout cleaner at Amazon or The Home Depot.

Best Bang for the Buck

CLR Brilliant Bath Cleaner

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If there are stains from hard water or a lot of calcium and lime discolorations, this CLR cleaner is worth trying—just be sure to spray and let it sit for at least 2 minutes before scrubbing. Meant for cleaning hard-water buildup, calcium deposits, lime, and dirt from kitchen and bathroom surfaces, this foaming, fresh-scent spray is a go-to option for targeted jobs instead of general grout cleaning. It’s ideal for showers with hard-to-reach corners, for instance, because the spray can be applied liberally.

It is safe for tile and ceramic as well as glass and stainless steel. We found that it worked almost as well as our Best Overall pick but without the bleach. However, it did require a lot of rinsing to prevent the floor from being slippery.

It’s also hard to find a tough cleaner that doesn’t contain loads of toxins and harsh chemicals. So we’re thrilled to see the EPA’s Safer Choice program label on CLR’s spray bottle. This certifies that CLR contains no ammonia, bleach, or phosphates and contains lactic acid, lauramine oxide, and tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether as its active ingredients.

Product Specs

• Application: On/off spray
• Meant for: White grout, chrome, stainless steel, glass, and granite; not safe for colored grout, marble, and finishes
• Special features: EPA Safer Choice certified and part of the EPA’s Safer Choice program

Pros

• Minimal scrubbing needed; great for cleaning large areas
• Spray bottle makes for easy application
• No harsh smell compared to other grout cleaner products

Cons

• Didn’t whiten as much as some other cleaners
• Required a brush for cleaning
• Must rinse well or will leave floor slippery

Get the CLR Brilliant Bath cleaner at Amazon or The Home Depot.

Best Eco-Friendly

Seventh Generation Professional Tub & Tile Cleaner

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As an all-purpose cleaner, this eco-friendly pick can be used to clean both grout and surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom. It may not whiten and brighten as well as more harsh cleaners, but we do like the idea of a more gentle, nontoxic cleaner for the tub that toddlers and children will use for bathing. Just keep in mind it’s not the most effective cleaner for removing tough stains or a lot of mold and mildew, but for everyday cleaning or simple dirt and soap scum, it gets the job done.

This cleaner is a way to both prevent and cure in one concentrated solution. Its eco-friendly liquid is formulated with citric acid, plant-based ingredients, and essential oils—without chlorine bleach, artificial fragrances, dyes, or solvents. Instead, the main ingredients in this cleaner are water, citric acid, caprylyl/myristyl glucoside (a plant-derived cleaning agent), abies balsamea (balsam fir) extract, citrus aurantifolia (lime) oil, and cupressus sempervirens (cypress) oil.

It is safe for use on a range of surfaces, including ceramic tile, shower doors, plastic, chrome, fiberglass, porcelain, stainless steel, and more (it’s not advised for marble or brass, though).

While this tub and tile cleaner doesn’t include fake fragrances, it is scented quite heavily with essential oils, so people with sensitivity to smells should take note. Additionally, it might be helpful to decant into a spray bottle, as the product is sold as a pourable bottle only. A

Product Specs

• Application: Pour-on
• Meant for: Acrylic, ceramic, fiberglass, porcelain, satin, nickel, stainless steel; not for use on marble or glass
• Special features: Septic safe, biodegradable, USDA Certified Biobased Product, nontoxic

Pros

• Nontoxic formula is less harsh than other cleaners
• Pleasant smell that’s not too overpowering
• Biodegradable formula; great for eco-conscious users

Cons

• Very large refill bottle; heavy and difficult to use without decanting into another bottle
• Won’t whiten grout or remove mold or mildew

Get the Seventh Generation professional tub and tile cleaner at Amazon.

Best Heavy-Duty

Grout-Eez Super Heavy Duty Tile & Grout Cleaner

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As much as we love a good earth-friendly cleaner, we know that some tough jobs require specialized formulas. For moldy, stained grout that won’t respond to everyday cleaners, Grout-Eez performs well. This “super heavy-duty” solution is designed for maximum cleaning power, especially on floors and large surfaces. ​​

With a squeeze-top, targeted nozzle, and large brush that can attach to any standard broom pole, Grout-Eez does attempt to make grout cleaning easy without bending or scrubbing required. Plus, the brush can also be used without attaching it to anything, which is how we tested it—it still works. We found we liked a more targeted brush to scrub grout lines, but a floor brush could have many useful applications for those with mobility challenges.

Grout-Eez promises to suck up dirt, grease, and stains in about 5 minutes. Upon testing, we found that it only required about 3 minutes of soaking before it was ready to clean and only needed minimal scrubbing. It did clean and whiten our tile grout, but it didn’t get it as white as the Best Overall pick.

Safe for most tiled surfaces (but not natural stone), the active ingredients include urea monohydrochloride (a strong acid) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (a chemical detergent). Due to these chemicals, Grout-Eez does create fumes, so always wear protective gear (goggles, mask, and gloves). The cleaner has a very harsh smell, so it may be best used for heavy-duty jobs in well-ventilated areas and not for everyday cleaning.

Product Specs

• Application: Targeted nozzle
• Meant for: Most tiled surfaces; not for use on natural stone or metal
• Special features: Includes brush

Pros

• Includes brush with the cleaner; great all-in-one product
• Targeted nozzle great for getting into grout lines
• Strong active ingredients means minimal scrubbing needed

Cons

• Brush not as effective as others
• Very harsh smell
• Not as effective as other cleaners on kitchen tile grout

Get the Grout-Eez tile and grout cleaner at Amazon.

Best for Large Areas

Zep Grout Cleaner and Brightener

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If the goal is to do a whole floor or area or clean large surfaces, the Zep Grout Cleaner and Brightener is a product to try. This cleaner doesn’t come with a spray nozzle or a targeted spout, so it’s best for using over large areas that necessitate a pour-out. With the strong active ingredients of urea hydrochloride and hydrochloric acid, ZEP is designed for commercial as well as residential use.

One convenient feature is that it can be used on both colored and white-only grout lines. However, keep in mind that it’s only to be used on grout lines—it can’t be used on marble, terrazzo, travertine, natural stone, chrome, stainless steel, brass, or Corian surfaces. It also won’t remove mold, mildew, calcium or limescale, and rust, so again, just keep it for grimy grout.

Product Specs

• Application: Pour-on spout
• Meant for: Only safe for tile grout; can’t use it on marble, terrazzo, travertine, natural stone, chrome, stainless steel, brass, or Corian surfaces
• Special features: Commercial grade

Pros

• Minimal scrubbing required; helps minimize user fatigue
• Good for larger areas and surfaces
• Very strong cleaner suitable for a wide range of surfaces

Cons

• Pours out from top, no nozzle or targeted application
• Doesn’t remove mold, mildew, calcium or limescale, and rust
• Doesn’t whiten as effectively as some other cleaners

Get the ZEP grout cleaner at Amazon or The Home Depot

Best Grout Cleaning Tool

Oxo Deep Clean Brush Set

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