8 grandma’s tips for cleaning tile joints and floors

Say goodbye to blackened joints!

To stay clean, tile joints require maintenance.

But fortunately, to save you hours of scrubbing them for a more than mixed result, the editorial staff of déco.fr has come up with 8 tips from grandma that work every time.

You just need a bit of courage, a few magic ingredients, and you’re ready to go!

8 tips from Grandma for cleaning tile joints and floors

Tile is a resistant covering, usually found in kitchens and bathrooms. But over time, it has a disadvantage: when subjected to daily use, the joints blacken or get dirty.

And you soon end up with a tile that looks dirty! In addition to giving a worn and neglected appearance, they can over time lose their watertightness.

Here are some of the amazing tiles from Belktile.com

But fortunately, with the products and a few tricks from grandma, your tiles and other joints will regain all their shine in the blink of an eye!

1): Cleaning tile joints with dishwashing liquid

If your tile joints are dirty and all blackened, you can recover them by using everyday products that you inevitably have in your kitchen; namely:

dishwashing liquid, and the flagship product for ecological and economical cleaning, white vinegar!

To clean tile joints with this method, it’s simple:

• Fill a bowl with water, then add white vinegar and a few drops of your usual dishwashing liquid. Mix gently.
• Dip a toothbrush in the liquid, then with a little elbow grease, rub the joints of your tiles.
• Rinse with lukewarm water: miracle, the joints are completely free of dirt!
• For a more than perfect result, you can, still using your toothbrush, make a last pass over your tile joints with hydrogen peroxide.

2): Remove stains from tile joints with clay stone

For cleaning dirty and dull tile joints, clay stone is also a great cleaning ally. And just like white vinegar, it’s all about ecology and economy!

Here’s how to use it to remove stains and dirt from your tile joints, and even the floor of your home :

• Wet the sponge with cold water, soak it with clay stone and lightly foam the product.
• Clean your joints by rubbing with the sponge.
• Rinse with clear water; no need to rinse with plenty of water, clay stone is an effective household cleaner, but not at all aggressive!

Note: in a kitchen, clay stone can also be used to clean the sink, ceramic hobs, oven, worktop, etc… Indeed, it is a multi-surface cleaner that is unparalleled for effortless degreasing.

3): Shine floors and joints with baking soda

When the tiles in your house turn gray and the joints have become all dirty, there is another miracle product to help you get them back: baking soda.

If you use grandma’s tricks every day, you’re sure to have a jar of it in your closet at home!

To clean tile joints with baking soda, here’s how to do it:

• In a spray bottle, mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 10 centilitres of white vinegar.
• The mixture will start to foam like a mini-volcano: don’t worry, this chemical reaction is completely normal.
• Spray the baking soda-white vinegar mixture on the dirty tile grout, then leave it on for 24 hours while it takes effect.
• Scrub your joints with a toothbrush or sponge, rinse with water, and admire the result!
• Good to know: to prevent exposed tile joints (in your kitchen or bathroom, for example) from getting dirty too quickly, you can cover them with a tile grout varnish that will protect them from stains and moisture.

Tip 4: Clean recalcitrant joints with bleach

When the joints are really dirty, and have been for years, sometimes you have to use the hard way. And for this, nothing beats bleach! Before handling it, be sure to protect yourself with gloves. Dilute the bleach in hot water and wash the joints with this solution.

Leave it for at least 30 minutes before rubbing and rinsing with clean water.

Good to know: Be aware that bleach can also whiten your joints. Avoid using this solution if your joints have coloured joints.

5): Restore the original shine to joints blackened with Blanc de Meudon

The Blanc de Meudon is one of those natural products adored by our grandmothers.

Having fallen into disuse for years, it is now finding a new lease of life thanks to the trend of natural and ecological cleaning products.

The Blanc de Meudon comes from the quarries of Meudon, near Paris.

It is a product composed of calcium carbonate particles, which is presented in the form of a fine white powder.

• Mix 5 tablespoons of lukewarm water for 100 g of Blanc de Meudon to form a paste. Then leave it on for 1 hour, applying it with a damp sponge, rub the joints and rinse!

Tip: This is a multifunctional product. It can be used in particular to clean stainless steel surfaces, ceramic hobs, brass, plastic, etc… It proves to be very effective on difficult tasks!

6): Whiten and clean the tile joints with soda crystals.

As with bleach, you will need to wear gloves before cleaning your joints.

Soda crystals are a formidable cleaner, which leaves no chance for grease or dirt.

• Make a mixture using 12g of soda crystals with 60cl of water. Apply this texture to your tile joints with an old toothbrush and rub in. Don’t hesitate to re-mix regularly!
• All you have to do now is rinse the joints with clear water to restore their shine.
• Good to know: The soda crystals are a perfect complement to baking soda, to clean your interior.

7): Remove mold from joints with soda percarbonate

Sodium percarbonate is a formidable weapon for removing mould that accumulates on joints, especially in damp rooms.

To use it, nothing could be simpler: mix 1 part sodium percarbonate with 9 parts water to dilute the product.

• Apply the mixture to the joints to be cleaned and leave the product to work for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the level of mould. Then rub the joints with a used toothbrush and rinse thoroughly with clear water to remove all traces of percarbonate.
• Good to know: percarbonate is a very good whitening and household agent that can easily replace bleach when you want to use natural products.

8): Clean the joints with salted lemon juice

Last tip 100% natural: the lemon! Lemon is a very good product to clean your interior, because it disinfects, cleans and disinfects easily.

And the joints do not escape from it!

• Cut the lemon in half and soak half of it in coarse salt.
• Use the same half as a sponge and rub the joints with it. Remember to press lightly on it to get lemon juice while you’re rubbing.
• Leave it on the joints for about 1 hour and rinse!

Tip: this is a very economical cleaner, to always have in your kitchen, whatever the time of the year.