How to Clean Epoxy Grout

Co-authored by Art Fricke

Last Updated: June 8, 2021 References

Epoxy grout is the most resilient type of grout and is mostly resistant to mold and stains. Basic cleaning should easily keep epoxy grout well-maintained, so long as you don’t use bleach on colored grout. The biggest threat is epoxy grout haze, a layer of epoxy grout that gets stuck on the adjacent tile during installation. The hardness of epoxy grout makes this very difficult to remove if you don’t act shortly after installation.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Colored Grout

1
Make a vinegar cleaning solution. Mix one cup (.23 L) warm water, one cup (.23 L) vinegar, and one tablespoon dishwashing liquid. Put the mixture in a spray bottle and shake it up to ensure that it is evenly distributed.^{[1]
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2
Spray the solution on the grout. Be sure not to miss any spots. You want the cleaner to be able to sit on the grout for a while to sanitize it and remove dirt.^{[2]
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3
Allow the solution to sit for fifteen minutes. You don’t want the cleaning solution to dry. But step away for a bit to give it some time to work on the dirt.^{[3]
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4
Clean grout with a brush. Use either an old tooth brush or soft bristle scrub brush. Get between the cracks and rub with a circular motion. Be mindful not to miss any spots.^{[4]
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5
Rinse with a clean rag. Use a rag or sponge to wiped down the grout. Try to remove excess water and cleaning solution.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Cleaning White Grout

1
Ventilate the room. Open a window or turn on a fan. Keep doors open. You don’t want to be in a confined space with bleach.^{[5]
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2
Put on gloves. You don’t want your skin to come into direct contact with the bleach. Bleach can cause skin burns.
3
Make a bleach solution. Mix one cup (.23 L) of bleach with three cups (.7 L) of water and one teaspoon of dishwashing detergent. Mix it in a bucket that you can dip your brush in.
- Bleach is a powerful cleaner, but you shouldn’t use it on colored grout, because it can cause the color to fade.^{[6]
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- You can also make a paste using water and oxidizing bleach powder to scrub the grout.^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Art Fricke
  Home Renovation & Repair Specialist
  Expert Interview. 1 July 2020.}
4
Use the bleach solution and brush to clean the grout. Dunk a soft-bristle brush into the bleach. Then, rub the grout in a circular motion.^{[8]
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5
Rinse the bleach out with a clean, wet sponge. Use a clean wet sponge to wipe down the surface, removing the bleach. You do not want the bleach to sit on the surface indefinitely.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cleaning Epoxy Grout Haze

1
Act within 24 hours of installation. The durability that makes epoxy grout so resilient can haunt you if you allow the haze to settle in on your tile. Try to clean the haze within 12-24 hours of installation. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to remove the haze.^{[10]
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2
Mix grout cleaner in water. There are cleaners specifically designed for picking up grout haze. Purchase them online or at a specialty hardware store. Follow the instruction on the box, mixing the cleaner with cool water.^{[11]
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3
Use a white scrub pad to apply the cleaner. Dip a white scrub pad in the cleaner and then rub the tile with the pad. Avoid coming into contact with the grout as much as possible. Though it is unlikely that you will need to reapply grout, you don’t want the cleaner to accidentally pick up any of the grout.^{[12]
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4
Wipe the surface with a sponge. After the cleaner has been applied, use a separate sponge to wide down the surface, picking up the residue. Regularly soak and squeeze the sponge to remove dirt.^{[13]
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5
Repeat as necessary. Give the tile a few minutes to dry. If the cleaner picked some haze, but more remains, try using it again until all the haze is gone.^{[14]
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6
Sand the tile when necessary. Using sand can damage the tile, but can remove grout haze when other methods fail. Mix silica sand, detergent, and water until they form a paste. Use a sponge or scrub pad to thoroughly scrub the haze off the tile. Rinse the area off after the haze has been removed.
- Mix approximately one part detergent for every fourteen parts of water. Add enough sand that the solution becomes thick.^{[15]
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- Only use this method when it seems absolutely necessary.