Keep Your Kitchen Floors Sparkling With A Simple Two-Ingredient Grout Cleaner

Since you use your kitchen on a daily basis, it's one of the most important parts of your cleaning routine. While you may already sweep and mop regularly, you need to give your tile and grout a deeper cleaning from time to time as well. Kitchen tile grout can get very grimy after a lot of use, so you should know how to clean it properly. 

Although many homeowners use store-bought chemical cleaners to clean kitchen grout, they aren't actually the best choice. These cleaners leave a lot to be desired and contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be harmful to your health. Fortunately, you just need a few simple ingredients to scour your grout. Instead of purchasing a chemical grout cleaner from the store, you can use a mixture of shaving cream and lemon juice to scrub out these tiny crevices and ensure your kitchen tile looks amazing all year long.

To get started with this DIY grout cleaner, add several tablespoons of lemon juice to one cup of shaving foam. You can create more of the mixture as needed, based on the size of your space. Be sure to use a basic foaming shaving cream that doesn't have gels, moisturizers, or other additives. Once you have your mixture, spread it on the grout that you want to clean. Let it rest for several minutes before proceeding to scrub the grout using an old toothbrush or another cleaning tool. You can then rinse it away with warm water. You may want to repeat this process if necessary to ensure that your grout is as clean as possible.

While a combination of shaving cream and lemon juice can work well for some floors, be careful. Think twice before using citric acid to revive grimy tile floors and only use it on tiles that aren't made of natural stone, as cleaning natural stone with lemon juice can lead to scratching and fading. Shaving cream also isn't ideal for natural stone since it contains emollients that may stain the stone and penetrate porous material. Whenever cleaning anything with these ingredients, do a spot test in an inconspicuous area first. Ensure you know how the material is going to react before you spread it across your entire floor.

Shaving cream can work well for cleaning grout because it contains certain active ingredients, such as surfactants and emulsifiers, that are also present in bar and liquid soaps used around the home. The foamy texture of shaving cream is also ideal for scrubbing and getting rid of dirt and grime. Chances are that you already have this useful ingredient in your home as well, so using it is a no-brainer, especially in a pinch.

While shaving cream can work well for cleaning on its own, the addition of lemon juice can be even more effective. Lemon juice is beneficial for cleaning because it contains citric acid. Citric acid is both antibacterial and antiseptic, plus it does a great job of breaking down dirt and grime. It can also break down mold and mildew and can help remove rust.

Keep in mind that grout isn't the only thing that can be cleaned with shaving cream and lemon juice. Either shaving cream or lemon juice can be used on glass as well as mirrors, faucets and fixtures made of chrome and steel, and countertops. You can also keep your kitchen appliances clean with shaving cream and lemon juice as well.