While brushing my teeth the other morning, I noticed the tile in my bathroom was beginning to look like it could use a good cleaning. After noticing this I immediately became bummed out, because cleaning tile, and especially grout, is a real pain. But I guess sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

When cleaning I didn’t want to use bleach or or any other sprays which would make me queasy from the fumes. So I turned to good old reliable vinegar, which seems to be the best bet when naturally cleaning just about anything. Unfortunately, I was all out. So then I thought, “ahh, I can use lemons.”, because like vinegar, the high acid content would eat away at any mildew or mold on the grout. Once again I was disappointed to find no lemons in the fridge. The one thing I did have plenty of was Hydrogen Peroxide. I mixed the peroxide with water in a spray bottle (1 part peroxide, 2 parts water) and started cleaning. It actually worked well, and with a little elbow grease, the tiles were getting clean.

Another option you can use for cleaning your tile and grout, is baking soda. If you combine baking soda with hot water you’ll form a paste. This paste can be effective when combined with the scrubbing action of a toothbrush to clean the grout. Not only will your grout look nice and bright, but the baking soda will also deodorize the area as well. If you really want an effective cleaning, try sprinkling baking soda on the grout then pour vinegar on top. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then scrub. Afterwards, just rinse with water and wipe clean.

So whether you’re using vinegar, lemons, baking soda or Hydrogen Peroxide, there are plenty of “green” options for cleaning tile just lying around the house.