Don’t Use This New TikTok ‘hack’ to Clear the Solution
Why does it feel like every week we’re calling on you to ignore the latest TikTok cleanup hack because it’s dangerous, wrong, or useless ? Well, probably because we are, and this week is no different: there are hacks going around advising people to go grouting tiles with toilet cleaner, and frankly, you shouldn’t be doing that. Here’s a bad “hack” – and what to do instead.
This time the advice is quite simple: you should use a toilet bowl cleaner to clean grout on tiled floors and walls. Of course it will work, and it seems like it makes sense. Ceramics and tiles cannot be damaged by cleaners made for ceramic toilets, right? Well, as a local Illinois news station points out , the chemicals can also break down the sealant on the tile and damage the grout itself, ending up doing more damage to the floor and walls than helping.
What can you do instead?
Luckily, the messy solution predates TikTok and the trendy viral hacks, so there are plenty of existing ways to clean it up. We used to recommend mixing two parts baking soda with one part hydrogen peroxide , applying the resulting paste to dirty joints, leaving for a few minutes, and then brushing with a toothbrush. Once you’ve cleaned up the stains, use a damp cloth to wipe off the mixture.
If you have mold on your grout, mix one part bleach with ten parts water and pour into a spray bottle. After you’ve cleaned the surface with a brush or vacuum, dampen the moldy solution with spray and let it sit for five minutes, then scrub it with a sponge or cleaning toothbrush. Rinse it, wipe it with a clean cloth and you’re done.
You can even use melamine foam pads (Magic Erasers) to whiten the grout. Wet it a little and wipe the grout down so it looks clean and doesn’t compromise the integrity of your tile.