Your kitchen is, in many ways, the heart and soul of your home. It’s a great place to spend time with friends and family and to try out that new cookie recipe you’ve been dying to make, but it is also prone to messes that build up over time. Today’s blog is all about tackling that dirt and grime buildup around your kitchen sink in the grout area. Let us know your favorite cleaning techniques for scratching this one off the to-do list on social media, we’d love to hear from you!

Getting Started

This isn’t necessarily the toughest project in the kitchen when it comes to cleaning, but it is no small fry. The dirt and buildup that accumulates in grout can be tough to clean out and it can keep coming back with a vengeance if you’re not careful. Here are some basic supplies you will need in order to really knock out this cleaning job.

  • Scrub brush with stiff bristles. If you have an extra toothbrush handy, that is a great size and shape for this task as well. 
  • Dish soap or general all purpose cleaner
  • Baking soda
  • Vinegar
  • Microfiber cloth
  • Paper towels
  • Grout sealer
  • Your favorite podcast or music playing on your phone or speakers (optional but fun!)

Do An Initial Clean

We know that the grout has gotten pretty dirty at this point. In order to get all of the deep down grime, you will need to first scrub off the top layer of more loose or cursory dirt. Spray the impacted area with some all-purpose cleaner or drop some concentrated dish soap on the area and then rinse it with some warm water. You can lightly scrub it with your brush as well. Make sure the area is fully rinsed off.

Start The Deep Clean

Take your baking soda and put 2 tablespoons in a small bowl. Add some warm water a teaspoon at a time until you have a thick paste that is just a little thicker than toothpaste. Apply the paste along the grout lines liberally. Let stand for 15 minutes. 

After it has set for 15 minutes, it’s time to add the vinegar and start scrubbing! If you have some vinegar in a spray bottle, that will help to evenly apply it to your paste. If not, then you can pour some onto a sponge or clean wash cloth that you can use to sprinkle around the baking soda paste.

Let the mixture fizz for a minute or two and then start scrubbing with your brush! The reaction from the vinegar should help to loosen any grout stains and the baking soda paste is a fantastic abrasive scrub that is tough on dirt but gentle on kitchen surfaces like tile and stone. 

Repeat As Necessary

Once you rinse away the baking soda and vinegar mixture, you may see some minor buildup left. At which point, you can either repeat the process or let it dry out and then try it again in a week. In the meantime, you can spray it with a 10% bleach mixture to help really kill off any mold or bacteria that has taken hold. 

For The Road

Getting your kitchen sink clean, especially around the grout area is no small feat, but with a little preparation you can be ready for anything that comes your way this year. Contact us if you or someone you know may be in need of a residential or commercial cleaning service like ours. We can’t wait to hear from you. Give us a call or email us here. Have fun and stay safe out there!