7 Best Grout Cleaners of 2024, Tested by Cleaning Experts

CLR's cleaning products consistently impress in our GH Cleaning Lab tests. We recommend the brand's powerful rust remover and disposal cleaner, but this foaming bath cleaner was one of the first products we came to love from the brand because it performs so well cleaning grout, tile, chrome and other bathroom surfaces. We've even included it in our lists of the best shower cleaners and best bathroom cleaners.

All this cleaner needs is two to three minutes and a light scrub to work its magic on dirty grout and even tub caulking. In fact, you'll actually see the grout continue to whiten as it dries. And one of our Cleaning Lab testers raved, "My shower grout was so bright and clean afterward, I couldn't stop admiring it."

CLR Brilliant Bath is EPA Safer Choice Certified which means every ingredient in the formula has been evaluated by the EPA and deemed safer for consumers and the environment. And while it's great at removing stains from white grout, the manufacturer does not recommend using it on colored grout to avoid removing the hue.

Cleaning a surface is great, but as soon as it is touched, bacteria returns. Good Housekeeping Seal-holder Microban 24-Hour Bathroom Cleaner not only kills germs on the spot, but it also keeps working for up to 24 hours, even after surfaces are repeatedly touched. In our tests, not only was it an effective cleaner on all bathroom surfaces — including grout — but its ability to disinfect and keep surfaces cleaner longer means you'll have to scrub less often.

To help prevent mold and mildew growth, spray until the surface is thoroughly wet and allow it to air dry. You'll only have to repeat this process every seven days to halt mold and mildew growth on hard surfaces, so you can go longer without having to give your grout a deep clean.

Unlike other bathroom cleaners, Microban 24 Hour works on soft surfaces too, like shower curtains, protecting them for up to 28 days from mold and mildew. One caveat: Though the smell didn't bother us, some reviewers online found it too strong.

While many cleaners can remove mildew stains from the surface of the grout, they may not be able to kill the mold and mildew spores that survive deeper, which can cause stains to return. This Mold and Mildew Remover from Tilex works with bleach to both whiten away stains and kill 99.9% of mold, mildew and bacteria — in just five minutes.

Online, it's a fan favorite with reviewer comments like "Great," "Mind blown," and "10+ stars." Our experts are fans of this cleaner, too, recommending it in our guide to removing black mold from your home.

It's easy to use: Just spray the grout, let the formula penetrate for a few minutes and rinse. In most cases, there's no scrubbing needed. Like other household cleaners with bleach, this bathroom cleaner can discolor fabrics and has a strong bleach smell some might find bothersome.

If mold and mildew stains are your nemesis, CLR's Mold and Mildew Stain Remover can help. It performed well in our tests and was so well received by our consumer testers that it earned a spot in a previous Best Cleaning and Organizing Awards feature. And it works well beyond the bathroom. Our testers used this cleaner to remove stains from items like a shower curtain rod, painted garage trim and even vinyl on a boat that had been in storage for months. Our boat-cleaning tester raved, "I practically sailed through cleaning it without hard scrubbing."

The foaming spray is EPA Safer Choice Certified and doesn't require much elbow grease to work, proving that a formula doesn't have to be harsh to be effective. Best of all, it's unscented and produced no uncomfortable fumes when it was dispensed.

Take note that if you have mold in your bathroom, CLR won't kill the spores that are already there or prevent stains from reappearing, but it will help brighten your grout quickly and easily. The foam is also not as clingy as some other formulas, so it's best to work quickly when cleaning tile walls or other vertical surfaces.

Read the labels of most traditional grout cleaners and you'll find that most caution against using them on natural stone surfaces — like marble and granite — two very popular materials for bathroom tiles and countertops. Granite Gold's cleaner is formulated without chemicals that could etch natural stone (like ammonia and acid).

Granite Gold comes with a handy grout cleaning brush, and in our tests, the combo worked well to freshen and clean lightly soiled grout. But the milder ingredients might not be as effective on very dirty grout. So if your tiles or trim are made of marble or other natural stone, it's best to stay ahead of cleaning to help keep mold and mildew from building up. Granite Gold also makes a full line of stone surface cleaners, sealers and polishes to care for stone surfaces across your home. This grout cleaner is safe for porcelain, ceramic and glass tile and for use on food contact surfaces, like tile countertops.

Our Cleaning Lab has tested many products from Zep, and we feature them often. We highlighted Zep in our review of best oven cleaners and we included Zep's Degreaser in a previous Best Cleaning Awards. They have consistently performed well in our evaluations and though we have not tested this grout cleaner from the brand, consumer reviews support the results we've seen with other Zep products we've tested.

With an impressive 4.3-star average rating from more than 1,700 online reviews, it's clear that this acid-containing cleaner has a solid fan base. Unlike most other grout cleaners on our list, this product is meant to be poured, not sprayed on, so it's best for cleaning the dirty grout in between floor tiles or on other flat, horizontal surfaces. It requires just three minutes to get the job done. While it is safe to use on white and colored grout, Zep doesn't kill or remove mold or mildew.

You can finally ditch the toothbrush and use a tool specifically designed for getting into the tight grout lines between tiles. With two sides of bristles and a triangular head, it makes it easy to clean vertically, horizontally and into corner grout lines. We loved the stiff bristles that don't bend under pressure and the handle's soft grip that makes it comfortable to hold. In fact, one GH tester who has used this brush for several years says, "It's much sturdier than other grout brushes I've used, and the bristles don't bend easily." Pair this tool with your favorite grout cleaning spray or gel to have your tiled walls and floors looking like new again.