Getting Shower Grout Back to Clean

The grout in our bathroom shower was a challenge I was ready to conquer! It's one of those tasks that often gets pushed aside, but I couldn't stand the rusty, discolored look any longer, thanks to our mineral-rich country water. It was time to move beyond mere maintenance and tackle this head-on! Our downstairs shower, less than a year old, started showing a rust tint, turning the white grout orange. We decided no one would use the bathroom until a plumber installed an ionizing iron filtration system for the house. Once that was done, I eagerly set out to find the perfect cleaners for the grout. I'm not a fan of scrubbing with a toothbrush, so I geared up with a medium/fine stiff brush attachment for a cordless drill. I started with natural cleaners—our go-to choice—using baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice, but they didn't budge the rust stains. So, I decided to bring out the big guns with some abrasive products. A helpful gentleman at Home Depot recommended Aqua Mix Nano Scrub, and I also picked up Lime-A-Way and Dawn Ultra Platinum dish soap. Armed with these, I tested each one on the grout using the power drill attachment. Aqua Mix emerged as the clear champion, with Dawn dish soap as a close second. I was a bit worried about the drill attachment being too harsh, but the medium/fine bristles were perfect and spared my elbows from endless scrubbing. Sure, there was some manual scrubbing needed for the edges and the shampoo holder cubby, but overall, the power drill cut my work time in half! Tackling this project was such a satisfying relief and an educational experience. I'm thrilled to have found a solution that works, and hopefully, we’ll never face rust water again!