What You Need to Know
25 November 2025
If you have ever stood in the cleaning aisle of your local supermarket, staring at rows of grout cleaning products that promise miraculous results, you are not alone. Every homeowner eventually faces the question of whether to tackle dirty grout themselves or bring in a professional. It is a fair question, and the honest answer is that it depends on your situation. There are times when a DIY approach works perfectly well, and there are times when it simply cannot deliver the results you need.
Let us start by acknowledging that DIY grout cleaning absolutely has its place. For light maintenance and regular upkeep, a bit of elbow grease combined with the right cleaning products can keep your grout looking respectable. If your tiles are relatively new and the grout has only accumulated surface level dirt from everyday use, a good scrub with a quality bathroom cleaner or a paste made from bicarbonate of soda can make a noticeable difference. Weekly or fortnightly maintenance cleaning is something every homeowner should be doing, and it genuinely helps extend the time between more intensive cleaning sessions.
The challenge arises when grout has been neglected for months or years, or when it has developed deep staining from mould, mildew, soap scum or general grime. This is where household cleaning products start to show their limitations. Most supermarket grout cleaners are designed for surface cleaning. They can remove what is sitting on top of the grout, but they struggle to penetrate into the grout itself where the real problem lies.
Grout is a porous material, which means it has countless tiny holes and channels running through it. Over time, dirt, oils, soap residue and moisture seep into these pores and become trapped. Once contaminants have worked their way into the structure of the grout, no amount of surface scrubbing will remove them. You might spend an entire Saturday on your hands and knees with a toothbrush, only to find that the grout looks marginally better for a week before returning to its discoloured state. This is not because you did anything wrong. It is simply the nature of how grout works and why deeply embedded staining requires a different approach.
There is a common misconception that if you just scrub hard enough, you can get any grout clean. Unfortunately, physics does not work in our favour here. When you scrub grout with a brush, you are only making contact with the surface. The bristles cannot reach into the porous structure where years of grime have accumulated. In fact, aggressive scrubbing can sometimes make things worse by pushing contaminants deeper into the grout or by damaging the surface, creating more texture where dirt can collect in the future.
We have seen many bathrooms where well intentioned homeowners have scrubbed so vigorously that they have actually worn away portions of the grout, creating an uneven surface that traps dirt even more readily. The grout might look cleaner immediately after scrubbing, but within weeks it appears worse than before because the newly roughened surface provides more places for grime to accumulate. It is a frustrating cycle that many people find themselves trapped in, not realising that the solution requires a fundamentally different method rather than more effort with the same approach.
Professional grout cleaning uses equipment and techniques that simply are not available to the average homeowner. The most significant difference is the use of high pressure steam extraction systems. These machines inject superheated steam into the grout at pressure, which penetrates deep into the porous structure and loosens the embedded dirt. The same machine then immediately extracts the moisture along with the contaminants it has dislodged, removing grime that has been trapped for years.
Beyond steam extraction, professional technicians use specialised cleaning solutions that are stronger than anything you will find in a supermarket. These commercial grade products are formulated to break down specific types of staining, whether it is soap scum, hard water deposits, mould or general discolouration. They are also trained to identify what type of staining they are dealing with and select the appropriate treatment, something that requires experience and knowledge that most homeowners understandably do not possess.
The tools themselves matter too. Professional rotary scrubbers can clean grout far more effectively than any handheld brush, covering larger areas in less time while applying consistent pressure. Specialised grout brushes with precisely designed bristles can work cleaning solution into the grout lines without damaging the surrounding tiles. It is a combination of better products, better equipment and better technique that produces results you simply cannot replicate with household supplies.
Beyond the quality of results, there is the question of time and effort. We regularly speak with homeowners who have spent entire weekends trying to clean their bathroom grout, only to be disappointed with the outcome. That is a significant investment of your precious time for results that may not last. Compare that to a professional service that can typically complete a bathroom in a couple of hours, with results that will last for years when properly maintained.
Your time has value. The hours you spend on your knees scrubbing grout are hours you could spend with your family, pursuing hobbies or simply relaxing. When you factor in the cost of cleaning products, the physical toll of the work and the often disappointing results, professional cleaning frequently represents better value than the DIY approach, even before you consider the superior outcomes.
We would never suggest that you need a professional for every grout cleaning situation. If your grout is generally in good condition with only light surface soiling, regular DIY maintenance is both sensible and effective. A simple routine of wiping down tiles after showering, using a squeegee to remove excess water and periodic cleaning with appropriate products will keep grout looking good for longer between professional treatments.
DIY cleaning also makes sense for small spot treatments. If you notice a small area of discolouration developing, addressing it promptly with a targeted clean can prevent it from becoming a larger problem. Catching issues early, before staining has had time to penetrate deeply into the grout, gives household products a much better chance of being effective.
There are certain situations where professional cleaning is clearly the better choice. If your grout has significant mould growth, particularly in showers where moisture is constant, professional treatment is recommended. Mould can penetrate deep into porous grout, and surface cleaning often leaves the roots intact, allowing it to return within weeks. Professional steam cleaning kills mould at its source while extracting it from the grout structure.
If you have tried DIY cleaning multiple times without satisfactory results, that is a clear signal that the problem requires professional intervention. Grout that has been neglected for years, grout in rental properties that may not have been properly maintained, or grout that has become uniformly discoloured throughout a room will all benefit enormously from professional treatment. The same applies if you are preparing a property for sale or simply want to refresh a tired looking bathroom or kitchen without the expense of retiling.
We genuinely believe in giving homeowners honest advice, even when it means acknowledging that professional services are not always necessary. For light maintenance and minor soiling, DIY cleaning can work well. But for deep staining, mould problems, old neglected grout or situations where you have already tried cleaning without success, professional equipment and expertise will deliver results that household products simply cannot match.
If you are unsure which category your grout falls into, we are always happy to take a look and give you an honest assessment. Sometimes we tell people that their grout is not bad enough to warrant professional cleaning yet, and we give them tips for maintaining it themselves. Other times, one look is enough to know that only professional treatment will restore the grout to a presentable condition. Either way, you will get straightforward advice based on what is actually best for your situation.
If you would like us to assess your grout and provide a no obligation quote, feel free to get in touch. We service homes throughout Southern Sydney and the Illawarra region, and we would be happy to help you determine the best approach for your particular situation.