The Affordable Tool That Can Make Cleaning Brickwork Grout Lines A Breeze

That stunning brick accent wall and vintage fireplace surround can add a lot of character to your home, but they won't look their best if they're not clean. Grout channels between bricks are porous and recessed, making them the perfect hideout for dust, soot, and other debris. If they aren't regularly cleaned, they can turn your masonry feature from charming to dingy. And if you want to avoid cleaning your grout and exposed brick the wrong way, a helpful tip is to choose the best tool to clean with. Heavy scrubbing brushes are usually too wide or tough for grout, while toothbrushes are usually too flimsy to handle the kind of scrubbing grout needs. So is there actually a good solution here? Yes, and it's super affordable: a basic paintbrush.

A stiff, standard cleaning brush can glide right over the raised brick surface and fail to apply any useful pressure to the curved-in grout line where all the dirt actually is. However, an inexpensive paintbrush has bristles that are flexible yet firm, so they can clean well without scrubbing or scratching the brick. So, when you press a paintbrush into the grout channel, its bristles will conform perfectly to that curve and allow them to give just the right amount of friction and snag that trapped soil. When shopping for your paintbrush, a standard flat-cut bristle brush works fine, though feel free to get one with an angled tip for easier maneuvering. Either way, this simple tool only costs about five to 10 bucks and will be your go-to for grout cleaning and even revolutionize your dusting game.

Before you get started, take a moment for some quick preparation by sweeping or vacuuming the brick surface to remove any loose debris. Now you can clean! First, make a solution, but keep it simple and safe for your masonry. It's a good idea to use either a mixture of warm water and a little dish soap for light soil levels, though a water and baking soda paste is great for tougher stains. Be sure to do a quick test on a small, discreet area first, especially if you're working on painted or antique brick.

To get started, dip your chosen paintbrush into the solution, then use the bristles to thoroughly dab and stipple the liquid directly into the grout lines. Don't scrub yet; give things a few minutes to soak into the grout and reach any grime. After soaking, use the brush to scrub back and forth along the grout line. Because the paintbrush's bristles have some flexibility to them, they can focus the cleaning right on your grout without scratching or otherwise damaging the actual bricks.

You'll see the dirt lift right out of the grout pretty much immediately and without much effort. Once you scrub an area with your paintbrush, all you need to do then is simply wipe the residue away with a clean, wet cloth or sponge, then let it dry. Your grout will look fantastic once done, and this is easily a habit you could do every week for a cleaner home. It just proves that high-quality cleaning doesn't always require expensive tools to get the job done.