If there’s one place in my home that seems to collect grime for fun, it’s my bathroom – or, more specifically speaking, the grout between my bathroom tiles.
Over the years I’ve doused mold-busting products on this area and used sponges and old toothbrushes to banish dirt, soap scum and bacteria from this spot. But nothing has touched the sides until I took a punt on an electric SonicScrubber cleaning brush on Amazon.
This easy cleaning whizz has helped me finally master how to clean a bathroom like a pro and means hygiene levels in this space are higher than ever. To find out why I'll never use another tool in this spot to do the job of a SonicScrubber, keep scrolling.
Why the SonicScrubber is a dream for ridding tile grout grime
Powered by batteries (and a whole lot of cleaning power) the SonicScrubber makes scrubbing small spaces – like in between tiles – easy, effortless and speedy. The oscillating head moves more than 10,000 times a minute and it works hard so you don’t have to. It has four attachments for varied cleaning all over the home.
With their high humidity levels, warm temperatures and damp demeanors, it’s no wonder bathrooms harbor bacteria like nobody's business. And my own bathroom, which was fitted with windows that don't open (don't ask!), is no different.
When it comes to learning how to get rid of black mold there's no shortage of tips and tricks. From tackling mold-ridden spots with simple dish soap, like this Great Value Ultra Original Dish Liquid from Walmart, to using commercial grout cleaner, like Black Diamond’s Ultimate Grout Cleaner Spray for Tile. And for all those wondering does vinegar kill mold? Wonder no more. The affordable pantry staple is another highly successful mold eradicator – and if used properly, it can be more effective than harsher chemicals, like bleach.
But personally speaking, the problem isn't what cleaning agent to use it's what cleaning tool will rid dirt, mold and grim effectively, without feeling like my arm has had a workout. This is where the SonicScrubber enters the cleaning chat.
In times gone by, a sponge was my go-to. Then I started using old toothbrushes, which is one of the budget cleaning hacks to tackle build-up in this space. But the thing is, my sponge would wear out long before I managed to get rid of the dirt, and an old toothbrush involved a whole load of elbow grease.
However, after coming across the magic of SonicScrubber pretty much any crevice – from hard-to-reach spots like around your sink to hidden corners in your oven – can be transformed from grimy to great. But it's the grout in between my tiles that has never looked better.
Before and after using the SonicScrubber
Swipe for the before:
The SonicScrubber brush comes with four different heads. The medium brush is essentially the 'staple' head and works a treat on joins, tight gaps and grout, the cone brush has a pointy end to get into every groove and the large brush can help you tackle bigger surface areas in no time at all. The the soft white brush is best used on furniture – think: stains on your sofa, chairs or mattress.
I used the medium brush to tackle my grout with ease. For removing mold from bathrooms and tile grout, Polya Petrova, a cleaning professional at Fantastic Services, recommended using 'active ingredients' like bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or antifungal agents — like vinegar — to break down and kill mold at the root. I used a cleaning agent I already had at home, but you could always pick up Clorox Bathroom Ultra Foamer, Household Essentials, which is available on Amazon.
After spraying the product on my tile grout and leaving it to sink in, I sprayed some water over the area and flicked the SonicScrubber switch upwards, so the electric brush stayed on.
Within 10 minutes, the grime was gone and I was left with grouting that looked as good as new!
My verdict
Easy to use and I'd even go so far as to say fun, the SonicScrubber is the eco-friendly cleaning tool I never knew the grout in between my tiles needed until now.
It takes out all of the hard work needed to deep clean this area of your bathroom and it's been key in helping me clean my bathroom in 30 minutes or less. I may have only invested in it a few weeks ago, but I'm yet to find a space where I can't use it.
What to shop
Coming with a chemical and abrasion-resistant coated fabric, your hands will be safe no matter where and what you use to clean your home with thanks to these industrial grade gloves.
Polya says this mold-vanishing spray kills 99.9% of the bacteria. Specifically made for tiles, there’s no scrubbing needed. Simply spray on and wash off.
Of course, it’s not just your bathroom tiles that get grubby. If you’re looking for something to scrub your floors, this electric bathroom scrubber comes with a long and short handle and means you can tackle floors, corners and even your bathtub if you really wanted to.
Making sure your home is rid of mold is one of the best things you can do for your health.
'Once it’s settled and spread, mold is quite difficult to entirely get rid of, so the best course of action is to be proactive,' notes Polya. 'Controlling the fungi will largely be related to control of the moisture levels and dampness inside a house,' the expert adds.
To help you keep on top of the pesky household fungi, it's worth learning about the habits that increase the risk of mold. Or, to discover how to make your bathroom smell fresh, check out the tips pros swear by.
Meet the expert
Next, delve into the secretly toxic bathroom storage toxicologists warn you to get rid of right now for safer alternatives.
