Cost for Tile and Grout Cleaning – 2024 Price Guide
Joe is the creator of Inch Calculator and has over 20 years of experience in engineering and construction. He holds several degrees and certifications.
Sarabeth is an expert in the home and garden industry and was formerly a certified kitchen and bathroom designer. She is a subject matter expert in home improvement and is often quoted in notable publications.
Although you can clean tile with a suitable tile cleaner and a mop or a sponge, unlike ceramic or porcelain tile, grout is porous and may absorb moisture, allowing bacteria and mold to grow.
It's essential to clean your tile surfaces and the grout joints to prevent mold and mildew and keep them looking clean. Learn more about how much it costs to clean tile and grout below.
2024 Tile and Grout Cleaning Costs
Calculate local project costs by entering your zip code.
Custom Location
| National Average Price | $450 |
| Typical Price Range | $250 - $750 |
| Typical Price Range (per square foot) | $3 - $5 |
| Typical Price Range (per hour) | $50 - $100 |
Get free estimates from contractors near you.
On this page:
How Much Does Tile and Grout Cleaning Cost?
Tiles can be made from many materials, including ceramic or porcelain, which have a hard, non-porous surface. Grout, on the other hand, gets made by mixing sand, cement, and water.
Some newer grouts are made with epoxy, polymers, and even sealers that render them non-porous. However, older grout is porous and will stain over time.
Grout is necessary to fill the expansion gap between tiles and prevent them from butting against one another and cracking when your home shifts. However, it may absorb moisture.
Pressure washing or steam cleaning is periodically essential to ensure the grout is clean, safe, and free of mold or mildew that could cause respiratory ailments.
The average cost to clean grout and tile for a typical room is $250 to $750 for a professional cleaning. To deep-clean and add a sealant could cost as much as $1,000.
Some services will charge a flat rate per room, while others may charge by the square foot. On average, cleaning is about $0.50 to $4.00 per square foot. Note that many services require a minimum fee of $100 to $150.
Try our square footage calculator to estimate the size of your room.
The most significant expense of tile and grout cleaning is labor. You can expect to pay $50 – $100 per hour for labor if you’re paying by the hour.
The cost of deep cleaning tile and grout is often less expensive than brand new tile. Keep reading to learn more about what impacts the cost of tile and grout cleaning.
Traditional Cleaning Is Not Enough
Professionals recommend an annual thorough cleansing of tile and grout. When not cleaned regularly and adequately, microbes and mold can grow, and it could cost a lot more for mold cleanup than grout and tile cleaning.
Traditional bathroom cleaning methods, such as scrubbing and mopping, will not sanitize the grout.
Although bleach is an effective sanitizer for many things, bleach can damage your grout and make it brittle. It is much safer to buy cleaner made specifically for tile and grout for periodic cleaning.
Cost to DIY
Although you can rent or buy a machine and DIY, it might be more affordable to hire a professional. On the surface, it appears DIY would be cheaper, but going to get the machine and returning it, paying the rental fee, buying the cleansing chemicals, and your time (typically 8-12 hours) might be more expensive.
To DIY, it might cost as little as $100 to rent the machine and buy the supplies and materials.
Also, consider safety equipment when using cleaning equipment and chemicals. Make sure you have safety glasses and gloves on hand before starting this work. These typically cost about $20 if you don’t already have a set.
Methods of Cleaning
There are typically four methods used to clean tile and grout, pressure washing, steam cleaning, hand cleaning, or spot cleaning.
Pressure Wash
A high-pressure wash and rinse is an effective method of cleaning tile and grout. Keep in mind that if your tile has old caulk or crumbling grout, a pressure wash could cause damage. This may also be the case if you have green marble tile.
Steam Cleaning
The use of steam, high pressure, and vacuums is another effective method to clean tile and grout. Hot water, steam, and heat, in general, are known widely as effective sanitization procedures.
Hand Cleaning
Hand cleaning might be necessary for areas where the machine cannot reach. Despite it being time-consuming, it might be required and cost around $30 more per hour.
Spot Cleaning
Small areas might require spot cleaning. Bringing in a pressure hose or steam cleaner might not be necessary for a small space, or mold-infested areas might need special consideration and spot cleaning.
Some very deep stains may require poultices to draw the stains to the surface where they can be cleaned away. Spot cleaning in this way can be very effective but may raise costs.
Alternatives
If you have very stained grout, cleaning may not be enough to return it to its original color. Likewise, if the grout is old and brittle or coming loose, cleaning may make the situation worse. In these instances, you may want to consider an alternative.
In some cases, grout can be painted. This method uses a special paint used just for grout. It seals the surface while painting to change the color and cover stains. The cost to paint the grout averages $3 to $5 per square foot.
If you need to replace the grout, this runs about $5 to $20 per square foot, depending on how easily the old grout can be removed.
Hiring a Professional to Clean & Sanitize
If you’re ready to hire a professional for the project, try our contractor locator service to get several free and effortless estimates. We suggest getting at least three estimates, as prices vary widely, particularly labor.
If you’re considering installing new tile, try our tile calculator.
All pricing information on this page is based on average industry costs, and is subject to variance for project-specific materials, labor rates, and requirements.