There’s something undeniably satisfying about clean, crisp tiles with perfectly white grout. Over time, though, grout has a tendency to lose its lustre, succumbing to stains and discolouration. Dirt particles and soil residue find their way into the microscopic pores of grout. These tiny particles might not seem significant individually, but collectively, they create a grimy layer that gradually darkens the grout.

In the bathroom, soap scum is a notorious grout darkener. It forms when the fats and minerals in soap combine with water and settle onto the grout lines. What’s more, grout’s porous nature makes it a perfect breeding ground for mould and mildew.

In damp environments like bathrooms and kitchens, where moisture lingers, these fungi find a welcoming home. As they grow, they create a black or dark greenish hue, tarnishing the grout lines, while also bringing a musty, damp smell.

To whiten grout and restore its brightness, Mrs Hinch fan Manju Pandya raved about the Flash Bicarbonate of Soda Cleaning Spray that was previously recommended to her for removing pillow stains.

She said: “Hi, I’ve seen so many posts regarding whitening of grout, so I decided to use my newfound product Flash with Bicarb (recommended by someone on here for my stained pillows) to see if that would work on my fireplace.

“Well, the results speak for themselves. Im impressed. I literally sprayed it on, left it for three minutes, and wiped. No chemical smells, which is an added bonus.”

Baking soda is the main ingredient in this cleaning spray, which acts as a safe whitener, deodoriser and household cleaner – and it’s an effective natural grout cleaner.

Because baking soda is also a mild abrasive, using it for cleaning grout lines gives you extra firepower without the risk of scratching tiles.

Free from added preservatives, bleach and ammonia, this Flash spray is designed to remove tough stains from a range of surfaces.

If households don’t have success with this product, it may be worth making a natural grout cleaning concoction out of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide is a natural alternative to bleach that will still brighten the grout. Leave for 20 minutes for more effective whitening.