Does the color of your grout make your bathroom look dirty and dated? The good news is, you don’t have to get new tile to change the color of your grout. You can lighten or darken it to suit your needs, and that may completely transform the look of your bathroom! Read on to learn how to change grout color.
Clean the Grout Thoroughly to Bring out Its True Color
Because grout is porous, it holds on to dirt, oil, dark liquids, and other stains much more than tile does. After a while, your grout may look discolored simply because of the stains. Cleaning the grout could make it look brand new again. Here are some grout cleaning tricks to try:
- Make a baking soda paste by adding a small amount of water to baking soda. Use an old toothbrush to scrub the paste into the grout. Then wipe clean with a cloth.
- Spray the baking soda with distilled vinegar for tougher stains. You can fill a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and warm water. Apply the baking soda paste, spray the vinegar on, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then wipe clean.
- Use a pre-made grout cleaner. Be careful about this though. If the cleaner contains bleach, it may not be ideal for colored grout.
- Use a steam cleaner to lift out the dirt without any chemicals. You can purchase a floor steamer for less than $100, and you can get tons of great use out of it. If you already have one, that’s even better!
If you do not get the results you want from the first round of cleaning, you may need to do multiple rounds. This process takes a bit of elbow grease, but it will pay off in the long run. Dedicate a weekend to thoroughly cleaning your grout, and you’ll be amazed with the results.
Use a Grout Pen to Make the Grout Darker
If you want to make your grout darker, you can use a grout pen to change grout color. This works just like a paint pen or marker. You squeeze it a little to get the color to the surface, and then just draw in the grout lines. Test this in an inconspicuous area to make sure you like the new color of the grout. If so, you can continue drawing over the grout lines to refresh the look of your grout. After that, you could seal the grout to preserve the color.
Use Bleach to Lighten Tile Grout
You can use oxygen bleach or chlorine bleach to lighten your grout color. This often comes in a powdered form, which you can mix with water to form a paste. Apply the paste to the grout lines and let it sit for a while. Then wipe it off with a wet rag.
As an alternative to this, you can use a grout bleach pen to lighten the grout. This may look like the colored grout pens mentioned above, or it may be in a thick bottle with a brush on top. Follow the instructions on the pen closely. Make sure you test it in a targeted area to see what it will look like first.
Cover Your Grout Completely with Tile Refinishing
You know what’s even better than crisp, clean grout? Never having to clean grout again! This is a back-breaking process, and it’s something you have to do at least once a year. With tile refinishing, that hassle goes away completely.
Tile refinishing reglazes both the tile and the grout, so you never have to worry about those pesky absorbent grout lines. There will still be an indention for the grout, but the surface of the grout is the same as the tile. Tile refinishing only costs a small fraction compared to replacing tile, but it can completely transform the look of your kitchen or bathroom. You get a renovated space, and you don’t have to clean the grout anymore. It’s a winning solution all the way around!
To learn more about tile refinishing, contact Maryland Tub and Tile at 877-717-8827.