Cleaning Grout

[Just mee]

I have white sanded grout at the entrance to my house, Its basically almost black.

Any cleaning methods to make it white again.

[Robert Gammon]

After having white sanded grout and navy blue sanded grout, I will stick with DARK colored grouts from NOW on.

Yes, I am NO help with this project. I have tried bleach and toothbrushes, scouring powder with bleach and a toothbrush, and they have marginal benefit. In my opinion, as stricly a ly person, not an expert by any means, you MAY be forced to grind out the grout, and replace it with a dark sanded grout of some color that you and your significant other find to be an acceptable color combination.

In my case, we used the SAME tile 15 years ago with navy blue grout in one area, white grout in the other two areas. Navy blue still looks great, white is greyish-yellow, dingy.

[jah213]

I saw this in a catalog today:

Have never tried it, but not too expensive to experiment with.

Jo Ann

Robert Gamm> > I have white sanded grout at the entrance to my house, Its basically almost > > black.

[Walter R.]

Try a little diluted Clorox. That will kill any dark mold on your exterior tile and bleach organic stains imbedded in the grout.

If that does not remove the blemishes, I use a 1/2" wide bronze or brass brush (harbor freight) and scrub the grout lines vigorously. (Toothbrush is too soft.) The brass removes a fine layer of grout but does not normally scratch the tiles, unlike a steel brush might. Lubricate with a little water. I have used this method for interior and exterior tile grout. Makes the grout look like new. Reseal the grout.

I have also cleaned the concrete pool deck and the grout lines around the pool with pressure washers (use high pressure). No elbow grease required.

Try all methods in an inconspicuous area first.

[John H.]

Have you tried steam? I have a light brown grout that has turned black in the kitchen. I just spray some 409 in the grout and use a steamer(they make steamers w/60-65psi) but I just use my garment steamer and run it along the grout line. Scrub lightly with a stiff bristle brush and it looks like new.

[Donna]

Clean it as best you can with the suggestions others have made, and if the result still isn't good enough, pick up some white grout paint. You'll have to reapply it approximately every quarter, but it's not too complicated or time consuming. And if you can't clean it back to white, and don't want to drill it out and replace it, it's the only solution I can think of.

When you do replace it, spend the money on grout with expoxy. It is impervious to stains, pretty much.

Donna

[Just mee]

The Grout eraser worked great.

Thanks everyone

[jah213]

Say, I'm glad to hear that! I have two rooms' worth of white grout, myself, and was thinking about ordering it. Thanks for the feedback!

Jo Ann

Just mee wrote:

[Ham Sulu]

This is from an old June thread, but I'm having grout dirt problems. My contractor didn't seal the grout on my new tile floor and now it's got water stains, mold and looks terrible. I should have sealed it long ago, but oh well, everything's a learning experience. I'm curious, how does this grout eraser work? It looks like a sponge or sanding block.

[Ham Sulu]

This is from an old June thread, but I'm having grout dirt problems. My contractor didn't seal the grout on my new tile floor and now it's got water stains, mold and looks terrible. I should have sealed it long ago, but oh well, everything's a learning experience. I'm curious, how does this grout eraser work? It looks like a sponge or sanding block.