We update the grout of tile joints

It often happens that the tiles themselves in the bathroom or on the kitchen apron are in excellent condition, but the seams have turned black, changed their original appearance and spoil the whole “picture”. Our tips site will tell you how you can update the grout between tiles so that everything looks like after renovation again..

Let’s start with the simplest, least time consuming and inexpensive option – removing stubborn dirt and mold from tile joints. This can be done in the following ways:

• Household chemicals. Fairy, Pemolux, Cilit, CIF and others familiar to all hostesses. But they can only cope with simple pollution;
• More serious products such as Domestos, Whiteness. They eat away mold well and remove dirt;
• Folk remedies. Soda with vinegar, citric acid, ammonia, ammonia;
• Special means. Precisely for cleaning tile joints. For example KiiltoClean, BOZO, Ultra-Stripper, Ecover, Tyron Power.

You will need gloves, because you have to work with concentrated substances that negatively affect the skin, a hard brush with a handle – it is convenient to use an old toothbrush, a sponge, so that you can wash it off with water later, and the products themselves.

The detergent is applied to the tile joint, left there for at least 10 minutes, then washed off.

Important! Abrasive products cannot be used, they can damage the tile, especially if it is shiny, glazed.

Good results are obtained by using a steam generator. No chemistry, which is ideal for allergy sufferers, and hot steam will not only wash away impurities, but also kill the fungus. For seams, use the narrow-action attachment. And a wider nozzle at the same time will wash all the tiles!

A third easy way to update tile joints is to use a special marker or paint. Yes, just paint over the black, give the seams a new look. First, the surface must be prepared, cleaned with one of the products listed by us, treated against mold, for example, with vinegar or an antiseptic. Wait until the joint is dry and apply paint.

It is convenient to use a marker if its width matches the seam size. Use, for example, inexpensive – about 300 rubles – Edding E-8200 markers. The downside is that they are only available in white, black and gray. If you have colored tile joints, you need to use special paints. For example, Fuga Fresca. You can add any color you want to such paint. By the way, some people just use water-based emulsion, but special paints for seams are much more reliable and durable..

The fourth option is the most time consuming – to replace the grout. First, you will need to remove the old composition. It is convenient to use a tool such as a seam expander. Old grout can be removed with a thin and hard spatula, paint knife. If you want to speed up the process, you can use a grinder with a thin, already used disc, or a dremel with a special drill.

Important! Working with a power tool, especially with a grinder, must be very careful – you can easily damage the tile!

If you remove grout by hand mechanically, we recommend softening it first – it will be much easier to work. You can use special products such as Saubere Sache from Lugato, LitoClean Plus, Pufas Cement-EX. Sometimes ordinary vinegar can help soften the grout. All these products need to be carefully applied to the seams with a brush and wait until dry. After that, even with a spatula, it will be easier to remove the grout..

Then the walls or floor must be vacuumed to finally get rid of the grout residues, after the seams, you can wash it again, wait for it to dry and apply a new composition. How to choose a grout for tile joints, the portal described in detail.