For balancing aesthetics and upkeep, you can't go wrong with a neutral grey or beige grout. These lightly pigmented grouts will enhance the pattern of both light and dark colored tiles, have less risk of staining your tile compared to a dark grout and will conceal dirt and stains better than a white grout.
Neutral grout colours are lower maintenance
Dark and light grout tend to show more dirt and stains over time, while a neutral grout such as beige or grey won't show dirt as readily.
SHOULD GROUT BE DARKER OR LIGHTER THAN THE TILE? ... If you want to highlight the pattern your tile creates, a contrasting color is best. If you're trying to unify your tile, such as with a wood look tile floor, go for a close match that's a little bit lighter than your tile.
Jim Whitfield, manager of Technical Services at Mapei told industry professionals, “Because epoxy grout is so tough, it wears extremely well. It doesn't wear down over time and become a tile gutter—like cement grout can—where all the dirt and liquid and junk collects.”
Color: Lighter tiles tend to show dirt and stains more easily than darker tiles. Pattern and Texture: Tiles with patterns or textures are better at disguising dirt than solid-colored tiles. Finish: Matte finishes tend to hide dirt better than glossy finishes, which can show fingerprints and watermarks.
Neutral shades, like black, white, beige, tan, and gray. Classic patterns and designs, like black and white checkerboard and herringbone. Natural stone or porcelain and ceramic lookalikes.
For balancing aesthetics and upkeep, you can't go wrong with a neutral grey or beige grout.
Premixed flexible grouts are ready-to-use products that don't require any additional mixing. They're made with either acrylic or urethane resins and offer excellent flexibility and water resistance. These grouts are ideal for DIY projects as they're easy to apply and clean up as you go.
If dirt and grime are simply coating the surface of your grout, simply sweep and damp mop to remove the discolorations. If the grout lines still look dark, it is because the pores in the grout are filling up with contaminants again, and those contaminants have seeped down below the surface.
White grout is more difficult to keep clean than darker colors, like gray or black, because even small stains show more prominently.
For instance, dark grout will give a defined edge to light tiles and lighter grout will highlight dark tiles more (black and white is a classic version of this and works especially well to give a bold, geometric look to subway tiles).
Light-colored tiles, such as white, cream, or light gray, make a shower look bigger by reflecting more light and creating a sense of openness. These colors help to visually expand the space, making it appear more spacious and airy.
Epoxy grout: Waterproof, durable, stain- and shrink-resistant. The best grout in shower walls, backsplashes and other surfaces susceptible to moisture or stains. Ideal for use with unglazed and other tiles.
Another major benefit of tan and beige grout is that it doesn't show imperfections, dirt, or grime the way pure white does. These colors have low grout maintenance. Use them in kitchens and bathrooms.
As it dries it becomes a very attractive sticky texture. And of course, because it's sticky, it is going to reel in every new piece of dirt and soil brought in.
It comes premixed, the colors are super accurate, it's stain resistant, crack resistant, can be used indoors & out, and it doesn't need sealed. It really speeds up the process, is low maintenance, and easy to clean. They also have corresponding grout caulk colors, which is wonderful because I like everything to match.
Epoxy Grout
Epoxy grouts are the most durable of all grout choices because they are resistant to stains and water damage, and will hold up against harsh cleaners (please don't use harsh acidic cleaners on our tile!).
Unlike other grout options, epoxy grout does not need to be sealed. Many professionals now opt for epoxy grout over other options because of its unmatched strength and low maintenance.
Choosing lighter colors blends your design together. Darker colors create a more dramatic effect. The shade you pick relies on what you are trying to accomplish in your design. If you want to highlight the pattern your tile creates, a contrasting color is best.
Acrylic grout is a professional-grade single component grout that comes premixed out of a bucket and performs much better than sanded grout as it is stain resistant.
Select the most prominent color in the tile and go with a similar shade of grout. For example, a shade of orange grout works for tiles that are a blend of grays, greens and rusty oranges, unless you want to go for contrast. Tintable grout is a newer alternative to pre-colored grout in indoor applications.
If you're looking for the tiles which are easiest to keep clean, go for neutral colored tiles. For example like gray, beige, or taupe. These tiles are very easy to maintain. Also, they hide dirt and dust well.
Some professionals swear by a simple mixture of baking soda and peroxide to clean grout. Hydrogen peroxide is an acid, and baking soda is a base compound. Mixing the two together creates a reaction that can penetrate the grout lines and free dirt and debris.