If you haven't kept up with grout maintenance, the once-white grout lines between your ceramic tiles may now appear gray, brown, or black. This discoloration is an accumulation of dirt, food particles, and—in the case of shower tile grout—mold.
Blotchy grout colors are usually the result of too much water used somewhere during installation or cleanup process. Sometimes discoloration can occur due to minerals suspended or dissolved in the water used to mix the grout, insufficient mixing (uneven pigment distribution), or using grout that's past its shelf life.
Use a carbide grout removal tool (available for~$10 USD), regrout with white. It's a simple process, and more likely to yield a result with which you'll be satisfied. You don't need to remove all grout, just strike it down enough to get a decent fill layer above.
Grout almost always appears darker when wet than when dry.
If you haven't kept up with grout maintenance, the once-white grout lines between your ceramic tiles may now appear gray, brown, or black. This discoloration is an accumulation of dirt, food particles, and—in the case of shower tile grout—mold.
Your tiles will be coated in a thin layer of grout, commonly called grout haze. Sometimes this is hard to see but usually it shows as a greyish haze. What causes the problem? When the tiler is grouting your tiles, the grout gets spread across the tile surface as he works it firmly into the joints.
Colored grout is a mixture of cement, water, sand and colorant. As there's colorant involved, one of the main rules about treating colored grout is simple: Avoid bleach. Note that this includes hydrogen peroxide, which has mild bleaching effects.
Grout almost always appears darker when wet than when dry. New grout can take 24 or even 48 hours before it dries completely.
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.
Start by combining four parts water and one part white vinegar (hint: add more vinegar to increase the cleaner's strength). Pour into a bucket or spray bottle and apply the water and vinegar mixture to the tile surface. Scrub the area using a cloth, nylon pad, or a mop.
Grout pens will only temporarily cover your grout's discoloration. That's probably why they are the cheapest option available. We run into the infamous grout pen issue nearly every other week. The project usually goes awry when the homeowner applies the grout pen to the grout and some bleeds over onto the tile.
Replacing grout is certainly one way to fix the problem. Instead, use UltraCare Grout Refresh, a water-based color seal, available in 40 standard grout colors. It's made for refreshing the look of old, discolored grout, or completely changing the color of the existing grout.
Efflorescence and minor grout haze removal may be achieved with TileLab® Sulfamic Acid Cleaner. Sulfamic acid is a mild, odorless acid that is intended for use with non-acid-sensitive veneers such as ceramic or porcelain tile. Grout must cure a minimum of 7 days before acid cleaning.
The most thorough and complete solution is to remove the grout and install new, grout in the color of your choice.
Chlorine bleach may be used on white grout but will leach color out of tinted grout. Oxygen bleach is a better choice for preserving colored grout between tiles.
If the existing tile grout has become dirty or discolored—or if you just want a new look—it is possible to change the color of the grout. Coloring grout freshens up the entire tile layout, all without having to replace the tile.
When you first buy white clothes they will always be crisp and white. This is because the fabric is usually coated with optical brighteners. As you wash your garments these will wash off over time and leave your clothes looking dull and grey.
Hydrogen Peroxide Mixture
This mixture works as an effective bleaching agent that can remove dirt and grime from your tiles, while the liquid soap helps dissolve grease. To create this cleaning solution, mix one part hydrogen peroxide, three parts baking soda, and one tablespoon of liquid soap to create a paste.
If the marble is exposed to acidic cleaners, the cleaners can oxidize the stone. If the marble has been exposed to acidic substances for a long time, it may turn yellow or even turn grey.
Make Your Grout Look New
Vinegar and Water Solution: Mix a cup of vinegar with a cup of water. Apply with a sponge or cloth to the grout. After 10 minutes, use a dry towel to wipe off any excess and let dry. Rinse with water.