Best method for grout removal

Cmar-Ireland

I need to remove grout from about 35-40 ¨sq meters of tiles. They are cream polished porcelain and the grout is also cream and looks terrible. Picks up dirt and stains very easily and it looks very bad after less than 8 months down. I wan to change to brown grout but I've heard that the dye's available are not long lasting and the best method is to remove a good depth of the old grout and reapply.

So how can I do this easily?

thanks

yop

We have the EXACT same problem lad and then last week we bought this grot buster from Domestos and I put it on the cream grout for 10 mins and then using a mop I cleaned it off and feck me its a MASSIVE improvement.

I had contemplated the same thing but this will offer a chance to not do this

ctrl-alt-delete

Other than cleaning the grout like the poster above said, it is not an easy process.

there are specific tools for the job, a grout removal tool - kind of in the style of a toothbrush.



Involves a lot of labour - as you have to manually remove the grout by running the tool up and down the joints. The area you mention might take you a good while.



If you are going to clean and rejuvinate the grout, have you considered sealing the tiles and grout? i've never done this but have heard of people doing it,

Although if you can't clean your tiles 100% beforehand it probably would not be worth it, as you'd seal dirt underneath then if you know what i mean.

RKQ

I agree...I'd the same problem. Steam cleaned the grout - it came out well!
Must seal the grout when I get around to cleaning it again - must be perfectly clean before you seal it!

Cmar-Ireland

Thanks for the replies folks.
I'll try that cleaning agent you mentioned Yop. But I think I'm only putting off the inevitable. I reckon the grout is going to eventually have to come out.

yop

When you say sealer, will this seal the grout 100% so that it will not get dirty?

10-10-20

I used a stout screwdriver to remove the grout in my kitchen. Granted the gaps were 8mm between tiles...

S.L.F

RKQ wrote: »

I agree...I'd the same problem. Steam cleaned the grout - it came out well!
Must seal the grout when I get around to cleaning it again - must be perfectly clean before you seal it!

I did the exact same thing even to not sealing the grout afterwards.

Steam cleaning is very effective.