How to Remove Old Stained Grout Between Floor Tiles & Replace It With New Grout

Replace old, stained grout to give your tiled surface a makeover.

Grout is commonly laid between tiles to help protect the tiles from moisture and to properly hold the tiles together. It is not uncommon for old grout to become stained and dirty over time. Removing old, stained grout and replacing it with new grout is essential in preserving the appearance of your tiled surface. Re-grouting tile is a quick way to spruce up any tiled surface.

Things You'll Need

• Grout saw
• Extra grout saw blades
• Utility knife
• Small paintbrush
• Vacuum cleaner with hose attachment
• Grout
• 2 buckets
• Grout float
• Water
• Grout sponge
• Soft cloths

Instructions

Removing Old Grout

1. Purchase a grout saw and a few extra blades. This is an inexpensive tool designed specifically for grout removal.

2. Situate the grout saw in between any joint. Move the grout saw back and forth over the old grout, using a sawing motion, to break out the old grout. Remove at least one-sixteenth inch of the old grout. Use caution with the grout saw so as not to damage or scratch the face of the tile. Replace the blade on the grout saw as it becomes dull.

3. Chip out any remaining pieces of the old grout using a utility knife. Some of the grout around the edges of the tile may not come off easily with the grout saw. Gently chip away at these grout pieces with the knife.

4. Sweep out the grout joints. Use a small paintbrush to remove loose grout and particles from the joints. Follow up by vacuuming out the joints and the surrounding area with a vacuum cleaner equipped with a hose attachment. It is important for the tile joints to be clean of debris and dust before applying new grout.

Applying New Grout

1. Mix up a batch of grout in a bucket according to the manufacturer's instructions. You can also use premixed grout if you prefer.

2. Start working at the back of the room and move toward the door if you are replacing floor tile grout. For wall tile grout, work from the top of the wall toward the bottom. Work in sections when applying grout; grout dries quickly so it is important to work in small sections so that the grout does not harden on the face of the tile. Generally, expect the grout to begin to harden in about 20 minutes.

3. Scoop out a generous amount of grout from the bucket using a grout float. Push the grout into the tile joints using the float.

4. Run the grout float back and forth diagonally over the grout joints several times. Hold the grout float at about a 30-degree angle. Apply some pressure while doing this to force the grout down into the joints. Continue doing this over each grout joint until you begin to feel some pressure when trying to force down the grout. This is your indication that the joint is full.

5. Hold the grout float on its edge and run it diagonally across the joints a few times. This will remove excess grout from the joints and the tile.

6. Fill a bucket with water. Dip a grout sponge into the bucket and wring it out.

7. Run the sponge diagonally across the grout joints. Avoid wiping the same joint more than once, unless absolutely necessary, as each pass with the sponge will remove more grout. Rinse and wring out the sponge after each pass.

8. Wipe the grout off the face of the tiles with the damp sponge. Do this carefully so as not to remove grout from the joints.

9. Continue this process for each small section of tile until all of the joints are filled.

10. Allow the grout to dry for four to six hours or the drying time recommended by the grout manufacturer. Buff the tiles with a soft cloth to remove any residue.

Tips & Warnings

• Mix only enough grout to complete about 20 minutes of work as grout hardens quickly.

References

• Home Envy: Tile Grout Replacement
• Repair Home: Replacing Grout

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish