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I Finally Fixed My Disgusting Grout and My Whole Bathroom Looks New
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items Staring at dingy brown grout lines in a bathroom you cleaned two hours ago is maddening. If you have scrubbed with bleach, tried baking soda paste, and still feel like your tiles look dirty, this is everything I actually used to get my grout white ag...
Sections
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Grout Pens and Markers That Actually Cover Stains
Grout Cleaners That Do the Prep Work
Grout Brushes and Scrubbing Tools
Grout Sealers to Lock In the Clean Look
Finishing Touches That Made the Whole Bathroom Feel New
Grout Pens and Markers That Actually Cover Stains
For years I thought grout was just supposed to look gray-brown after a while. Turns out one afternoon with the right pen made my floor look like it was just installed.
Grab this for a quick weekend fix. My kitchen backsplash grout went from coffee-brown to bright white in about an hour. Perfect if you're prepping for guests and need fast results.
Rainbow Chalk Markers Grout Pen
Use this on shower grout that's turned yellowish from soap scum. I traced every line in my shower stall and my husband asked if I had the tiles redone. Dries fast too.
Miracle Sealants GRT-PEN-WHT Miracle Grout Pen, White
Tried this on the floor tiles around my toilet where nothing else would stick. Two coats and the grout looked fresh. If you rent and can't re-grout, start here.
VELIMO Grout Pen White Tile Grout Paint
Keep one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen. I touch up spots every couple months and it takes five minutes. Way cheaper than calling someone to re-grout.
Tile Grout Pen, Waterproof White Tile Grout Paint Marker
Works on wider grout lines where thinner pens skip. My entryway tile had chunky grout that looked filthy for years. Three passes and it was done.
Tile Grout Repair Pen
Snag this if you want a finer tip for detailed work around small mosaic tiles. My bathroom accent wall went from grimy to crisp in under 30 minutes.
White Tile Grout Pens Help Refresh Bathroom Kitchen Wall
Grout Cleaners That Do the Prep Work
Painting over dirty grout is like putting makeup on a muddy face. These cleaners stripped away the grime so the pens actually stuck and lasted.
Spray this on, wait ten minutes, and scrub. The brown water that runs off will horrify you. Best for anyone with light-colored grout that hasn't been deep cleaned in years.
Zep, Grout Cleaner and Brightener, 32 oz, Case of 12
Use this if harsh chemical smells give you headaches. I cleaned my entire bathroom with the window cracked and barely noticed a scent. Still pulled up years of buildup.
Rejuvenate Bio-Enzymatic Tile Grout Cleaner, 32oz
Old school but it works. Squeeze a line along the grout, let it sit 15 minutes, then scrub with a stiff brush. My 1990s bathroom floor looked five shades lighter after one pass.
Soft Scrub Cleanser with Bleach
Pair this with a grout brush for spots where spray cleaners don't cut it. I had black mildew stains in my shower corners that came off with barely any elbow grease.
The Pink Stuff The Miracle Cream Cleaner, 500 ml (16.9 oz)
Spray it on hard water stains around the tub grout. We have well water and the mineral deposits were caked on. This dissolved them without me scraping like a maniac.
CLR, Brilliant Bath Multi-Surface Cleaner, 26 fl oz
Toss this in your cart if you hate scrubbing. The foam clings to vertical grout lines on walls so it actually has time to work. My shower walls practically rinsed clean.
Kaboom Foam-Tastic Bathroom Cleaner With OxiClean
Grout Brushes and Scrubbing Tools
I ruined a perfectly good toothbrush and my wrist trying to scrub grout with the wrong tool. These made the job faster and saved me from needing a hand massage afterward.
Get this if you have more than 20 square feet of tile. Battery powered so your arm doesn't give out. I did my entire kitchen floor on my knees in about 40 minutes instead of two hours.
Rubbermaid Cordless Power Scrubber
The pointed brush head fits right into grout lines. Perfect for anyone with arthritic hands because the grip is thick and soft. Cleaned my bathroom corners without any wrist pain.
OXO GG DEEP CLEAN BRUSH SET - ORANGE
Attach it to any drill and let the tool do the work. I felt ridiculous using a power drill in my bathroom but the results shut my skepticism right up. Shower floor looked brand new.
Eternal 3-Piece Drill Brush Power Scrubber Cleaning
Keep one of these next to the shower. Quick scrub once a week prevents the grime from building back up. Way easier than doing a massive deep clean every few months.
Scotch-Brite Tile & Grout Brush - Strong Bristles for Scrubbing
Swap this in for soap scum on grout near the tub. I wiped along the grout line and watched the white come back in real time. Satisfying enough to film.
Reviews for Mr. Clean Magic Eraser 2 in 1 Bath Lemon
The stiff bristles and angled handle let you push into grout without bending your wrist at a weird angle. Saved me from the hand cramp situation I had with regular brushes.
Full Circle Grunge Buster Grout Tile Scrub Brush, Purple
Grout Sealers to Lock In the Clean Look
Skipping sealer after cleaning is how I ended up re-doing everything six months later. Never again. These keep the white looking white.
Apply this after your grout is clean and dry. One coat kept my kitchen floor grout stain-free for over a year. If you cook a lot and worry about splatter, this is your insurance.
Aqua Mix Sealers Choice Gold Quart 32 Ounce
Use this on natural stone tile grout where you can't risk discoloration. I sealed my marble bathroom floor grout and spilled coffee on it a week later. Wiped right up, no stain.
511 IMPREGNATOR
Grab this for countertop grout near sinks. Water beads up on the surface instead of soaking in. Wish I had found it before my vanity grout turned permanently gray.
Tuff Duck Granite, Grout and Marble Sealer 1 Quart Stone
Spray on application so you don't need a separate applicator brush. Covered my entire shower grout in under 20 minutes. For anyone who wants the fastest possible sealing process.
Black Diamond Stoneworks Ultimate Grout Sealer
Heavy duty option for high-traffic floors. My entryway gets muddy boots all winter and the grout still looks clean after sealing with this last fall. Stock up before the wet season.
Stonetech Bullet Proof Sealer Water Based Quart
Try this if you want one product that handles both stain and water protection. Applied it in my laundry room where the floor gets splashed constantly. Grout still looks fresh months later.
Aqua Mix Grout Sealer Dual Protection
Finishing Touches That Made the Whole Bathroom Feel New
Once the grout was handled, these small fixes made the bathroom look like a renovation without spending renovation money. Sometimes it's the little things.
Re-caulk around the tub after cleaning. My old caulk was peeling and yellowed, making the fresh grout look weird by comparison. This went on smooth and stayed flexible.
Gorilla Waterproof Caulk & Seal Silicone Sealant
Swap out your old towel bar while you're at it. Took ten minutes with a drill and suddenly the bathroom matched the clean grout energy. For anyone whose hardware is from the previous owner.
Moen P5130BN Contemporary 30 in. Towel Bar ...
Keep this on the back of the toilet so your freshly cleaned bathroom actually smells as good as it looks. Sounds silly but guests notice and comment every time.
Poo-Pourri
Use this weekly so the toilet keeps up with your sparkling grout. Nothing worse than white grout next to a stained bowl. Quick swipe and you're done.
Clorox ToiletWand Disposable Toilet Cleaning System
Toss your old bath mat that was hiding dirty grout underneath. A fresh rug on clean tile feels like a different bathroom. Wash it monthly so it doesn't become the new problem.
Better Homes & Gardens Thick and Plush Bath Rug, 20 in x
Stick one behind the toilet or under the vanity. After all that cleaning work, you want the room to smell like it looks. Lasts about 45 days and the scent isn't overwhelming.
How to use Febreze Small Spaces to freshen up