If you’re like me and this summer’s (crazy!) record-breaking high temps have you looking for a weekend project that won’t cause you to break a sweat, then I have just the project for you: reviving your bathroom’s stained grout. Don’t worry, this is WAY easier than it sounds, costs less than $20 and no grinder or chisel is needed.
My sad bathroom floor before. This is the original 1950′s tile and, although you can’t tell, is a beautiful Robin’s egg blue.
Start with a trip to your local hardware store for cleaning supplies like a scrubby sponge, non-abrasive cleanser (such as Bon Ami or Comet) and a grout paint pen — these are in the tile department typically right next to the grout and cost around $6. Tip: Don’t trust the manufacturers’ coverage estimates; my bathroom floor is only 5′ x 8′ and I needed 2 pens.
First, clean the tile and grout, making sure to remove all powdery cleanser residue and allow it to thoroughly dry.
If you’ve used a paint pen before, then you know the drill: Shake it for about 2 minutes to mix the paint, then press the tip down until paint begins to flow. I started working in the corner furthest from the door which, for me, was around the toilet base. Keep a damp paper towel handy to clean up any errant smears but, honestly, I found that with a little pressure the pen easily stayed in the grout lines. Also, some grout lines needed 2 or 3 coats of paint to achieve a consistent white color; just give them another pass while wet — no waiting between coats necessary. The paint begins to set up in just a few minutes but allow 3 hours dry time before any heavy foot traffic.
And…voila! Just a few hours later, my 50-year-old bathroom floor looks (almost!) like new.
UPDATE: Several of you asked about my paint colors so here you go. Both the bathroom and bedroom paints are Valspar which is available at Lowe’s. The bathroom paint is High Noon in a semi-gloss and the bedroom paint (visible in the after photo) is Nostalgia in a satin. Happy Painting!
Ready to tackle your own summer project? Check out our features: bathroom fast fixes and summer design ideas at hgtv.com.
I have 1960's tiles with gold specks on my bathroom walls. I was considering painting those and wondering if I could use this same method for the grout. Any suggestions for painting over the tile? Also, I need to somehow replace or spackle a few spots where tiles are missing. Any suggestions there?
I have not had any luck painting over bathroom tile. I have used the rustoleum paint for the tile and it turned out so bad that the tiles had to be replaced. I would suggest getting an spare piece of tile and trying it out on that while trying to replicate normal wear before I attempted the entire room.
That's a good idea, thanks!
If it is not in the shower, Sherwin Williams has an adhesion primer that you put on first and then paint with a latex paint in your favorite color. Seems to work pretty well.
Your tile is glazed and you can not paint over it. There are companies out there who can reglaze the tiles, but make sure to look at how long the warranty is specially in a wet area!!! I do design work and have sold tile for 27 yrs. You might also want to retile which if there is nothing wrong with the tiles now except the colors you can tile over them which would cost you a lot less. Good luck
This sounds pretty easy. May try.
Very nice bathroom; love the decor.
[...] Quick and Easy Bathroom Tile Refresh. [...]
I have the same tile in my bathroom, and have been trying to figure out what color to paint the golden tan walls. All of the cabinets and molding is white., so that color is out. What color is the blue on your walls?
I have been trying to bring the white back on my bathroom floor grout` for ages…didnt know there was such a thing as grout paint…will definitely try to find this….
I really like the soft blues and greys in your bathroom. The nice white grout freshens up the whole room.
fantastica essa caneta ! pena que aqui no brasil ainda não tem dessa. bjus !!!
Lovely colors! Could you identify the wall color in your bathroom, and (not sure it's different than what you used in the bathroom, but looks suspiciously like my bedroom color) on the small portion of exterior wall in the last picture? Thanks!
My favorite way to decorate with photos is to place them in a cluster using one color for all of the frames which enhances the decor of the room.
does the grout paint come in colors?
Yes. It is not always in pens, but you can get them at Lowe's or tile stores. They have applicators which is sold sep. or just get a good art paint brush as wide as your grout joint and clean the tiles really good(the best solution is bleach and water like 1/2 and 1/2) then use the brush and put the stain on the grout. If it gets on the grout just wipe it with a damp towel. Just ask for grout stains. Good luck.
I think it comes in some colors, I used it on my combination tub/shower tile and it worked beautifuly. It was very easy and seems to be holding up very well. (3 months now)
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How long will the grout color last? What is the best way to clean your floor after coloring?
Hi! I'm so glad you guys like my colors.
To answer your questions, the bathroom paint is Valspar High Noon in a semi-gloss and the bedroom paint (visible in the after photo) is Valspar Nostalgia in a satin. @Barbara, good question. Honestly, this is my first time using the grout pen so I'm not sure how long it will last — but — I bought a spare pen for touch-ups, I'm hoping that's all it will need to stay white. I typically clean my bathroom floor with a damp sponge, I'll reply again if that's not the right way to keep the painted grout clean.
I have peel and stik tile How do I remve uraine stains in grout security guard
That made me think of the the recent cleaning I did in our bathroom. It took forever refreshing the tiles, cleaning the tub, scrubbing the toilet, and clearing out the oak vanity units.
That's indeed a very quick and easy way to repair tile edges. It looks new now and the bathroom somehow looks a bit bigger. After my plumbers in Mandurah fix my plumbing system, I think I would have to do the finishing touches on my tiles using that pen.
Tiles sometimes make our bathroom a lot more clean and wide to look at. Make sure it is clean always of course. I prefer not to use meteor stone as tiles as it isn't smooth to walk at.
The Pen W or Pen Wide is a very rare variant of the Pen S model, with a wide-angle 25mm f/2.8 lens, equivalent to a 35mm in full format. It only exists in black finish, and has a cold flash shoe. It was only produced between 1964 and 1965, and today fetches high prices on the collectors' market.
Nice Bathroom, and decor too.Wonderful work.Keep posting such blogs especially blogs related to home Decor.
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I can't wait to redo my bathroom as well. However, I might have to deal with the clogged drain first or else it'll just be a futile attempt.
I have to say what a great way to spruce up the life in your bathroom, that white pen tip is a great idea and I think I may just use it. I have built a new ensuite the fast way out of limestone blocks perth helped us out with the supply side of things but it was fast and looks great.
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I have white-with-flecks bathroom tile. Is there a tile paint that I could use on the tile? This would include the shower tile so would have to be water resistant. I'm trying to avoid totally replacing the tile to save some $! Thanks.
I can only wish keeping the rest of the bathroom spotless were that easy. Even cutting back 20 or 30 minutes would make a lot of difference.
I agree with your point of view of this article. This is a good article. Very timely given us so much useful information. Thank you!
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I have to admit, it does look easy. The best part is that, if you didn't mention how old your tiles were, I would never have believed they were decades old.
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This just proves that, with proper attention and maintenance, any home will look brand new even years after it was built. You just need a little effort and dedication.