Applying a grout colorant to your grout can be a great way to restore and renew you dirty, stained and damaged grout. Grout colorants also seal and protect your grout to make future cleanings much easier.
In many instances grout has become permanently stained and no amount of cleaning can bring back the original clean and uniform look of the grout. In these cases it is best to apply a grout colorant to restore the clean and even appearance of the grout.
There is a lot of confusion about the different types of grout colorants, grout paints, grout dyes, epoxy grout sealers etc.... These are all basically use the same acrylic polymer formulas used to color and seal the grout. Do not let the different terminology confuse you. While the products may have slightly different formulations they are all applied the same way and they all do the same thing to seal and restore the beautiful clean looking appearance of your grout.
A grout colorant can restore even the most dirty, damaged and ugly grout to its new condition. Painting grout with a grout colorant will also permanently seal the grout to make the grout look even better then the day it was installed. Grout colorants are applied similarly to how you might paint your grout except grout colorants are more thicker than normal paint. A short bristle toothbrush works better than a normal paint brush when applying a grout colorant. A grout colorant will not look like ordinary paint and when properly applied they will still have the texture and look of ordinary grout. A grout colorant will make your grout water proof and stain proof so that even the toughest stains can not penetrate into your porous grout.
Click here to see the procedure for sealing grout with a grout colorant.
You can see from the picture below how red wine can easily stain and ruin untreated grout. The grout that has the stain sealing grout colorant applied will bead the red wine and not allow it to penetrate into the grout. Also you can see how the grout with the grout colorant has a perfect uniform color and does not look as though the grout was painted.
A grout colorant will protect the grout even more then just a normal clear sealer will. Many times a grout colorant can be applied to a perfectly new tile installation instead of an impregnating clear sealer. In many cases people are unhappy with the color of their installed grout and it is common for the grout color to look too light after it has been installed. In these cases a grout colorant works great to seal the grout and to darken the grout color as well. Often times people are hesitant about having a grout colorant installed until they see some actual grout colorant pictures and see how good their grout can look when a grout colorant has been installed. The grout colorant will provide superior protection and also give the grout a uniform color. Many times people make the wrong decision when picking their grout color and need a way to change the color of their grout. A grout colorant can be a great way for people to get a grout color they are happy with and also protect the grout from stains and contaminates.
Clear sealers will help to protect the grout from stains but a grout colorant will provide the ultimate level of sealing protection for your grout. Cleaning tile floors that have a grout colorant stain are also a lot easier then cleaning up floors with a normal clear sealer. Cleaning grout with a grout colorant applied is just a simple task of wiping up the stain with a damp sponge. For regular maintenance cleanings of a floor with a grout colorant applied you can use a pH neutral cleaner designed for tile and grout.
You can see how easily a stain can be cleaned up from grout with a grout colorant stain. While the untreated grout is permanently stained the grout with the colorant applied looks just like new.
Applying a Grout Colorant Stain can be a time consuming project for DIY homeowners.
It takes a lot longer to apply a grout colorant sealer then to just apply a regular clear sealer. A clear sealer will provide your grout with stain sealing protection but a clear sealer will not give your grout the clean and uniform look that a grout colorant paint sealer will. Also with grout colorants you can change your grout color to virtually any color you desire.
Most good grout colorant sealer manufactures will give you detailed instructions for applying their particular grout colorant. All the grout colorant manufacturers require that tile and especially the grout be thoroughly cleaned before applying the grout colorant. It is recommended to thoroughly clean the grout using an acidic based cleaner. The acidic based cleaner will open up the pores of the grout and allow better adhesion between the grout and the grout colorant.
You should only use a grout colorant on cement based grouts. Epoxy, urethane and premixed grouts will not adhere well to these types of non cement based grouts. Typically most epoxy and urethane grouts will not stain and discolor as easily as cement based grouts so a grout colorant is not typically needed for these types of grouts.
Some Grout Colorant manufactures will provide a free instructional DVD with their product. Following the manufactures instructions for the specific grout colorant you purchase is important to ensure a perfect grout colorant application procedure. All grout colorants take a slightly different application procedure depending on the brand of grout colorant used. Aqua MIx grout colorant has been the most popular brand of grout colorant for many years. There are also many other brands of grout colorants that work equally well as Aqua Mix grout colorants.
Cleaning grout that has had a grout colorant applied is much easier than cleaning normal grout. You have to follow the grout colorants cleaning and maintenance plan to ensure that your grout colorant will last for many years. Cleaning grout colorants will almost always require using a pH neutral cleaning solution and soft scrub pads and mops so you do not damage the colored grout. Aggressive cleaning chemicals and aggressive scrub pads are not needed when cleaning colored grout. Gentle cleaning products and techniques will help ensure the grout colorant will last for the life of the tile installation.
You may also want to consider hiring a contractor to apply the grout colorant stain sealer. Tile and grout restoration contractors will have the experience and tools to save you time and effort in applying the grout colorant. Additionally a tile cleaning service will have advanced cleaning machines to thoroughly clean your tile and grout before they apply the grout colorant.
You can read some valuable information and tips on how to hire a tile, grout and stone cleaning and restoration contractor at our contractor information page here. Grout Restoration Contractor.