Professional advice on how to remove grout from tiles at home

Grouting the joints at the joints of the laid tiles is the final stage of the cladding work.

It may be necessary to remove grout for various reasons. This includes lack of accuracy in applying the product, the need to remove the old layer, and restoration.

When starting work, it is necessary to take into account the condition of the grout, its type, as well as the characteristics of the tile itself.

We will tell you in this article how and with what you can remove grout from tiles.

How to delete?

Removal of the grout layer is carried out in stages. First you need to remove the excess mass before it hardens. If you miss this moment, it will be much more difficult to remove the grout.

Fresh

During the first hours after application (up to 24 hours), the grout is still considered fresh. At this stage, until the mass has completely hardened, it is easiest to remove.

Rinsing process undried grout:

1. Soak a sponge in water.
2. Squeeze out excess water. If you do not do this, you can easily smear the composition over the entire surface.
3. Use a damp sponge to gently remove excess grout in a circular motion.

It is better to remove grout from matte tiles and those with relief immediately with a dry cloth or rubber spatula. With a glossy surface, the rules are different - it is possible to eliminate flaws only the next day, otherwise scratches will remain on the smooth tile.As a result of wiping off fresh grout, there should be no streaks left on the tiles.

Cement

Cement grout contains sand. Thereby, Remnants of the applied product can be easily removed with a damp cloth.

If the grout is dry, you need to proceed differently. In grout removers must be acids:

• vinegar;
• salt;
• sulfuric;
• lemon, etc.

Even table vinegar shows good effectiveness.

Epoxy

Grouts based on epoxy resin are characterized by high performance. Among their advantages is rapid hardening and the formation of an even top layer without any tricks. In addition, epoxy grouts are available on the market in a wide range of shades.

During the first 24 hours, you can correct all errors with grout using special solvents and reagents.

Popular means include:

• Keranet;
• Sopro;
• Litokol;
• MAPEI and others.

Fast hardening is not always a plus. If the application was careless, then anything can be corrected only in the first hours. After 24 hours, the excess mass can only be removed by mechanical force.

How to clean a raised surface?

Spectacular design with relief tiles adds originality to the interior. But cleaning an uneven surface with grooves can be quite difficult.

One effective method is the use of citric acid.

Procedure:

1. Soak a washcloth in water.
2. Squeeze.
3. Pour ? on the working side of the washcloth? tsp citric acid powder.
4. Allow the powder to moisten.
5. Clean the tiles.

Another way to clean based on the use of soda and vinegar:

• pour 3 tbsp into a container. soda;
• pour in 2 tbsp. vinegar;
• stir;
• apply the prepared product to the tiles;
• stand for 10 minutes;
• wipe with a damp sponge.

The sponge should not touch the seams between the tiles.

How to wash off porous?

Porous surface tiles It is more difficult to clean than matte, glossy and even embossed. Any dirt, including from grout, is literally absorbed into such a surface.

Mechanical treatment using brushes and scrapers will help solve the problem. If the grout has not set yet, you can clean it off with a rag soaked in vegetable oil.

The following composition can help with processing:

1. Pour 3 tbsp into a container. soda, pour in 3 tbsp. vinegar and the same amount of lemon juice.
2. Add 1 liter of water.
3. Stir.
4. Using a rag or napkin, thoroughly clean tile by tile, paying attention to any uneven surfaces on the porous surface.

If simple grout removal methods do not help, you can use professional acid removers.

Seam processing

Seams treated during the repair process lose their attractive appearance over time. Dirt accumulates in the space between the tiles, dust settles, and splashes get in. If the tiles are laid in the bathroom, then mold may even appear in the seams.

Solve the problem of cleaning the joints between tiles can be done using one of two methods:

• chemical exposure;
• mechanical restoration.

Traditional methods

To clean the tiles, improvised means can be used. Those drugs that are already in the household will be used.

Can be used as effective recipes with the following active ingredients:

• lemon acid;
• glycerol;
• soda;
• aqueous solution of vinegar;
• soda with vinegar, etc.

Special preparations

Suitable products for treating seams are preparations that are aimed at caring for ceramic coatings and cleaning them.

Such products have a complex effect on seams:

1. Remove the fungus.
2. Remove dirt.
3. Eliminates mineral deposits.
4. Removes odors.

Effective products include products from GlutoClean, Ceresit, Kilto, etc.

Mechanical methods

Contaminants that have accumulated between the tiles can be removed by mechanical action. One of the simplest options is to use sandpaper.. But the use of this method requires thoughtful action and accuracy.

You can protect yourself when carrying out such important work by sticking masking tape to the edges of the tiles, along their perimeter.

Restoring old grout

Even when using very high-quality grout, it needs to be updated over time. Restoration measures will improve the appearance of the entire design and improve performance characteristics.

Available means

You can carry out the restoration of the seams yourselfusing the tools that are at hand.The work is quite painstaking, but effective.

You can use any washing powder. First, you should prepare a cleaning paste from it. To do this, pour a little detergent into a separate container and add enough water to form a thick slurry.

Taking the resulting paste onto an old toothbrush, systematically clean the joints. After the seams are cleaned, the product is washed off. Dish gel has a similar effect.

After the treatment is completed, you need to brush the seams again. The final stage is polishing with a dry cloth or rag..

Special formulations

To restore (restorate) tile joints, commercial, ready-to-use special products can be used. They contain components that will not only refresh the color, but also remove deposits of foreign substances from the seams, as well as mold. After keeping on the surface for the time specified according to the instructions, the tiles are washed.

The funds can be used in two ways:

1. In concentrated form - for serious stains.
2. In diluted form - for not advanced cases.

Removing the top layer

For advanced cases, when the problem cannot be solved even mechanically, you can simply remove the top layer of grout. To achieve the result, it is enough to remove the grout to a depth of only 2 or 3 mm.

The layer removal process is performed as follows:

• the joint of the slabs is pre-moistened - for cement compositions it is water, for epoxy compositions it is a solvent;
• The layer is directly removed using a special tool, the work is carried out with a scraper;
• the edges are sanded using sandpaper;
• new grout is being prepared;
• a new portion of grout is applied on top of the old one to compensate for the missing volume; the work is performed with a rubber spatula.

Grouting is also possible using power tools. But it is recommended to bring such work only if you have relevant experience. Otherwise, there is a high probability of damaging the tile itself. It is not necessary to completely remove all the old grout.

Marker

In construction stores You can purchase a special waterproof seam marker. This device allows you to camouflage unsightly seams quickly and easily. The seams are first washed with soapy water. If there are cracks, they need to be puttied in advance.

The disadvantage of this method is the camouflage itself. Using a marker does not fundamentally solve the problem of dirt and mold. This is a temporary solution, the effect of which lasts no more than a few weeks.

Prohibitions when deleting

During the grout removal process It is important to remember a number of prohibitions:

1. You cannot use purchased solvents that are not intended for removing grout from tiles, as ignoring this point can lead to damage to the surface.
2. You cannot begin general cleaning of the surface until the grout has completely dried and the main contaminants have been removed. Violating this rule may result in damage to the compound between the tiles.
3. You should not use solvents, even homemade ones, with your bare hands. Rubber gloves are a necessary means of protection.
4. Do not use a metal scraper or knife to clean directly on the tiles.Such a tool can leave damage not only on a glossy surface, but also on a matte and embossed one.

9 recommendations

In the process of removing grout from tiles professional advice from specialists will help for laying tiles:

1. Before carrying out final cleaning, the condition of the seams should be determined. They are moistened with a wet cloth.

   If, as a result, a reaction begins with the composition leaving the seams, it is too early to carry out the final cleaning of the floors. If there is no reaction, it is already possible.

2. When removing grout, you should focus on its basic composition. The drying speed and processing features depend on this.
3. Dishwashing detergent diluted in water will help restore the shine of glossy tiles after cleaning. After wet treatment in this way, the surface must be wiped dry.
4. An old toothbrush can be used to clean hard-to-reach areas.
5. A melamine sponge can be used as a means of mechanical cleaning.
6. It is advisable to adjust the amount of material and remove excess grout immediately.
7. The most demanding when choosing a method for scrubbing grout is a glossy surface. Inaccurate cleaning can leave damage on a smooth surface.
8. If stains remain on the tile even after all stages of processing, the surface can be rubbed until shiny with dry felt.
9. The cleaning process should be completed with a mildew treatment.

Video on the topic of the article

The video will show you how to clean tiles from grout:

Conclusion

With the task of removing grout It is quite possible to cope on your own. Such work requires preliminary preparation and careful selection of tools, as well as the means with which the processing will be carried out.