Home repair and improvement can be a daunting concept for many homeowners, but really it needn’t be. By taking the time to get the right information, even the most unskilled homeowner can tackle basic home repair projects.
Take maintaining and repairing tile grout, for instance. All grout work will eventually need to be repaired or improved in some way. Once you have the right information and tools, however, replacing and repairing grout is a fairly straightforward and inexpensive job — as long as you do it before it is too damaged. Wait too long and instead of a couple of hours work, you may have a major home improvement project on your hands.
Maintaining and cleaning grout
Using a commercial grout cleaner, or cleaning solution comprised of 1/4 cup chlorine bleach to 1 quart of warm water, thoroughly wet the tiled area and let it soak for a full five minutes before scrubbing with a brush and rinsing. Let it dry completely then apply a grout sealer.
Remove the old grout
To remove old grout work the first thing you’ll need to do is a thorough clean as outlined above. Next you will need a grout saw, or very sharp tool, to remove any cracked, stained or damaged grout between the tiles. Grout saws are inexpensive and available at your local hardware store.
As you are using it, press down firmly on the saw to cut the grout down to just below where it is damaged. Don’t rush it or you may damage the tile.
Once you’ve finished getting the old grout out, do another good clean of the work area.
Apply new grout
For the new grout you can either buy powdered grout that you mix yourself or premixed grout. If you’re mixing it yourself be sure to have gloves on hand. Keep in mind also that you may need to add a colorant to match it to the existing grout work. Whatever you buy, be sure to read the label before you begin applying it to avoid any surprises or make extra work for yourself!
Using either a rubber grout float or a sponge you can now start applying the new grout to the joints between the tiles. After you’re finished use a clean, damp sponge to wipe off the excess grout and clean up the edges.
Let it set
The grout now needs time to dry, generally at least 10 to 12 hours or overnight. (Again, make sure to read the directions on the label.) Once cured you can give it another good wipe down with a dry cloth as a final clean before applying sealer.
Apply sealer
Applying a silicone sealer is the final step. Following the directions on the label, apply the sealer to all the grout joints to ensure maximum water-resistance.
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