Our bathroom grout is stained with nicotine (by previous owners). Any suggestions on how to clean it?

Question

We want to rennovate later but can't yet and would like to make it look as nice as possible in the mean time. We got the tile clean, but the grout is brown! What can we do? I have tried Clorox bleach pen, Simple Green, CLR, plain bleach... And by the way, the tile goes from floor to ceiling! Unbelievable- Can anyone help?

Answer 1

REDYE THE GROUT

Thats what I had to do after trying everything including acid and non acid grout cleaner, bleach, you name it... just make sure after you redye the grout to seal it well or you will have to do it again... the dye i bought from home depot had a sealer already in it as well

Answer 2

First of all...what color is the tile? I have never never heard of nicotine staining grout. I think you have a tinted grout...that was probably if not matching the tile was intended to make a pattern since the tile goes from ceiling to floor. The original color of the grout plus hard water stains or just neglect is most probably the problem...so looking for a "white or gray" color is probably not going to happen. If you have cleaned the tile...I mean put some elbow grease into it...with a product designed to clean tile...Clorox bleach pen...is for clothing, Simple Green is not for whiting anything...it may remove grease but that is it. Plain bleach doesn't stay in contact with the wall long enough to actually bleach it. Try Tilex or Mean Green Bathroom and Shower cleaners....and a little Bar Keepers Friend or Zud cleanser and scrub with a scrubbing pad...that should do it, and really consider the color of the tile in the bathroom too, you maybe wasting your time completely on colored grout! Grout maybe porous to a point, but I doubt the previous owner lived in the bath tub for years!

Answer 3

it depends upon the stain... bleach works on some, but not on others. Toothpaste and a dremel tool with a medium polishing head will do wonders... but you may have to replace some of the grout and reseal it... Scrubing away the nasty stuff and resealing is always a good idea. Sealants are not that expensive and it can be used along with routine cleanings to keep the stuff from building up, as long as the cleanings are good ones. It is best not to let it go in the first place.

Answer 4

Comet cleaner, the white powder stuff, always gets stains out for me. Sprinkle it on liberally, swirl it around with a little water to make a paste and let it sit for a while. Then, scrub it some more, and the abrasion quality of the poweder and bleach within it will help reduce the stains.

Answer 5

If you dont mind a bit of hard work , use a small flat screw driver and scrape the the top layer of grout out , you dont have to remove it all back to the wall just a couple of mm..then just re grout..hope this helps

Answer 6

I'm not sure about grouting, but I have used a heavy degreaser on my living room chandelier, they had a sticky, brown coating on it from my great-uncle chain-smoking (used to be his house)... Spray, let set for a minute or two, scrub with a tooth brush, than rinse. Also, remember to use gloves, because the degreaser will dry-out your hands and make them peel!

Answer 7

You have no choice but to dig the grout out and regrout. They make special knives for this. There are also many professional people who do this for a price. Don't you just love grout.

Answer 8

Pain in the butt, but grout can be removed and replaced.

Answer 9

There is a paint product called KILZ its great for stains, put a coat or 2 of it then use another color that will match your decor.

Answer 10

spray with bleach mixed with a little water. Wait an hour then rinse.