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Grout Recolorant To The Rescue!

By
Home Stager with Prudential Ambassador / Ross Designs, LLC

When Staging existing homes, I am constantly looking for inexpensive techniques that I can recommend so sellers can make upgrades and improvements to their homes. One of my biggest pet peeves is dark grout lines with light colored tilework, especially in an entryway. Dark grout lines really break up the visual expanse of a floor and just scream "I'm old!". Nothing turns off buyers more or negatively affects the first impression than an outdated floor in the entryway.

If the tile is in good condition it is not necessary to replace the grout to get it updated - just recolor it! This is one of my favorite quick-fix tips.

There are several grout recolorant products available.  The do-it-yourself hardware stores have grout recolorant pens.  They are in the grout section, look like markers, but they typically only have three colors available which may not work for all floors.

A more personalized color option is a product called Aqua-Mix (http://www.aqua-mix.com/).  For about $30 a person can buy a kit that includes a spray-on grout pretreater, recolorant, application brush, and scrub pad for removing the product from the tile itself.

I used this kit for the first time myself this last weekend.  I am sooooo happy to no longer have dingy dark grout lines!  The product was pretty easy to apply. You do not need to tape off the tile before applying to grout because after the product has had about 2 hours to dry on the grout, water and the scrub pad are all that is necessary to remove the overlap on the tile.

If you are using a light color to go over dark grout it may be necessary to mke two applications.

 
Posted by

Ross Designs Is Omaha's Full Service Home Staging Company, Dedicated To Supporting The Real Estate Industry!

 Omaha Area Board of Realtors (OABR) and Women's Council Of Realtors (WCR) Affiliate Member. 

Incorporated in 2004, Ross Designs stages 150-200 homes every year. Owner Occupied and Vacant Staging Programs, Color Consultations for Existing and New Construction, Holiday Decor Design and Implementation, and Odor Removal Services.

Call anytime at 402-490-3244

Becky Respess
Broker/Associate Century 21 Judge Fite Co - Cedar Hill, TX
ABR, CRB, CRS
Tori...thanks for the great idea! I love it. You are so right about either dark or dirty grout being a problem I have one on contract now that needs to have the grout either cleaned or colored. Any other suggestions! :)
Apr 29, 2008 09:55 AM
Patricia Beck
RE/MAX Properties, Inc., ABR, GRI, SRES - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Realty
I hate dark grout lines with light colored tile too!!  It looks so bad.  What a great idea, I have never heard of this product.  So it does work re-coloring dark grout lines with a lighter color?  Wow!
Apr 29, 2008 09:57 AM
Michelle Pimentel
Empire Home Staging Solutions - Upland, CA
ASP, IAHSP Empire Home Staging

Tori Lynn,

What a great tip!  This is definately an inexpensive way for home owners to update the look of their flooring if they do not have the budget for replacing it.  I have seen this dark grout a lot too, even on kitchen and bathroom countertops, I think this was a trend from the Eighty's, not a very good one, I might add!

Apr 30, 2008 03:44 AM
Phyllis Pafumi
ReStyled to Sell Home Staging New Jersey - Old Bridge, NJ
ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ

I was wondering about these products. I told my hubby about it and he is not convinced yet. I will have to just get one and use it. You probably have to clean really well first. Does it need to be sealed afterwards?

Phyllis Pafumi

May 26, 2008 01:10 PM
Tanya Venable
Orlando, FL
SEO, Mobile SEO, and Internet Marketing Consultant

Tori Lynn - Thanks for sharing! Dirty grout lines are definitely a turn-off. Will have to get some of this and try it out.

Aug 27, 2008 09:46 AM
Tamara Cline
Sold By Design www.sasoldbydesign.com - San Antonio, TX
Sold By Design, Staging San Antonio and Surrounding Area

Tori,

That is a great tip to have in our "Update Arsenal!"  Thanks for sharing.

Aug 27, 2008 10:30 AM
Sassy Skelton
Staged Right Professional Home Staging Colorado Springs - Colorado Springs, CO

Great tips!  We've not had to worry about this yet but were discussing it with a client.  How synergistic!

Aug 29, 2008 10:15 AM
Jessica Cox
Perfectly Polished Home - Dallas, TX
Dallas Home Staging

PICTURES:) I do hope you took some!

Sep 02, 2008 12:26 PM
Anonymous
Steve

Try this also www.groutdye.com

Sep 04, 2008 01:09 AM
#9
Margaret Oscilia
Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon - Salem, OR
Home Stager, Salem Oregon

Thanks for sharing this tip -- I love having this to recommend to clients!  Glad to know that it worked for you!

Oct 04, 2008 03:53 PM
Toronto's 2 Hounds Design: Decorating + Staging
2 Hounds Design + Home Staging - Toronto, ON

I'l love to see a picture of the B & A!

This is much easier than removing the old grout and re-grouting!

Oct 05, 2008 11:59 AM
Chrissie Sutherland
Ready Set Stage - Greensboro, NC

Thanks for the tip.  That is really cool.  

Oct 05, 2008 02:49 PM
Wendy Timmons
Move Home Realty - Temecula, CA
Temecula Realtor

I don't know how I missed this! Thanks for the tip :)

Oct 10, 2008 09:12 AM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Tori, this sounds like a great option to redoing the tile.  Does it work equally well on tile counters as well as tile floors?

Oct 10, 2008 04:52 PM
Tori Lynn Wallitsch
Prudential Ambassador / Ross Designs, LLC - Omaha, NE

Maureen -- I haven't tried it on counters, but I would suggest checking with the manufacturer on it's effectiveness in that application.

 

Oct 11, 2008 03:40 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Thanks for the information.  It is so helpful to hear first hand how a product performs.  I have bookmarked for the future.

Dec 04, 2008 01:39 PM
Anonymous
michael

Groutshields has a do it yourself kit for less than $30.00 make your grout any color in the world and never staining again go to www.groutshields.com

May 07, 2010 11:43 PM
#17
Ashley Stevens

Grout Revive is a well known spammer. The last post is abviosly SPAM. And should not be allowed

Spam Busters

Jul 11, 2010 04:13 AM
Anonymous
Ken Bergman

I ordered the grout paint color # ( Mapei #2 Pewter) from "grout revive" to match my existing grout lines in bathrooom. They told me that the color matches were indentical to the Mapei grout color chart.  I didn't expect it to be exact but when applied on a test area it was significately darker than the existing Pewter color.  I am not satisfied with the color they sent but I'm going to complete it and call it a day!     

Feb 24, 2011 11:14 PM
#19
Anonymous
Grout Revive

@Ken Bergman

We would like to comment with regards to your review just to help clarify for others that might be looking at either our product or any grout stain/paint for that matter.  Our colors are matched according to the color charts released by grout manufacturers.  Therefore we are confident that our colors genuinely match the original color charts to the highest calibration possible via the availabe technology provided by photospectrometers etc.  That being said there are two possible scenarios that may have taken place in yours instance.  The first is the obvious 'possibility' that we sent you the wrong color.  I won't say that that is an impossibility.  Without that though.. while grout manufacturer colors are consistent in the product they ship.. they product is not always consistent in it's preperation or application.  Environment, preperation, mixing.. etc.. are all things that could significantly alter the color of a grout mix after installation.  Also, over time a grout color will change and fade.. so, to see the original intended color applied over the original installation will often look darker.. even significantly.  That's why we often advise clients to choose a color based off what they NOW want versus what they original color was according to the manufacturers color chart.  Anyway, we're quite sorry that you had this experience but we do hope you are benefitting from the durable finish you now have on your grout lines.  That much we are confident of :)  Additionally, if you should ever want to lighten it that can be done simply by ordering a lighter color and applying.  In fact I would like to extend you monetary courtesy to ensure your satisfaction as we often do.  Please contact if you become aware of this response.  Thank you all for listening to my lengthy response.

Peter
www.groutrevive.com

Aug 07, 2011 03:55 PM
#20