5 Easy Ways Of Smoothening Or Softening Grout After It Dries
Portland cement is the principal ingredient in the majority of grouts. A freshly grouted surface often needs a few days or weeks to properly set. However, after it has dried, old grout can be challenging to remove off tiled walls and floors. Your initial reaction might be to use a metal tool, like a putty knife, to chip it off, but doing so could harm the tiles. Instead, it is advised to soak the grout before carefully scraping and scrubbing it with non-metal equipment. It might be a good idea to remove the grout if you see that it is stained, moldy, or cracked between your bathroom tiles. Grout can be difficult to remove, but if you first smooth it out, you'll save time and effort. Grout can be made smooth for removal using
Vinegar,
Sulfamic Acid,
Sugar And Water, or a solution of
Lemon Juice. A heat gun, a blow dryer, or a steam cleaner are other methods of applying heat. Heat works best for wall tiles, but liquid grout softeners for floors soak the grout.
Way 1: Sugar And Water Solution
You can use a sponge dipped in a sugar and water solution to apply it to the wall as well as the grout between floor tiles.
- 1 cup of white granulated sugar and 1 gallon of boiling water should be combined. Stir the sugar until it completely melts.
- Pour the mixture over the grout, or use a sponge to apply it to vertical surfaces. Give the grout roughly two hours to absorb the sugar water. This gives the grout's adhesion to the tile some time to release from the solution.
- Use a wooden paint stick to scrape off big pieces of grout. Scrub the remaining grout with nylon scrubber and sugar water.
- As you work, keep the grout moist with the sugar and water mixture.
- To get rid of the sugar solution, rinse the tile with fresh water. To ensure that all of the grout has been removed, dry the tile with a clean cloth. Repeat the sugar water cleaning if any grout is still visible.
Way 2: Vinegar And Water Solution
Acetic acid, which vinegar contains, makes it a great option for softening grout. The drawback of this procedure is that vinegar can occasionally discolor tiles, so use caution. You should test the vinegar solution on a tiny area first to see if it will result in discoloration before applying significant amounts to your tiles. If you can, pick a discreet location so that the damage won't be too noticeable if the vinegar destroys the tile. If there isn't any visible change on the tiles, you can use the vinegar solution on the grout. Try a different technique if you see a change in your tiles.
- In a 1:2 ratio, combine hot water and vinegar.
- After applying the solution to the grout, wait 10 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the softened grout by scrubbing. A tiny piece of wood or a grout saw can be used to remove the softened grout as well.
- If you use vinegar regularly or if you don't properly wash it off, it might dull your tiles. Rinse the tiles after removing the grout to get rid of all vinegar residue.
Way 3: Sulfamic Acid
Sulfamic acid is the most potent grout softener on this list. Wear safety goggles and gloves if you choose to use this method to smooth up your grout. Additionally, keep sulfamic acid away from your skin. To use this approach:
- To soften grout, use this sulfamic acid product.
- Wear protective eyewear and gloves while handling sulfamic acid at all times.
- Apply the substance right to the tile. Utilizing a sponge or scrubbing pad, massage the substance into the tile.
- Give the sulfamic acid 10 to 30 minutes to soak.
- Use fresh water to clean the tiles. The softened grout can be removed using your grout remover tool.
Sulfamic acid should be used to remove difficult grout from a tile surface. Although it is rougher than the other treatments on this list, there is little chance that it will harm or stain your tiles. It's a fantastic option for quickly eliminating outdated grout.
Way 4: Lemon Juice
All-natural lemon juice is among the best grout softeners. Simply combine 2 cups (480 ml) of warm water with 1 cup (240 ml) of lemon juice. After that, soak the grout lines for 10 to 20 minutes in this mixture. The grout will then be soft enough to be removed without difficulty.
- To make a homemade grout-softening solution, use 1 part lemon juice with 2 parts warm water.
- To soften the grout, apply this mixture to tile floors and let it settle for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Instead of wall tile, this method performs well with floor tiles.
This liquid works well on floors because of its consistency. Heat tools are much more efficient than liquid softeners at removing grout from wall tiles.
Way 5: Heat Gun, Blow Dryer, Or Steam Cleaner
- Heat can also be used to soften grout so that it can be removed. Within 2 to 3 minutes, grout will soften when heated with a heat gun or blow dryer set to a moderate heat. Use low temperatures; excessive temperatures could cause the grout to dissolve. You should hold the tool at least 8 inches (20 cm) away from the tiles in addition to setting the appropriate temperature.
- Another piece of equipment you can use to heat the grout is a steam cleaner. A steam cleaner's advantage is that it immediately softens the grout using heat and moisture. When the grout is soft enough to be removed with a grout saw or another tool, slide the nozzle along the grout.
- You should work on tiny areas at a time when applying dry and moist heat. If you work on one piece quickly, there is no chance that the grout will become hard again.