When to regrout your bathroom tiles (and how)

There's nothing worse than mouldy grout. It can make even the most beautiful bathroom or kitchen look old and dirty, but you may not need to replace the grout just yet. Knowing when to replace grout and when it's not yet necessary can save considerable money. Bathroom Ideas digs into the issue of tile grouting.

First step: Checking grout condition

If you suspect that your bathroom grout has had its day, there may actually not be a need to pull it all out just yet - take a look at it first. Many years of cleaning products could be eating away at it, leaving tiles vulnerable to seeping water (especially behind them). This is what you definitely don't want, but if it hasn't gone that far yet, there are two things you can do.

The first is to ask your local hardware shop for some grout cleaner. This may solve your problem right away. If this doesn't work, but your grout is still good, there are products available that you can use to colour the grout. This should cover up any old stains left over from the cleaning job. After you clean the grout, make sure that you also seal it. Follow advice from the experts on sealing, as you may have to wait some time, but sealing should be done once a year to keep grout in good condition.

Second step: Regrouting

If your grout is passed it, you don't necessarily need a professional to regrout for you. You'll need a few tools, such as a grouting blade (just make sure you get replacement blades, because they blunt easily). Grouting blades are used to scrape out unwanted, existing grout. Next you'll need a brush or (preferably small) vacuum cleaner to clean between the tiles.

There are a lot of different grouts available, so make sure you get the right one for your tiles. Marble needs a smoother grout than other tiles, otherwise it can get damaged and scratched. Also, some grouts act as sanitisers that prevent mould from growing, so this is also worth looking into. If you feel that your bathroom needs a change, you might want to colour swap, since some grouts come in a variety of different shades. If this interests you, be sure to ask your supplier in order to find the right one to complement your bathroom. Don't forget to leave the grout to settle and then seal it properly. Different grouts need different settling times, so be sure to ask when purchasing (whilst also checking that you're getting the right sealer for the job).

Grout is an easy element to forget when updating a bathroom, but treating old grout correctly can be the difference between a lacklustre bathroom and a sparkling "new" room.