How to remove old grout from tile joints?

Repairing an apartment often turns into an endless struggle for people, during which a lot of effort, financial means, and most importantly - time is spent. Therefore, many people prefer to update the appearance of their apartment with a cosmetic repair. The most demanding room is the bathroom, as even a well-made repair quickly loses its original luster under the influence of moisture. Almost all people try to decorate bathroom with tiles, because this material can withstand negative influence of moisture for a long time. The appearance of even expensive tiles can ruin the grout, which over time turns dark, blackens, it is formed chips and cracks. Therefore, the question of replacement of grout is relevant to many owners.

Grout replacement is most often necessary for the following reasons:

• When applied, the material does not fill the entire depth of the joints. As a result, air spaces are formed, destroying the grout;
• the use of the wrong type of grout: for the bathroom, you must choose a water-resistant and moisture-resistant grout, since it is because of the water and there is a destruction of the material;
• the use of aggressive cleaning agents: when cleaning bathroom tiles, sometimes strong chemicals are used that destroy not only the dirt, but also the grout and erase the tile's exterior coating. Therefore, in order to prevent negative effects on tiles and joints, it is necessary to choose cleaning products more carefully. The main thing to remember is that expensive is not always the best.

After two or three years of fresh repair, grout, if the work was done poorly, begins to darken, up to the fact that it becomes almost black in color. This happens due to the fact that microcracks are formed in the grout, and sometimes large cracks in which moisture enters. Under the influence of moisture, mold begins to form, which looks like black spots. Do not wait for mold to appear, because if you do not take measures to remove it in time, the process of destruction of the tiles will begin. The moment you notice that the grout between the tiles has lost its integrity, or has slightly changed its shade: began to blacken, you should think about replacing the grout, so that negative consequences do not occur.

Despite the fact that it is very easy to remove grout, problems often arise: with the wrong method, you can destroy the tiles, the replacement of which can cost a pretty penny. Therefore, use only proven methods to remove grout from tile joints.

Before starting any construction and repair work, you need to pay attention to protecting your health. During repair, the human body is faced with a lot of dust, exposure to the skin of various materials, many of which cause irritation or allergic reactions, and small splinters can damage the eyes or other parts of the face. Therefore, it is worth buying gloves, a respirator, and special glasses before starting work. Fully protected from the negative effects, you can get to work.

Before you start removing grout in this way, all seams should be treated with a special solution of vinegar and water (at a rate of one to two). It is more convenient to apply the solution using a soft cloth or an ordinary dishwashing sponge, and then you need to wait 15-20 minutes for the solution to soak into the grout.

Prepare the drill: the drill should have a diameter with the width of the seam, so as not to damage the edges of the tile. In addition, it is necessary to use the tool only at low speeds and by pressing the drill well against the seam, so that when you work it will not come off and damage the appearance of the tiles.

If there is no drill in the household, you can use any metal object with which you can catch some of the grout. There are only two requirements for the tool selection: it must be less sharp (thin), as well as oblong in shape. Removal is done by reciprocating movements up and down.

Also similar work can be done with a grinder. Naturally, the diameter of the disk, must match the intertile joint.

After removing all the main parts of the grout, the joints should be cleaned from the remaining material, preferably using cotton swabs or special blowers, after which the surface is ready for applying new grout.

To remove grout by mechanical means will be suitable and an ordinary metal spatula, which is sold in any construction store. Its structure will allow you to easily remove old grout and not damage the appearance of the tiles, but provided that the surface has been treated well enough with the above solution.

If mechanical methods no longer help, or you do not have the desire or time to manually remove the remains of the material, you can use chemical means, both proven "folk" and modern. When using chemicals must be careful, as possible chemical exposure to the tiles can ruin their appearance. In addition, the above measures to protect your health are mandatory in this case.

To prepare this solution, you need to mix citric acid and water, and then give time to infuse. After that, by applying it to the remaining grout with a sponge or rag, you can easily remove all unnecessary particles. To use this method, it is necessary to achieve a solution of high concentration, in addition, you can not do without using a spatula or knife, with which you will need to remove the bulk of the grout.

Valo Clean - helps soften hardened grout. After using this product, the residue must be removed mechanically.

Litostrip - also helps to soften the grout. In case any hard particles remain after the initial treatment, it is necessary to repeat the procedure in the same way.

In addition, there are a large number of chemicals that are specifically designed for a particular type of grout. In most cases, they go under the same brand name as the grout. Such products are most effective for removing old grout.

When replacement of grout is not required, you can use a seam refresher. If the above method is used properly, the grout should regain its original shade and restore its integrity and durability. To refresh the joint, you need to buy special chemicals, which are sold in almost every construction store. Among them are: Edding 8200, PUFAS FRISCHE FUGE, LITOCLEAN, which are made in white and gray colors, but you can use tints with them.