Today I’m sharing a quick and easy tip on how to whiten grout! After lots of product fails I found one that really works!
(post includes some affiliate links – full disclosure statement available {here})
The tile grout on the floor of our guest bathroom has always been totally discolored and gross. I tried pretty much everything to clean it from bottled grout cleaners to home concoctions of baking soda and peroxide to steam. They all made the grout look somewhat better but didn’t come close to restoring it to the original color. I was determined to find a solution so I went searching for a product online and came upon one called Grout Renew (found {here}) that had great reviews so I decided to give it a try.
Oh my gosh, I wish I had known about it years ago! It made such a huge difference and completely restored my grout to its original soft white color (I used the Snow White color which is a great creamy white; there is also a Bright White if your original grout is a true bright white plus lots of other non-white options). Plus, it also seals the grout to prevent future stains. I tried a few different ways to apply it but the way that worked best for me was with a small angled paintbrush. This is the difference that it made after just one coat:
For about 75% of my grout lines, one coat was enough but after letting the first coat dry for several hours, I went back over the more heavily stained areas a second (and sometimes even a third) time. The process is a little bit painstaking but for a small bathroom like mine it only took about an hour to cover all of the grout lines. So {this stuff} is my new BFF and I highly recommend it if you were wondering how to whiten grout too!
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Another newer product to try is {this white grout pen} that’s also a colorant and sealer. The nice thing about the grout pen is that you don’t need a separate applicator. You use it just like you would a marker and can choose either narrow or wide tip depending on the width of your grout lines. I tried it and thought it worked really well:
Update: See my new post on how to clean floor tile grout for details on the grout cleaners that work best!
Joni says
Hi Kris!!
Did you use Sulfamic Acid to strip the old sealer from your existing grout like they showed in the instructional video? How did you prep your grout before applying Grout Renew on your bathroom floor?
Thank you for your time! I really want to try this product & I hope you can help me! Thanks for your wonderful blog too! I love receiving your emails as they are so helpful and informational!
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Joni – I didn’t strip mine because I don’t think there was any sealer on my grout. I tested by putting a little water on it and it soaked in instead of beading up like you’d expect if there was any sealer left. I just cleaned the grout well and let it dry before applying! Thank you for your sweet words about the blog!
Diane says
What did you use to clean your grout before using the Grout Renew??
Becky says
Grout Renew does not work and is tedious to apply.
Sharon says
We tried the Grout Renew on the grout of our white tile. It did exactly as you said and was the quickest job we have ever done. We did two bathrooms and a laundry room all in about an hour. The outcome was great! Each room looks like it has new flooring now. Thank you for the tip!
I love following your blog!
Kris Jarrett says
I’m so glad it worked well for you! Thanks for sharing!
Kimberley Gilman says
Home Depot has the Polyblend Grout Renew on their website for $!2.47 for an 8 oz bottle. Amazon’s price was much higher. Just an FYI.
Kris Jarrett says
Good to know Kimberley – thanks! The Amazon price keeps fluctuating every time I look at it!
shirley says
Had to replace some tile in our bathroom and of course couldn’t get grout to match, so we used grout renew and it worked perfectly plus seals it too. Now I really need to do my kitchen, mud room and laundry!!!! 🙂
Kris Jarrett says
It’s great to hear from someone else who has used it with good results too! I hadn’t thought about using it to help match new and old grout – that’s smart!
Suzanne says
I really enjoy your blog which I dip into when I can. Thanks for the grout product recommendation. Now to check if they sell it in the U.K…..
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you so much!! Hope you’re able to find it!
Vanessa says
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! for the Grout Renew recommendation! I’ve been looking at the discolored grout in my kitchen and dreading trying to clean it again. NOTHING really works and it will never be the light mocha color it was originally. With this product I can maybe get it close to that light color again. Some areas are actually charcoal color because everything seeps into the pores.
Love your blog and all the inspiration you share!
Kris Jarrett says
Please let me know how it works for you! I’m so happy with how it worked in our bathroom!!
Lauren@SimplyLKJ says
Love that laundry room. I’ll have to look for the grout renew. Our grout is by that company, but I’m not seeing the color we have.
Kris Jarrett says
My laundry room is so sad – Studio McGee’s definitely gives me good inspiration for sprucing it up! I didn’t realize that that company also made grout but I guess that would make total sense 🙂
Peggy says
I followed your lead and did the grout in my kitchen. I wasn’t sure which of the colors of GroutRenew I needed, so I tried a couple, one was pefect. I even found the same brush. I loved the results. It looks like a brand new install. Thank you!