grouting

[Connemmara]

I have white tiles in my bathroom and the grouting between them is looking quite dirty. I have bleached them to no avail. Anybody tell me what to buy - thanks

[woofgang]

new grout :(
I have tried grout pens bit they are a huge faff and don't last

[danchip]

i've seen Bicarbonate of soda used, mix it with water into a paste and rub it onto the grout and rinse off!

I dont know if it needs left on for any length of time and if it does how long so you would just have to do a bit of experimenting!

[KARL]

The reason for the unattractive appearance is almost certainly an accumulation of microbial growth - often referred to as mould. The best thing is to temove the existing grout to a depth of 3mm or more and re-grout, but this time make certain the grout is waterproof. Beware of "mould resistant" types which may be a cheaper alternative to the truly waterproof ones (which are a bit difficult to find in this country). from there make sure the tiled areas dry off quickly after any spashed water goes on them - adequate heating during colder seasons is a necessity and using a squegee to wipe down shower walls is also very valuable. This way you will get many, many years without any staining - without it you are likely to see staining return within a couple of years down to a matter of months (poor grout in dampest conditions).

[MangoPete]

Use a solution of hydrogen peroxide on the grout.
This is absorbed into the grout..unlike bleach it will kill the mould beneath the surface of the grout and with a little effort with an old toothbrush bring it up again. i after a few goes it doesn't work regrouting it the option BUT you need to remove the mould beneath the surface of the grout first.
You can use 10% hydrogen peroxide from the chemist and dilute it by 50%. use gloves and maybe eye protection when using it.

[Jules001]

I buy a cheap brand of whitening toothpaste and use an old toothbrush to get into the grouting, just needs a quick rinse afterwards. It is a little time consuming and depending on how bad the grouting is, might need more than one going over. For some reason my teenage daughter loves doing this for me and is quite happy to sit for ages so it saves me a job!

[NazNomad]

Don't mess about trying to clean it, re-grout it.

[4getmenot]

agree dont bother with the pens

[ummmm]

Agree with Naz...It's a bit of a pain but it's an easy job.