Download ArticleSave time and effort removing grout with these softeners
Download ArticleX
This article was reviewed by Barry Zakar and by How.com.vn staff writer, Hunter Rising. Barry Zakar is a professional handyman and the founder of Little Red Truck Home Services based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over ten years of experience, Barry specializes in a variety of carpentry projects. He is skilled at constructing decks, railings, fences, gates, and various pieces of furniture. Barry also holds his MBA from John F. Kennedy University.
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 34,752 times.
Do you want to update the look of discolored or damaged grout between your tiles? Even though grout comes out pretty easily, softening it beforehand makes the process even quicker. Using liquid grout softeners works best for floor tiles since it has more time to soak in, but heat treatments work well for softening grout on your walls. Keep reading, and we’ll help you find the perfect solution to get that old grout out.
Things You Should Know
- Soften grout on floor tiles by soaking it with sugar water, a lemon juice solution, or a vinegar solution for 10–20 minutes.
- For a stronger way to break down grout, use a chemical remover like sulfamic acid or grout dissolver spray instead.
- Warm up grout on wall tiles with a blow dryer or heat gun. Alternatively, use a steam cleaner to soften the grout.
Steps
Sugar water
Dissolve 1 cup (200 g) of white granulated sugar in 1 US gal (3.8 L) of warm water. Then, just pour the sugar water directly on the grout lines and let it sit for 10–20 minutes before you try removing the grout. If the grout dries out, just add more sugar water[1]- Clean your tiles afterward since the sugar water can leave behind a sticky residue.
- Sugar water is slightly corrosive, so it breaks down the grout to make it easier to scrape out.
Lemon juice and water
Make a solution that’s 1 part lemon juice and 2 parts warm water, and pour it directly on the grout that you want to remove. Let the solution soak on the grout for about 10–20 minutes to help it soften up.[2]- Lemon juice is acidic and eats through the grout so it breaks down faster.
Advertisement
Vinegar
If there’s a slight layer of haze on your tiles leftover from when you installed grout, wet a clean cloth with distilled white vinegar. Rub the vinegar onto the tiles and grout. Let the vinegar sit for about 5–10 minutes. Then, scrub at the grout to clean it off the tile.[3]- Vinegar may discolor your tiles, so test it on a small patch of tile that’s not noticeable before you spread it onto your grout.
- After you finish softening the grout be sure to wipe the area with a sponge and clean water.
Sulfamic acid solution
Wear rubber gloves and safety glasses before working with sulfamic acid. Mix about 6–12 ounces (170–340 g) of the sulfamic acid with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water. Apply the solution to the grout and let it sit for about 30 minutes before scraping out the grout.[4]- Avoid using sulfamic acid on natural stone tiles since it could leave etch marks on the surface.
Chemical grout dissolver spray
Start by wetting the grout with clean water first so it’s saturated. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and after about 15 minutes, apply the dissolver spray directly to the grout. Wait another 20–30 minutes before removing the grout.[5]- Dissolver sprays use acids that eat through grout to soften it.
Advertisement
Blow dryer
Set your blow dryer to the highest heat setting and hold it about 8 inches (20 cm) away from the grout. Turn it on and point it directly at the grout lines for about about 3 minutes to help soften them.[6]- If the grout cools down before you get a chance to remove it, just warm it up again for a few more minutes with your blow dryer. It usually takes 5 minutes or so to harden back up completely.
Steam cleaner
Hold the narrow nozzle of the steam cleaner about 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) over your grout lines. Turn on your steam cleaner and spray a 1–2 ft (30–61 cm) section of tiles so the heat and moisture soften the grout.[7]- If your steam cleaner has a nylon brush attachment, put it on the tip to help scrub off the top layer of grout.
Heat gun
Turn your heat gun onto a setting that’s around 500 °F (260 °C) and hold it about 8 inches (20 cm) away from your tiles. Direct the heat toward the grout lines and warm it up for 2–3 minutes. After that, the grout should be soft enough for you to easily remove.[8]- Be careful using a heat gun on soft glazed tiles since it could cause damage.
Advertisement
Scrape out the grout by hand with a grout saw. Place the blade of the grout saw in the line between your tiles. Apply gentle pressure as you move the saw back and forth to cut through the grout. Keep scraping along the grout lines until you completely remove it.[9]- Grout saws have a small serrated blade that grinds the grout out from between your tiles.
- Move the grout saw slowly so the blade doesn’t slip out and scratch your tiles.
Chip out stubborn grout with a hammer and chisel. If there are hardened pieces stuck between your tiles, put the tip of your chisel against the edge of your grout. Lightly tap the end of the chisel’s handle with your hammer to break the grout apart.[10]- Try wetting or heating up the grout before using a chisel so you don’t need to hit as hard, making it less likely you’ll damage any nearby tiles.
Cut through the grout with an oscillating tool for the quickest removal. Use a carbide blade specifically made to cut through the grout. Hold the edge of the blade against the grout line, and turn on the tool. Use the oscillating tool by pressing the blade into the grout and slowly moving it along the lines between your tiles.[11]- Wear a face mask and safety glasses when you use an oscillating tool to protect yourself from dust and small pieces of grout.
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
SubmitAdvertisement
Tips
- Test whatever you’re using to soften grout on an inconspicuous spot on your tiles to make sure they don’t get discolored or etched.[12]Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
References
- ↑ https://thehomeatlas.com/how-to-soften-grout-for-removal/
- ↑ https://thehomeatlas.com/how-to-soften-grout-for-removal/
- ↑ https://laticrete.com/~/media/support-and-downloads/technical-datasheets/tds400-pro.ashx?la=en
- ↑ https://www.custombuildingproducts.com/TDS/TDS-139.pdf
- ↑ https://www.a-lok.com/pdf/kellysconcretedissolver.pdf
- ↑ https://thehomeatlas.com/how-to-soften-grout-for-removal/
- ↑ https://thehomeatlas.com/how-to-soften-grout-for-removal/
- ↑ https://cdn.laticrete.com/~/media/support-and-downloads/technical-datasheets/tds111.ashx
- ↑ https://www.ronhazelton.com/projects/how_to_clean_tile_grout
About This Article
Handyman
This article was reviewed by Barry Zakar and by How.com.vn staff writer, Hunter Rising. Barry Zakar is a professional handyman and the founder of Little Red Truck Home Services based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over ten years of experience, Barry specializes in a variety of carpentry projects. He is skilled at constructing decks, railings, fences, gates, and various pieces of furniture. Barry also holds his MBA from John F. Kennedy University. This article has been viewed 34,752 times.
Co-authors: 3
Updated: February 9, 2023
Views: 34,752
Categories: DIY
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 34,752 times.
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
Advertisement
