The Easiest Hack To Make Painting Bathroom Tiles Renter-Friendly

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We may not realize it, but we spend a good portion of time at home staring at the tile in our bathrooms. During a daily shower, a nightly skincare routine, or bath time for kids, we often catch glimpses of ceramic or porcelain squares that may look — through no active choice of our own — either bland or outdated. This is especially the case for renters, who are expected to maintain the bathroom as it was at the beginning of their lease and usually aren't allowed to make permanent changes. This can grate on the nerves over time, and today's renters tend to stay in the same units for longer periods. There's no need to despair, though; renters can upgrade their bathroom by sticking to methods that can be undone before move-out day, which can even include paint jobs. Skipping the primer is the easiest hack to make painting bathroom tiles renter-friendly.

This hack may feel counterintuitive, but trust us. Peel-and-stick tiles that come in different designs and finishes are touted as an easy way to add personality by covering up existing tiles, but there's actually a lot of hidden work involved if you're planning to use them in the bathroom. They'll be exposed to a buildup of moisture that can cause mold to grow around them, and there's a chance the adhesive can bond too strongly to the underlying tile and make them hard to remove, which is the opposite of what you want in a rental space. Even stickers that are made to be water-resistant still need to be coated with waterproof sealants to shield against damage, leading renters to question whether the budget-friendly bathroom makeover is worth the cost.

Applying primer is typically the step to take before applying paint to tiles in situations when the paint is meant to stay on indefinitely, so for this hack, remember not to do it! Primer helps paint adhere to surfaces, a quality you will want to limit in spaces where the paint will need to be removed later. Instead, prep the tile with a thorough cleaning, and start by brushing your first coat of paint onto the tile with either a roller or brush, adding coats of paint as needed. 

It's a good idea to look for a moisture- and mildew-resistant paint for this area, which can get steamy frequently. Those options sometimes include "bath" or "bathroom" in the name. When it's time to remove the paint, gentle scraping and heat will be your friends. The SEEKONE Heat Gun is an affordable option you can keep to use in your current bathroom and your next one. Holding it near the tile should loosen your paint and start to reveal the original tile. From there, you can carefully scrape the paint off with a plastic utility knife.

Although this hack calls for eliminating the primer step, make sure to follow other best practices as you work on transforming your bathroom with a painted tile look. This includes placing painter's tape on the grout between the tiles, or anywhere you don't want paint to end up. It's all the more important to avoid paint spills or splatters in a rental, so protect the shower surface and floors with dust sheets or drop cloths. Also, leave the area dry for a week so the paint can cure.