Restore The Grout Around Your Tile With This Affordable Amazon Product

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Grout can get grimy. Whether it's between the tiles on your kitchen floor or used to fill in the gaps along the walls in your shower, this porous material is a magnet for stains, discoloration, and dirt. There are tons of easy ways to clean grout. But if you've been unlucky enough to develop more stains or you made the mistake of cleaning your grout too hard and caused damage, a simple scrub with some soapy water won't cut it. Regular cleaning is, of course, important to help prevent the spread of germs and mold, but sometimes, you just can't seem to clear away more stubborn discoloration.

Luckily, you don't have to. To get that bright, shiny, and brand-new look again, all you need is a product like this Rainbow Chalk Markers Limited Grout Pen available on Amazon. It's exactly what it sounds like: a little paint pen that you can use to color over your existing grout. While it might take some time and precision to apply, this is a much less invasive and less expensive alternative to fully removing and replacing your existing grout. The budget-friendly pens come in a narrow-tip format for $8.99 or a wide-tip variety for $11.99 to fit different grout sizes. Although white grout pens are one of the more common options out there — after all, white grout tends to stain basically as soon as it's applied — they come in a wide array of colors, from warm terracotta to deep black, guaranteeing that you'll be able to find a match to your existing grout. With a little bit of work, your grout will look good as new — no DIY skill necessary.

Grout pens can be a huge help if you struggle to keep your grout stain-free, but they don't work in every situation. When you have recently sealed grout, it's likely that the paint in these pens won't stick. If you don't seal your grout, however, you should be good to go. According to the manufacturer, each narrow-tip grout pen covers up to 150 feet of thin, 2-millimeter grout. Start your calculation here to determine how many pens you'll need, and then add a few more — many Amazon reviewers state that these pens run out of juice quickly, and you don't want to be stuck with a dingy-looking corner in an otherwise spotless bathroom.

Once you have your pens on hand, thoroughly clean your tile and allow it to dry. Prime your pen by clicking in the felt tip around 30 times to get the paint flowing, and you're ready to get to work. All you need to do is color in your grout lines with the pen. Use light pressure while coloring in the lines, as pressing too hard could damage the tip. Work with precision, but if you get some on your tile, don't panic! You can wipe the paint off with a damp cloth — just make sure to get to it quickly before it dries.

Within a few minutes, your grout lines should be dry to the touch, and you'll be able to use the area as you normally would. One of the major bonuses of this grout pen is that it's water resistant when applied to unsealed grout lines, so you don't have to worry about rapid damage in the shower or in the kitchen. Once applied, reviewers note that their grout held up well, even after cleaning.