You can see in this photo above that this is not something we did the first time in our guest bathroom because it was our first time doing it, and there are several spots now that we have to redo before we seal everything. The negative is that ready mixed grout is more expensive. You are paying for that product to be mixed for you. Grout is comparable to the texture of kinetic sand so it’s gritty and it can get everywhere, even with the most seasoned professional. In addition to color scheme, you want to think about maintenance. Unfortunately, grout color is hard to maintain. It’s hardest to maintain in areas that have high traffic and/or where the grout is frequently getting wet. Think of floors, behind sinks and in the shower. The answer to this question will be a total personal preference and depends on what you like in your space and the look you’re going for.

Once you’ve sealed your grout, use a neutral ph cleaner to clean your grout and tile on a regular basis. Sealed grout should never be cleaned with anything else or it will cause the sealant to breakdown and eventually fail–leading to discolored grout. I put every day in quotes because I clean my house, but I do NOT clean my bathroom shower grout daily. I just don’t. It’s fine; I’m still credible.) But trust me on this. Giving you floor a good cleaning will prevent you from pulling stray hairs and fuzz balls out of freshly painted grout lines. If you want a seamless look that’s fresh and crisp, try a white subway tile with white grout. From a distance it will look like one continuous piece and allows countertops to shine. Be forewarned, white grout is hard to keep clean, especially in the bathroom. Read about how white grout in the shower holds up here. Gray tile with white grout There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to ready mixed grout. First, it’s already mixed and you don’t have to worry about doing it. It saves time!The “ink” in the grout pens is waterproof, so once it dries, it will be permanent and won’t come off easily, even in high-traffic areas or areas with a lot of water. If your grout is sealed, the type of cleaner is crucial to maintaining the integrity of your sealed grout. The best part about using a grout pen is that it doesn’t require any prep work and can be used on any kind of tile without worrying it will mess up your tiles. First and foremost, you want to make sure the grout is sealed after initial installation. You can do this project yourself by choosing the right grout sealer. We recommend going with Aqua Mix, which is the sealer most commonly recommended by tile professionals. Jordan’s tile guy, who has installed both Beverly and Arch and his team that does tile for his group of investors he works with, recommends Aqua Mix Sealer’s Choice Gold because it provides excellent protection and seals in just a few hours.

A grout pen is very similar to a paint pen, but it’s used specifically to color over existing grout. All About Grout Pens Do grout paint pens work? This can be a daunting task if you’ve got a large area because you need to use a grout tool like this one. Speaking from experience, using this in both our laundry room and our guest bathroom it’s labor-intensive work. Sometimes you want the tile to steal the show, so you choose a grout color that blends well, and yet other times you want the grout to get the glory, so you choose a grout color that contrasts with your tile. There is a dark charcoal color that I would seriously consider if we ever did a project like this again, as it already has a muted look to it and would be much easier to clean. That color is called Dove Gray.

Typically, a herringbone pattern looks best with contrasting grout color, as it lets the visual interest the pattern brings steal the show. Marble tile with white grout

Honestly, it’s not awful or even really bad, it’s just noticeable in one small spot where water really hits it, but it doesn’t ruin the bathroom at all. I vacuumed and mopped and found out that even that wasn’t really good enough. Maybe another round with the Swiffer would’ve helped, but I’m impatient and tend to just dive right into things. A million times. They’re great both in a pinch or if you want a short-term solution and on a budget.However, it’s good to reseal the grout once you’ve used the paint pen to make it last longer. Are grout pens worth it? If you have ever had a light-colored grout then you know that dirt and mildew can get into it and make it darker. It’s incredibly frustrating to keep light-colored grout clean. Once a year, I have a grout cleaning company come out and deep clean my grout. After that, I seal it on my own. Alternatively, you can clean it yourself. Here are 10 combinations of tile and grout, plus tips to help you choose the right grout color for your project. They’re permanent in the sense that once they dry, the ink is waterproof and won’t come off easily.

Choose a contrasting grout color: Use a contrasting grout color when you want to highlight the tile pattern or create a statement with your tile. For example, using a contrasting grout color works really well to highlight the a cool herringbone pattern. It also completely transforms a rather bland tile like a white subway. Update (NOV 22) Now that I’ve finally found a great way to clean my grout, I’m stretching out the amount of time in between professional cleanings considerably. I recently updated my, post on how to clean grout to reflect my new process. I love this contrasting grout and tile color used in this beautiful bathroom. How to choose the right tile and grout combinationsThis is entirely up to you and the design aesthetic you are trying to achieve. Sometimes, a more basic tile like plain white subway tile can be elevated by using a contrasting grout color, and other times, if you choose a tile that reflects a lot of light and is beautiful by itself, you might want to use a neutral or even the same color grout. What color grout should you use with white tile?