Removing Dried Grout

Home repair expert Henry Harrison helps a homeowner remove excess grout from around a decorative rope molding on her shower tiles. On his elbow grease scale of one to four, Harrison gives this job a three.

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Materials and Tools:

bucket
towels
wooden scrapers
toothbrush
rotary tool with polishing attachment
grout sponge
sponge with scouring pad
grout float
safety glasses
dust mask
non-sanded grout

Steps:

1. Scrape away large chucks of dried grout with soft-surface contoured scrapers. Do not use metal tools. You can fabricate some handy scrapers out of pieces of wood.

2. Put on safety glasses and scrape away the larger deposits of grout. Use the wooden scrapers or an old plastic toothbrush.

3. Buff out the grout lines with a rotary tool. Use a polishing attachment that is soft and spongy.

4. Wipe away excess debris with a sponge and check for holes in the grout. Fill any voids with non-sanded grout of matching color. Use your fingers to fill in small holes and a grout float to cover larger areas.

5. Wipe away excess with a damp grout sponge before the grout dries. Allow tiles to dry and buff with a clean, soft cloth.

6. Allow the grout two days to cure before using shower.