How to remove paint from grout?

I do a lot of painting with my work and as a result I have to wash a lot off my hands, body and clothes.

My problem is the paint dust / micro flakes are starting to collect in between the grout in my tiles in the shower and in the laundry. I have tried removing it with paint stripper, but not having any luck.

Would a steam cleaner work?

Can someone assist me please?

Thank you in advance.

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EricL

Hello @LKF

Thank you for sharing your question about your tile grout. I suggest a thorough cleaning with a Sabco Soft Grip Grout Brush. Once you've cleaned out the grout lines and removed as much of the paint dust, I suggest using Davco 500ml Sanitized Tile And Grout Sealer. This will at least provide a shield for the grout so that paint dust will not bind to the grout and technically make it easier to clean.

Let me call on our experienced members @prettyliving and @craftyhopper for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

LKF

Thank you Eric I will try the brush and will use the sealer once I get the paint off.

I look forward to hearing from @prettyliving and @craftyhopper for their recommendations regarding the cleaning.

MitchellMc

Hi @LKF,

When using the grout brush, make up a solution of several drops of dishwashing detergent and warm water and use it to help soften the paint. If you have no luck with the hand grout brush, try the Ryobi 2-Piece Medium Bristle Drill Brush Set. Failing that working, I'd try gently abraiding the grout with a grout saw. As long as you go gently with it and only remove the white paint, I don't think you'll cause any damage. Just don't go hacking away at it. Alternatively, you could make a small batch of black/charcoal grout and do a thin coating over the problem area. It's generally not a great practice to apply thin coats of grout over old grout, but the worst that will happen is that your thin layer will fall out. You'll only want to apply a smear of grout as any more, and you'll be able to tell the difference from other areas. I'd agree with @EricL that the best thing you can do is seal the grout after cleaning to prevent further contamination.

Please let us know if you have further questions.

Mitchell

LKF

Do you think a steam cleaner would work?

EricL

Hi @LKF

Using a steam cleaner will definitely loosen up the built-up particles in the grout. It will also provide you with a very high level of cleanliness. I recommend using both the brush and steam cleaner to effectively clean the area.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

LKF

Thank you Eric. 😀

MitchellMc

Keep us updated, @LKF, and please reach out again if you need further assistance.

Mitchell

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