How to remove paint from grout?

Question

Hello, my entrance way has painted tile. Paint stripper removes the paint easily from the tile and they will clean up beautifully, but the paint isn't coming off the grout. Is there a way to remove it or can i regrout over it? or is there another way to get this back to tile and grout? Sorry if my question isnt clear. Not sure what the solution is so don't know what to ask :).

kathimacc · Answer

Thanks for that information. Makes sense and when I zoom in on the grout I can see that it is quite different. Very helpful suggestion. I will strip the tiles and see what it looks like.

Thanks for taking the time to answer. I really appreciate it.

Thanks

K

MitchellMc · Answer

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @kathimacc. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about painted tiles and grout.

No worries — your question is perfectly clear, and you’re thinking along the right lines! The key difference here is that the cement grout is porous, while the glazed tiles have a smooth, non-porous surface. That’s why the paint stripper can remove paint easily from the tiles but struggles with the grout, where the paint has likely seeped deep into the pores.

It’s definitely worth stripping the paint off the tiles first to see how the space looks with the original tile colour restored. You might find that the contrast between the lighter tiles and the darker painted grout actually looks quite nice. In fact, having darker grout can be practical since lighter grout tends to stain more easily, especially in high-traffic areas like an entrance.

Removing the paint from grout completely is usually not possible because of how deeply the paint penetrates. Grouting over painted grout isn’t a good option either, since the non-porous paint layer will prevent new grout from bonding properly.

If you want to lighten the grout’s appearance, one option is to repaint the grout itself using paint. Just keep in mind it will remain a painted surface, so some maintenance might be needed over time.

Overall, I’d suggest seeing how the stripped tiles and existing grout look together — you might end up loving the contrast! Either way, you’re on the right track, and with a bit more experimentation, you’ll get your entryway looking fresh again. You’ve got this!

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell