How to update tile with grout refresh

I’m really being intentional about experimenting and trying new things with this house. I can tend to see changes as being permanent. I know I’m always moving things around but I mean with paint, lighting, flooring…Things that don’t move. I don’t tend to be as willing to take a risk. *this post contains affiliate links.

mudroom reveal

I want to be responsible and I don’t want to waste money but embracing the in between with this house is something I’m trying to do. For example, painting the floors. I never did that in our last house because I was nervous that it would eventually chip and look bad and I didn’t want to have to undo it. But here I’ve done it twice and HAVE LOVED IT!!

entryway reveal

With the bathroom update happening, I thought I’d try something else I’ve seen other DIYers do. Updating tile grout.

New flooring will happen when we gut the bathroom someday far far away but in working with what we’ve got, I thought I’d freshen the discolored grout.

I got this product called Grout Refresh by Mapei. It comes in a bunch of different colors (I choose alabaster), it’s $16 a bottle, I did our bathroom and could probably do a whole extra space with what’s left.

 There are a couple different ways to put it on but I used a small, flat paint brush.

First you clean the floors really well. I cut an angled hole in the top of the bottle and squeezed it out then smoothed it over with the paint brush.

I love how I chose the nastiest corner to take pictures…Don’t worry, I bought caulk and I’ll be fixing those edges.

I worked my way from a corner, out of the room. I did the application part quickly knowing that I’d get the extra off of the tile afterward. If I did it over, I’d be more careful and take more time with the application and then have to spend less time and break less nails in the clean up process. 

Leave it to dry for 30-60 minutes then spray it down with water in a spray bottle and scrub the excess off.

I scrubbed one spot a little too much and rubbed off some of the color. I just touched it up again afterward.

Because I chose a color so far from what I had already, I decided to do a second coat. I took more time with this one so that I wouldn’t have as much clean up.

That’s it though! Look at the difference. **Click here to see the full bathroom reveal**

This is a great solution for you if you don’t have the budget to replace flooring but just want a different look. If you need to get rid of unsightly stains. Or just want to change things up.

I get so excited about these kinds of projects because I hope they inspire you to change what you don’t love right now by using what you already have. Make sure and share these things with a friend! Another I-took-a-risk-and-it-worked DIY project will be posted on Thursday. Come see!

Thanks for reading, friends!