How to Clean Dried Epoxy Grout

While epoxy grout is a great substance that is required to hold a tile wall together, sometimes it can do its job too well. Normally, you want your grout as hard and immobile as possible to keep your tile wall in good condition. However, if you accidentally allow some grout to dry in an unwanted place you will definitely regret it. While it is better to prevent grout from drying on your tiles in the first place, it is definitely possible to clean off dried grout. What follows should give you everything you know in order to remove your own dried epoxy grout.

Step 1 - Preventing the Problem

The absolute best way to keep your tiles free of dried grout is to preventing it from drying on them in the first place. You can remove wet grout that has not hardened yet with a damp sponge. Do so carefully as you install your grout. However, if you manage to miss any, you will have no choice but to scrape off the dried grout.

Step 2 - Preparing the Dried Grout

First, locate the dried grout that you wish to remove. Use a sponge and water to dampen it.

Step 3 - Scraping the Grout Off

You can remove dampened grout with a wooden scraper. Your local hardware store will sell special wood grout sticks for this very purpose. However, if you have small scraps of wood with hard edges, particularly oak, there is no reason you cannot improvise your own scrapers. Whichever method you prefer to use, scrape off as much of the dried grout as you can using your scraper. Remove and discard any chunks you manage to separate.

Step 4 - Locating Remaining Grout

While you have removed the most noticeable dried epoxy grout, there still may be some that you have missed. The remaining grout can be difficult to locate, however. The best way to do it is by drying your tiles off with a towel, as dry grout on tile is more visible. Find any grout that remains.

Step 5 - Preparing the Remaining Grout

Dissolve some sugar in warm water. Pour the solution onto your tiles wherever extra grout has dried. Let the solution sit and soak for at least 2 hours.

Step 6 - Removing the Remaining Grout

Once your grout has been allowed to soak for an adequate period of time, get your sponge out again. You can use it to scrape off the remaining dried grout without damaging your tiles. While doing this, you should periodically rinse off your sponge to avoid depositing wet grout back on your tiles.

While this step will remove much of your remaining dried grout, it may leave some behind. To make sure this does not happen, use your towel to dry off your tiles again. If there is no dried epoxy grout or residue visible on your tiles, great. However, if some remains, allow it to soak in sugar water for another 2 hours and go over the area again.

Step 7 - Maintaining Grout

You can keep grout clean with bleach and water. Be sure to remove the bleach promptly, as it can damage tiling.