Grout turning black or dark in your Tamworth bathroom or kitchen? What causes it, what cleans it, and when regrouting is the better fix.
Usually mould and mildew from damp and poor ventilation. Cement grout absorbs moisture, which mould feeds on.
Often, if the marks are on the surface. If they have gone deep, regrouting gives a longer-lasting result.
Better ventilation, wiping the shower down, and sealing the grout all help.
Yes. The old grout is raked out and replaced, leaving the tiles in place.
Light black marks often lift with a mould remover and a stiff brush. Rinse and dry afterwards.
Run the extractor fan during and after showers, or open a window. Damp air is what lets mould grow back.
If it stays dark after cleaning, or crumbles, regrouting is the lasting fix.
A sealer helps grout resist water and stains in showers and splashbacks.
Black silicone round the bath or tray usually needs replacing at the same time.
Grout that turns grey, black or patchy is usually mould or mildew growing in the surface, helped along by damp and poor ventilation. Cement grout is slightly porous, so in a shower or around a bath it soaks up moisture and soap residue, and that is exactly what mould feeds on. It is most common in showers that are used every day and in bathrooms without a working extractor fan.
Light marks often come off with a mould remover and a stiff brush, followed by keeping the room better ventilated. When the black has gone deep into the grout, or the grout has started to crumble, cleaning only works for a while and the marks come back. At that point the lasting fix is to rake the old grout out and regrout, then seal it, or use a stain-resistant grout in the shower.
Around Tamworth we see it a lot on the 1960s to 80s estates in Glascote, Amington and Wilnecote, where small bathrooms and old extractor fans trap steam, and in newer homes in Fazeley where the original grout was never sealed.
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