Since grout is needed to fill-in around tiles, the state of it can affect the look of your floor or shower. Ever wonder why your grout lines are yellow or cracked? There are different reasons why and ways to repair.

Stains on Grout Lines

Grout is made of sand and since it is porous (more porous than ceramic, porcelain and natural stone), dirt and impurities are easily absorbed. In many cases, when someone mops the floor, the tile gets cleaner than the grout lines because of the level of the grout lines as well as its texture.

A good way to prevent stains on grout lines is to clean the grout every 2 to 3 months with a nylon brush and an alkaline based cleaner. Sealing the grout lines is also important but it must be sealed every 1 to 2 years to best prevent stains.

When you deep clean grout lines, the results may vary depending on what substances the grout was exposed to. If it was not cleaned or sealed for years, it will most likely have permanent discoloration from the stains. When cleaned, this type of grout will look better, but not have a consistent look. 

An easy way to make your grout lines look new again is by applying a colorant and sealer product which will not only make the grout look new, but also prevent stains in the future. This product gives you the opportunity to choose any color for your grout lines, you can change the color without removing and re-grouting. Another option is to remove the grout from the stained area and replace it with new grout. The problem with this method is that the new grout will look different from the rest of the floor. Even if the same color is used as the rest of the floor, the new grout will look better than the old grout.

Cracked Grout Lines

If the grout lines are cracked, it can lead to other damage, especially if it is in a shower. Try to get these repaired as soon as possible. In a shower, cracked grout can ruin your shower pan, which can cause leaks and other damage. When the grout lines are cracked, water does not drain properly. Standing water can fill those cracked areas and can lead to efflorescence, and mold and mildew. 

To repair cracked grout lines, the grout must be removed and the area cleaned and dry. Grout lines can be re-grouted with regular or epoxy grout. Regular grout is cheap but not crack-resistant. Epoxy grout, on the other hand, is pricey but crack-resistant so you don't have to worry about the repair cracking again.