You know what really bugs me? Every time I use my bathroom, the dirty grout catches my eye. My guests probably don’t even notice it, but I do – and now it can’t be unseen.
Hair dye, soap scum, mold – you name it… it’s on my grout.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably scoured the internet for cheap, DIY solutions to help bring the sparkling white grout back, like how it was when your tiles were first put in.
Well, even the cheapest of solutions still require you to buy lemons, baking soda, vinegar etc – and then you have to use a hell of a lot of elbow grease scouring the grout with a toothbrush.
I couldn’t think of anything worse.
That’s when I came across the Rainbow Chalk tile grout pen – I found it on Amazon for less than $9 and it has literally saved my life.
Here’s a little more about the product and how I used it to transform my bathroom shower & bath unit.
What is a tile grout pen?
At first I was a little put off by the name because it sounded like a product that’s going to ‘rub off’ or ‘wash away’.
However, the fantastic reviews quickly put my mind to rest. It’s not just any pen, it works like magic!
The pen contains an antifungal, water resistant ink formula with a chalk base, for a thick and opaque coverage.
It works just like a regular marker pen, you literally just draw over your grout lines, between the tiles, and the ink formula sinks in and is absorbed by the porous grout.
So you can choose to revamp your grout with a sparkling brilliant white pen, or opt for a funky colour to completely transform your kitchen or bathroom grout (or anywhere else in your home that’s tiled – it even works on floor tiling!)
How to use a grout pen
It was so easy to use, all I did was follow the simple instructions on the back of the packet and I was ready to go!
1) Wipe down your tiles and grout to remove dust or first and then thoroughly dry (it has to be bone dry)
2) Gently pump the pen nib down to activate the ink flow
3) Test the pen on a piece of paper to ensure it’s working correctly – if not, just keep pumping down until there’s no breaks in the ink and it flows smoothly. It can take up to 20/30 times)
4) Holding the pen in a downwards angle, to ensure ink flow, start drawing and covering your grout!
5) Allow it to dry for 3-4 hours in a ventilated room before applying a second coat in areas that need it.
6) Allow it to dry completely overnight before exposing it to moisture.
Tips to get the most from your grout whitener pen
It might take a few minutes to get used to, but once you do, it works amazingly and takes such little time.
I did my entire bath unit in around 1 hour, and I know that scrubbing it with a toothbrush for that long would not have had it looking as bright as it did after using the Rainbow Chalk grout pen! That’s for sure.
I did notice that it works better when you use long, flowing motions. Start at the top and use a continuous stroke to the bottom. Don’t be tempted to use it like a felt tip marker otherwise you won’t be left with a smooth, natural appearance!
Start with all the vertical lines and then go across horizontally, and you’ll be done in no time.
If the ink flow stops for whatever reason, just grab another paper tower and pump the pen down lightly until the ink flows out again.
My thoughts
Considering I didn’t know this product existed last month, I’m so impressed with this nifty little product. I definitely got the bang for my buck considering it was less than $9.
I’d recommend it to anyone out there who has been putting off a deep clean or completely re-grouting because it’s such a huge task – when you can just get one of these pens and transform your space with little to no cost or effort.
I’ll be keeping one handy in my DIY cabinet for future use!
