For the first time in years, we have a baby in the house again; a baby that is in the form of a 2 month old puppy. (If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably already seen her. I promise I’ll introduce her more formally here on the blog later.)
In the time it took me to type those three sentences just now, she’s attacked my hair, chewed on a table leg, peed on the living room rug, and licked an electrical socket. Suffice it to say the home improvement projects have been at a bit of a slow down lately with a fluffy 8 pound rascal calling the shots.
But the very last home improvement project in Olivia’s bathroom makeover took less than 45 minutes! And that’s even on mischievous puppy time.
Remember this floor? The brown-grout-that-had-seen-better-days floor? I was really feeling stuck on this one.
Part of me wanted to paint the whole floor; I toyed with stenciling some times, thought about laying down some vinyl plank wood flooring on top, or just leaving it and scrubbing it like a mad woman.
So after getting some input from y’all in this last update post, the vast majority of you guys said to just clean it up and add a rug. (I usually have to be talked off of my cliff since I seldom can leave well enough alone.)
The whole point of this bathroom though has been to make a big change for as little money and as little effort as possible since it’s all going to be gutted (hopefully) in a couple of years anyway after we tackle some larger projects.
But that grout… I just couldn’t live with it.
So for around $15, I made it look freshy fresh.
Supplies Used: (Some affiliate links are provided below for convenience.)
- Old toothbrush
- Totally Awesome All Purpose Cleaner (or whatever cleaner you prefer- that’s just what I used)
- Dry towel/rags
- Grout Pen
That might be the shortest supplies list this blog has ever seen.
I sprayed all of the grout lines first with the Totally Awesome spray, let it sit for about 5 minutes to penetrate all of the dirt and grime, and then scrubbed with an old toothbrush. That cleaner really does live up to its name.
Then dry.
I have no idea where I’d heard of grout pens before, but since our master bathroom, kitchen, and breakfast nook all have this brownish grout, I thought this room would be the perfect spot to test them out.
I’ve gotta tell ya, they are so satisfying. I bought three to be on the safe side, in case the grout paint ran out, but I only needed one for our entire bathroom floor. (Whatever company makes this grout pen, they have no idea who I am. I’m just sharing this because it worked well for me, and I thought it’d be helpful to pass along to some of y’all needing a quick refresh.)
Let the grout dry completely and then just trace the lines with the grout pen.
SO eeeaaaaasy! The tiles themselves even look brighter because of the grout change.
Pretty soon, I’ll put a bath rug on top of it, so the floor will hardly be noticeable. But I feel so much better about it now.
Now, the final step on the to-do list is mainly to decorate. The fun part!
So far, I’ve hung just 1 shelf to start playing with styling things, but it’ll get there. I’m still thinking some art, a new shower curtain, a window shade, that kind of stuff.
Here are all of the projects and sources that have gone into this space so far + our little to-do list left:
Paint walls Magnolia Home WeekendPaint trim Benjamin Moore Simply WhitePaint doors Benjamin Moore Wrought IronPaint sink and tub/shower with Rustoleum Tub & Tile Refinishing KitRefresh light fixturePaint vanity cabinetPaint tile / grout- Hang wall decor (halfway finished)
- Decorate final touches
If you want more ideas for jazzing up your floors, you can check out some of these past posts too:
- DIY Moroccan Vinyl Tile Floor
- Faux Marble Tile Floor
- 18 Favorite Peel and Stick Vinyl Tiles
- The Best Tile for a Small Budget
- What to Know Before Buying Jute Rugs
Got any other quick floor refreshing ideas? Or puppy struggles at your house like we do? #SendCoffeeAndChewToys
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Lynda says
October 18, 2017 at 12:00 pmWow! This is amazing! It looks like a new floor. Thanks for sharing.
Cindy Richter says
October 18, 2017 at 12:24 pmWow, I had no idea there was such a thing! Thanks for sharing. I need to do this somethin’ awful!
Jordan | A Blue Nest says
October 18, 2017 at 12:33 pmI love this easy update! And as far as the puppy goes…. it’s been years since we’ve had a puppy in the house, but we currently have a newborn so I feel ya a little bit!
Anna says
October 18, 2017 at 12:36 pmI’ve heard of these great grout pens before but never used them since I don’t have any tile. My what a terrific change. Your floor looks great!
As to puppy woes– The thing to remember is that when you have a puppy he/she pretty much has to become your main job until she’s housetrained. Every moment of every day sorta revolves around their need to go out for potty breaks. 😉 If you can’t be that attentive, then put them in their crate. Dogs do not like to soil their bedding area. But do remember, a puppy can only wait to potty for so long–regardless of your schedule. Example: a 1 month old puppy can wait about an hour between breaks; 4 month old about 3-4 hours. Some breeds are truly more difficult to housebreak than others.
As to chewing….Of course give them appropriate chew toys instead of your furniture. 😉 I had a puppy who started to chew on the door stop while I was getting ready for work. I happened to have some spray cologne in my hand and just spritzed a tiny bit on the door stop while I gave her a demonstrative “No!”. She tried it once more (got a teeny lick of apparently an awful taste!) and that was that. No more chewing ever again.
Best of luck with your puppy. I love dogs. 🙂
Jeri says
October 18, 2017 at 12:43 pmYour floor looks incredible. I’m a newish ? follower to your blog and wanted you to know how much I enjoy your blog. You are a very talented decorator and writer. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa Nicholson says
October 18, 2017 at 12:44 pmA perfect fix! Pulls out the lighter shades of the tile instead of the dark, perked up the floor immensely! Once you get it decorated, you will be really happy with it. It is more than livable until a remodel. You may even decide to forego the remodel!
Miriam Seidl says
October 18, 2017 at 12:48 pmlove this! am definitely doing this in our kitchen!
Lorree Mitchell says
October 18, 2017 at 1:50 pmThat’s just what I need for my floors! Never heard of it before, but I like it. Thanks for sharing this.
Jayme says
October 18, 2017 at 1:55 pmThat is awesome. I know what I am buying now for the yucky floor, grout. Puppy problems…we have had our share with 3 dachshunds. I bought a playpen for them. It corrals them when you need to do something, but want to make sure they have room to play, and aren’t getting into things they don’t need to be into. Put it on tile, and then you don’t have to worry about the rug.
Roberta Garrido says
October 18, 2017 at 2:05 pmWell done!!! You did a fantastic job. Thanks for letting us know about this product too.
Pam Winter says
October 18, 2017 at 2:48 pmI have used this too on my kitchen tile. It’s
Pam Winter says
October 18, 2017 at 2:50 pm……. Amazzzzing! Good for you. Looks beautiful. Good Luck with the Puppy.
Mary says
October 18, 2017 at 3:28 pmSuch a cool product Lauren! You can make it look great without the hassle of having to re-grout!
Geri says
October 18, 2017 at 3:40 pmAmazing! I Love how pretty it looks now! Where did you find the grout pens, Please
Jan says
October 18, 2017 at 4:16 pmWow! That doesn’t even look like the same floor. Thanks for sharing. I am definite going to try that. Oh, and by the way, where did you find the shelf? I just love your blog.
Carrie says
October 18, 2017 at 5:29 pmHi Lauren! this looks great and weirdly seems like it’s cleaner just because it’s new and white 😉 I want to use this on my tile walls in the area of tub/shower! Thank You so much for showing this! Have fun with your new puppy!
Michele says
October 18, 2017 at 5:49 pmDon’t forget to buy and use grout sealant to keep it looking that way!
Looks so clean and fresh!
Marlene says
October 18, 2017 at 6:55 pmAwesome job!
Can you seal after it dries?
Lauren says
November 8, 2017 at 2:01 pmYes, I would seal especially in wet areas. This is a sealer I’d recommend: http://amzn.to/2yjxcss
Beth B. says
October 18, 2017 at 9:36 pmOh my gosh, I am SO sick of our tile and this DIY gives me hope! I will be trying this soon. Thanks so much! Looking forward to exploring your blog more 🙂
Jeannie McBride says
October 18, 2017 at 10:23 pmSo pretty.
Karen says
October 22, 2017 at 10:13 pmCan the grout pens be used for grout in a shower?
Lauren says
October 23, 2017 at 10:06 amIt is water resistant, but not water proof, so I don’t think it’s meant to work on a shower on its own. However, I’m curious if you could use it on shower grout and then seal it with a marine grade polyurethane. Might be worth a shot?
Joy says
March 18, 2018 at 3:39 pmYou shouldn’t need a marine grade poly. Just get a good sealer and a grout pen should hold up just as well as my semi-quick fix has on my grout.
After painting (yes, painting) my grout, I used a grout sealer called TileLab Penetrating Grout Sealer by 4Care. It comes in a bottle with a convenient grout wide stiff brush on top… just squeeze and brush on as you go down the grout. 24 hours later, since my hideous tile is also porous, I then wiped the entire shower tile walls down (including grout) with Professional’s Choice 511 Impregnator Sealer by Miracle Sealants Company… both products are available at Lowes and I’m sure Home Depot as well. Now both my grout and tile are sealed; grout doubly so.
Wish I’d known about grout pens before I spent DAYS painting my old shower grout with acrylic craft paint and a stiff artist brush! My old grout is like porous brick mortar… crumbling in spots, chunked out in others and in just really really bad shape; but I can’t afford a proper fix right now so what I did is bandaid surgery/lipstick on a pig. And, after sealing with a good tile & grout sealer, so far it’s holding up grandly!! Just wish now I’d thought to paint my hideous tile as well before I sealed everything!
Charra says
October 31, 2017 at 12:16 pmThis is an amazing makeover with just a little cost. No sign this is old at all, looks amazing. Thanks for sharing
Charlotte says
November 6, 2017 at 9:39 amAmazing! We have porcelain tile in the kitchen that I have been afraid to mess with. Your bathroom update gives me courage! Thanks so much! Will it need to be sealed, or does that pen do it all in one step? Thank you.
lankodavco says
November 21, 2017 at 5:56 amReally nice thanks. We’re trying to fix the problem too. Hope to hear for more tips.
karla says
January 14, 2018 at 12:47 amHow did this pen hold up in the last few months?
Lauren says
January 14, 2018 at 2:48 pmSo far so good! Still looks like it did the day I applied it. 🙂
Diane says
April 15, 2018 at 8:35 amHello -good tips! What cleaner did you use? I am curious…..Thank you.
Lauren says
April 15, 2018 at 7:48 pmThis stuff called Totally Awesome cleaner: https://amzn.to/2JLlr3Y
Janice says
October 23, 2018 at 4:50 pmDoes it come off when cleaning the tile later with water if it’s not water proof? How do you clean it?
Lauren says
October 26, 2018 at 11:03 amJanice, Great question. There is a sealer that blocks out dirt and water absorption. You can clean your floors as usual.
Abbee says
January 15, 2019 at 11:58 amThat is sooooo satisfying to look at!! I just added a grout pen to my cart on Amazon for the next time I place an order.
Lauren says
January 15, 2019 at 7:56 pmOh YEAH!!!
Sarah Kite says
January 21, 2019 at 1:10 pmSimple trick! Thanks for sharing!
Joni Gonzales says
January 22, 2019 at 2:40 pmLove your blog. How is the grout paint holding up over a year later?