First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot wet paint with a clean, dry white cloth or paper towel. Don't rub it.
- Treat it while it's fresh, before it has time to soak deeper into the grout.
- Pretest any cleaner on a hidden spot first, and stop if color transfers or changes.
Ink from a grout pen is a pigment in a liquid carrier, and on cement grout it becomes part of the grout itself, so how quickly you act matters more than how hard you scrub. Epoxy grout is far more forgiving, since cleaning can always bring its color back. Act on the wet paint right away, and only move to stronger steps if the color stays after the grout dries.
When you remove grout pen paint, keep a damp cloth on hand and a second clean one for drying, so the paint doesn't spread. Once the paint has dried, a mild cleaner made for tile and grout is the product to try, after a test on a small hidden patch. If the grout pen paint is still there after that, a professional is the safer call than scrubbing harder.
Before you start
What grout can take
Safe to use4
- Water
- Hot water
- Enzyme cleaners
- Heat, once the stain is out
Use with care5
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
6 items
What you'll need
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- White nylon pad or soft nylon brushNylon is the recommended tool for scrubbing grout. (opens Amazon)
- Clean, dry white cloth or paper towelsThey blot up wet paint without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
- Warm waterYour first cleaner, used before anything stronger.
- Mild cleaner made for tile and groutLifts what the warm water leaves behind. (opens Amazon)
- Mop, sponge or wet vacuumPicks up the dirty solution before it dries on the grout. (opens Amazon)
- Clean water for rinsingRemoves the cleaner so no residue is left.
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Blot up the wet paint
Pick up any wet paint with a clean, dry white cloth or paper towel as soon as you see it. Press gently and work from the edge of the mark toward the middle so it doesn't spread.
Careful. Rubbing hard spreads ink into the grout.
Step 2 of 560 seconds
Scrub with warm water
Dip a white nylon pad in warm water and scrub the stained lines for at least 60 seconds. Keep the pad wet and rinse it often so the paint lifts off rather than smearing.
Tip. Work in a small section so the water doesn't dry out before you finish.
Step 3 of 5
Pretest the cleaner
Pick a hidden spot, such as a corner or a grout line out of sight, and apply a little mild cleaner there. Let it dry and check the result before you use it on the paint.
Step 4 of 5A few minutes
Apply a tile-and-grout cleaner
Apply a mild cleaner made for tile and grout to the stained lines, then agitate it with a soft nylon brush. Let it sit for a few minutes while it stays wet so it can loosen the paint.
Careful. Don't let the cleaner dry on the grout while it sits.
Step 5 of 5
Lift the solution and rinse
Pick up the dirty solution with a mop or wet vacuum before it dries. Rinse the grout with clean water, then let the area dry completely before you judge the result.
Careful. Leftover cleaner leaves a sticky film that attracts dirt, so rinse thoroughly.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for ink on grout
Choose a cleaner labeled for tile and grout, and check that the label says it's mild enough for routine use. A white nylon pad or soft nylon brush is the right scrubbing tool.
Zep Grout Cleaner & Brightener
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on grout, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
You'll see paint lift onto the pad or paper towel as you work, and the grout color comes back as it dries. If a shadow of the mark is still there once the grout is fully dry, move on to the stronger options below.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your grout
Sealed cement grout
Sealed cement grout is where the mild steps matter most. Start with the warm water scrub and one full pass of the mild cleaner before you try anything stronger.
The stronger options are only for paint that remains after drying. Work with the cleaners already listed, and don't add a second product on top of them.
Epoxy grout
Epoxy grout can usually be cleaned back to its original color, so it's the easier case if paint remains after the steps. Clean hot water is safe on it, so a final rinse with hot water is fine.
If you can't tell whether the grout is epoxy or cement, treat it as cement and use only the mild steps. Check the packaging or the installer's notes before going further.
Glazed tile beside the grout
Paint that lands on the tile face rather than the grout lines should be wiped off right away with warm water and a clean, dry white cloth. Work gently so the paint doesn't spread across the glaze.
Keep strong acids away from glazed tile, since they make it dull. Stick to the mild cleaner for anything that touches the tile.
Fresh wet paint
Wet paint is the easiest case, because it hasn't had time to soak into the grout. Blot it with a clean, dry white cloth before anything else.
Then move to the warm water scrub and the rest of the steps as usual, and don't wait for the paint to dry before you start.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old paint that has sat in the grout for a while needs the alkaline route. Dampen the grout, apply an alkaline cleaner made for tile and grout, and let it dwell for 3 to 4 minutes. Scrub with a white nylon pad for at least 60 seconds, rinse with clean water, and repeat if needed.
Dried paint responds slowest, and every pass should be followed by a full rinse so no film builds up. Don't let the cleaner dry on the grout between passes. Paint that has been in cement grout for a long time may only lighten, because the color becomes part of the grout.
If the stain still won't come out, pressurized steam can clean stains that resist conventional cleaners. After steam, contact the grout maker's technical support for deeply set stains. Be realistic: some marks in cement grout are permanent, and a professional can advise you on what's achievable.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on ink on grout?
Most kitchen remedies don't belong on grout, and a few can damage it. Warm water and a mild tile-and-grout cleaner are the safest choices for grout, so start with those.
Skip5Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use vinegar, lemon or acid on cement grout
Acids etch cement-based grout, and strong acid leaves it losing its color or going powdery or sandy. Keep acid cleaners away from it altogether, even for a small mark.
Don't reach for oil or wax cleaners
Oil and wax cleaners leave a film in the grout. Stick to a cleaner made for tile and grout and rinse it out completely.
Don't mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar
Mixing chlorine bleach with ammonia gives off toxic fumes, and bleach mixed with vinegar or other acids is also dangerous. Rinse each product out with plain water before you use the next one.
Don't scrub with abrasive tools
Scouring pads and abrasive cleaners can damage grout and leave the surface dull. Use only white nylon pads or soft nylon brushes, and keep the pressure light.
When to call a professional
Acid cleaning, such as for efflorescence, needs extreme care, so leave it to a professional. If the paint still shows after the stronger options, a professional can assess the grout.
Questions
Will grout pen paint come off grout completely?
Sometimes. Fresh paint has the best chance, because it hasn't soaked deep into the grout yet. Some inks can't be fully removed, so a faint mark that stays after the steps may be the limit of what's possible.
Is bleach part of removing grout pen paint?
No. Bleach is only a last resort for tough soil on epoxy grout, so if you don't know what your grout is, skip it. It's only a last resort for tough soil on epoxy grout, so if you don't know what your grout is, leave it out.
Can steam remove grout pen paint?
It can help as a last resort. Pressurized steam can clean stains that don't respond to conventional cleaners, so try it after the grout has been rinsed and dried.
Does it matter whether my grout is sealed?
Yes. Sealed grout should only get the mild steps, because general bathroom cleaners break down the sealer that protects it. A broken-down sealer loses stain repellency, so the grout will take marks more easily next time.
How long should the cleaner stay on the grout?
Let the mild cleaner sit for a few minutes, as long as it stays wet, then pick it up before it dries. For greasy ink, the alkaline option dwells 3 to 4 minutes after the grout is dampened, then gets its 60-second scrub.
Can I just wipe the paint off with a wet cloth?
A quick wipe can lift fresh paint, but rubbing spreads it. Blot with a clean, dry cloth first, then scrub with warm water and a white nylon pad for at least 60 seconds.
Ink on other materials
Other stains on grout
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.