Can we talk about how grout sealer is basically a scam for most bathrooms?

Looked into it after my new shower grout started darkening after 3 weeks. Turns out most modern grouts have sealant mixed in from the factory. Found a thread from a tile contractor in Ohio who tested 10 brands. Only 2 actually needed extra sealer. I put $45 worth of sealant on grout that was already sealed. Wasted a Saturday too. Who else has been suckered into this?

2 comments

2 Comments

rileyprice1d ago

Wait, wait. Hold on. The grout already has sealant in it from the factory? I spent a whole Saturday with a tiny brush and a bottle of that stinky stuff, and my knees still hurt from kneeling on the bathroom floor. I bought a whole kit with a sponge and a special applicator, probably $60 total, and I bet the grout was fine the whole time. That tile contractor in Ohio needs to shout this from the rooftops, because I feel like an absolute fool right now.

ericcraig1d ago

Yeah, I read something about this a few weeks ago on a home improvement blog. They tested a bunch of those "pre-sealed" grouts and found that the factory sealant barely holds up to moisture. So your Saturday might not have been totally wasted.