Get your tiles looking good as new with a little elbow grease and a few household supplies
Perhaps you’ve just repainted your kitchen, and you notice a few drops of paint on your backsplash. Or, maybe you recently bought your first home and discovered vintage wall tiles concealed by a layer of paint. Either way, if you want to restore your tiles to their former glory, you’ll need to know how to remove paint from tile. Let’s break down the process.
Before trying to remove any paint, clean the entire tile surface with soap and water. Alternatively, you can use a 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and water if you have ceramic or porcelain tiles—but don’t use vinegar on natural stone.
If you live in an older home and have any suspicion that you might be dealing with lead paint, don’t try to remove it yourself. Instead, call a lead paint removal professional.
Once the surface is clean, you can move on to the paint removal phase of the project. Whether you’re dealing with a few splatters or a fully painted-over tile floor, here’s how to remove paint from tiles.
In a best-case scenario, you’ll be able to remove paint from tile using just a sharp tool, like a razor blade or utility knife. To do it, hold the tool at a 45-degree angle and scrape the paint gently. Work slowly and use small strokes so you don’t damage the tiles. If the glaze starts flaking off or you accidentally scratch the tiles, stop scraping and go to the next step.
You can also use a natural or chemical paint remover to get rid of paint on tile. But before you use one of these solutions on a large surface, test it out on a small area first. If it causes any discoloration or damage, don’t use it.
Best for small drips and spots, vinegar is a natural paint remover that works on many types of tile, including ceramic, porcelain, and glass. However, due to its acidity, it’s not suitable for natural stone tiles like marble, granite, or limestone.
To use this method, soak a cloth in vinegar and lay it over the paint for a few hours to soften it. Then, scrape off what you can (but be careful not to scratch the grout).
Baking soda is another natural option for removing a few splotches of paint from tile. To use it, combine it with water to create a paste and apply the mixture on top of the paint. Gently scrape off the paint with your razor blade or utility knife while steering steer clear of the grout.
For larger areas or thick layers of paint, you may need to use something stronger—like a commercial paint remover. When shopping for these types of products, look for a formula that
Before using one of these solutions, put on your protective gear (mask, goggles, and gloves). Then, apply it according to the manufacturer’s instructions and scrape or wipe it away.
Direct heat softens paint, which makes it easier to remove from tile. Hold a heat gun or hair dryer over small sections of tile, continually moving it around to prevent overheating. When the paint goes soft, use your sharp tool to scrape it off. Wipe the area with a damp cloth, then move to the next section.
Depending on how much paint you’re hoping to get rid of, you may need to mix and match methods to remove it all. For example, if you need to remove paint from tiles that have been painted, you could start by applying heat and scraping the paint, then use a removal solution on any remaining paint.
No matter how you choose to soften and loosen the paint, you’ll probably have to scrape or scrub it—either with a razor blade, utility knife, or toothbrush—to remove it fully.
Removing paint from tile is a simple and straightforward DIY project, especially if there are only a few drops here and there. However, if your project spans multiple rooms or involves antique tiles, it’s safer to contact a local tile repair pro to make sure the paint removal is done correctly. And if you think the paint could contain lead, you should definitely call a professional.
Hopefully, you or the pro can remove the paint without damaging your tiles. But if not, you may need to spring for new tiles. On average, tile installation costs $400 to $4,250, depending on the size of the project, type of tile, and other factors.
You can use a combination of mild soap and hot water to clean ceramic tile floors, walls, and other surfaces. When you’re cleaning a floor, it’s best to use a rag or chamois rather than a sponge mop, which can push dirt deeper into the grout. If the soap leaves any residue, use a mildly acidic cleaner to remove it.
While the above methods will help you remove paint from tiles, you may need to take a different approach to get rid of grout haze. If you’ve recently applied the grout, you may be able to wipe it off with a wet cloth. Otherwise, you can try removing it with a rubber grout float, spraying it with a mixture of four parts water to one part vinegar, or using a store-bought grout haze remover.
