Old ceramic bathroom tiles may be scratched, old-fashioned, or just lost their shine. It is also possible that it has become dull to look at after years of seeing the same old stuff. There are a few things you can do to improve this position. The first is simply to give it a good clean. The second is to give it a new finish if your budget does not allow for replacement, and the third is replacement.
Bathroom tiles can simply turn dull from a build-up of environmental debris, smoke, or even mold. The occasional simple wall cleaning that you do can remove obvious water stains or dirt, but it is not enough to remove the oils that smoke resolves into from ceramic bathroom tiles. The tiles may be clean, but the grout is easily discolored. By giving your bathroom walls a spring cleaning, you can restore the shine it once had.
If you’ve been using household cleaners, that may be the reason why your bathroom ceramic tiles are dull. Ceramic tile cleaners are commercially available and have been specifically formulated to clean tiles. Some are formulated to also remove grout that has embedded in the tile. You can also make your own tile cleaner, using one part water, half vinegar, and half baking soda. Use a bucket or spray bottle. A sponge is all you need. Wash well, rinse and buff to dry. If the grout is still dark in places, scrub with a brush, rinse, and then dry. If discoloration persists, rub with bleach and wipe. Do not expose yourself to bleach fumes.
If cleaning hasn’t brought ceramic bathroom tiles back to life and money is tight, you may consider renovating the bathroom by painting over the tiles. The tiles do not adhere well to the paint. First you have to prepare the surface of the tile. This means turning the smooth surface into a rough one. You can do it with sandpaper, but once you start, there is no going back. You will want to clean the tile with a cleaner that does not leave chemicals on the tile, such as one with trisodium phosphate. Use a large pore sponge for better scrubbing. Then with 180-grit sandpaper, sand the ceramic well. It will feel gritty to the touch when done. Then paint over an acrylic latex primer, preferably with a roller. Smooth with a latex brush, then allow the primer to dry. Once dry, apply the paint. A semi-gloss latex paint is probably best. After a couple of hours, add a second coat if it seems like it requires it.
Your third option for fixing old or unappealing ceramic bathroom tiles is to remove the tiles and replace them with new ones. The big job is to remove the ceramic from the wall. Use a grout saw with a thick-handled blade to cut through the grout. Then with a hammer and chisel, gently separate the tiles from the wall. Be sure to wear eye protection. You can also remove old mortar with the hammer and chisel method. If the old adhesive was chemical, you will need to use an adhesive remover, which you can buy at any hardware store. Once done, sand the wall smooth.
Laying ceramic bathroom walls requires cleaning the mortar or chemical adhesive on the wall and laying the tiles. Finish with grout. You can find more detailed instructions on the Internet.
When you are tired of the same old bathroom walls, try a good cleaning and if that is not satisfactory, repeat or replace. You are not stuck with those walls. With a little work and a little cash, ceramic bathroom walls can once again be a feast for the eyes.