Challenge for Bay Shore grout-product maker

Michael Stracuzza is on a quest to find the ugliest grout, in the ugliest bathroom or kitchen, in the nation. Then, once he finds it, he wants to restore it using his North Bay Shore company's products.

He issued the challenge Thursday, seeking the chance to show off Grout Shield, a cleaning and stain-resistance product. Stracuzza pitches his invention as an inexpensive way to renew the look of grungy tile floors, walls, countertops and backsplashes, altering the color, and making the grout waterproof and easier to maintain.

“I am seeking to do the worst kitchen or tile grout bathroom makeover in the United States,” Stracuzza, president of Grout Shield Distributors, said in a statement.

“I want to show the public how you can completely change the look of your kitchens or bathrooms for under $50.”

Stracuzza launched his business in 2006, and has showcased his products on DIY Network and HSN segments.

In other Grout Shield-related news this week, Stracuzza said he has new deals to stock his products on the shelves of Ace Hardware, Do it Best and Tru Value stores on Long Island and in at Greschlers' Hardware in Brooklyn. And, he says, he's set to expand his network of distributors in other regions of the United States, focusing on the Southeast and Southwest.

"Grout Shield has helped so many victims of the declining economy by encouraging individuals who have lost their jobs to launch their own home-based businesses" as distributors. Stracuzza said in his Thursday news release.

“There are more than 200 people who have contacted me and started their own business . . .  Many of them are people who were let go and couldn’t find a job and are now making an income of up to $60,000 a year," he said.

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