Preparation, make sure the tile joints are free of thinset, mastic or whatever adhesive you used to install them. Take a utility knife and remove any adhesive that is sticking up beyond the tile and which would be visible after grouting.
Read the instructions on your grout! Most grouts will tell you to wait after you have mixed a batch for the grout to "Slake". You will know when it has slaked because of a dull appearance, mix it again and your ready to grout. Wall grout should be the consistancy of drywall compound when you get it in a pail. I like my sanded floor grout a little wetter so I can force it deep under the corners.
You should always use a grout float, and not the cheap foam ones or the rock hard ones you can buy. Your grout float should be the kind that has foam in the middle and a rubbery surface on the outside. Although the hard rubber ones do work pretty good on a floor, they are really heavy and a day of wall grouting with one would be a killer.
If your going to be doing a lot of grouting, I reccomend the following grout float as the handle is really nice on the hands and it will last a long time. The cheap grout floats do not work well at all.
Take your pail of grout and put a big dollop on the floor (or a nice scoop on the wall) and start working it in a diagonal against the grout lines. After a while you will be able to apply in long steady lines and turn the float to scrape it off. Keep repeating this until all the joints are fully packed. Grouting is an art form, and you will suck at it in the beginning.
Now the key is waiting the right time before you start wiping the excess away with a sponge. For a floor the grout on the face of the tile should be fully hazed over and the grout in the joints should be just starting to turn color. For a wall it would be about the same but you can start wiping earlier. I like to let my floor grout sit for as long as I can before removal, this leads to a nice high grout joint.
As your wiping the floor, with a well wrung sponge. (you dont want it too wet, nor too dry, its hard to explain but you will find the optimal amount over time) You will see some holes pop up, this means you probably didnt force enough grout in. Just grab some loose grout which should be available all over and fill the hole and wipe it smooth.
When wiping the tile, try not to use much force on the joints as it will drag out more grout than you want. You will need to look at every single joint while wiping to ensure the lines are smooth and without holes. Now you are done, go clean your grout pale and wait for the tile to haze over. With a floor you can give it another quick wipe but i prefer to wash it the next day, or not at all because usually i can clean the face good enough to pass. With a wall let the tile haze over fully and grab a dish towel and gently wipe the face of the tile clean of grout to make it shiny again. Clean it well, silacone the joint where walls meet and your done.
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