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Damn tile guy didn't clean the grout properly now i have a haze on my tile. It was my cousin that did it as a side job, so I can't bitch too much, but what is the best way to get it off. I tried scrubbing the hell out of it, but that did not work.
Damn tile guy didn't clean the grout properly now i have a haze on my tile. It was my cousin that did it as a side job, so I can't bitch too much, but what is the best way to get it off. I tried scrubbing the hell out of it, but that did not work.
You're a framer....not a tiler? Come on now....they're basically the same thing.....NO?
Hit your cousin / tile guy in the head with a scrap piece of 2x4 then make him clean it up after he wakes up in your bathroom with a bad headache....
Really,
Call a local tile store....They have products which are called "grout haze remover"
I've personally never used it because I remove all the haze prior to it drying.
I've never had to use it, but I hear that muriatic acid is what you use for this kind of thing. I beleive its just weak hydrochloric acid, available in most hardware stores.
Before you do anything, make sure that the haze is grout and not latex residue. The easiest way to determine if the haze may be latex is to ask your cousin if a liquid latex additive was used (most polymerized latex grouts will not leave a latex residue). Another way to check is to take a razor blade to a small section of the haze and slice off a bit. If it is translucent without any grains showing it is latex; otherwise, it is grout residue.
The use of muriatic or other acids on tilework is strongly NOT recommended because of problems with acid fumes and the safety precautions its use requires. These include protective clothing (acid-proof gloves, face shield, respirator), covering all neighboring metal surfaces with a thick coating of petroleum jelly and masking off all adjoining finished surfaces, creating dams at thresholds so rinse water does not carry the acid to other parts of the structure, waiting at least 28 days from the day of grouting before applying any acid, wetting the entire tile installation with water prior to applying the acid, and then giving the floor at least three clear water rinses. You will probably want to use a wet/dry vac to remove the rinse water, and you will probably need to replace the old with a new filter. Oh, yeah--provide plenty of ventilation (with fans) to clear out the air, and make sure the occupants vacate while the acid washing is being performed.
A much better solution is to direct cousin to the same store where the grout was purchased, and have him pick up a container of grout haze remover or latex haze remover made by the SAME company that manufactured the grout so there is no compatibility issue.
Is there actually grout caked on the tile or is it haze that can be buffed off with a dry terry towel? If you use a wet sponge and you don't use admin "one wipe per side of sponge and rince" method specified in his book your tile will never look clean. And I have cleaned up after some pretty crappy grout jobs.
if you want a wall of shame I have one for you then.
got one of our guys on a tile job as a helper the main tile guys leaves says just grout it and I will clean up nicenice in the morning so the helper trowels on the grout and LEAVES IT ON we spent 4 days with acid getting it all off and then had to regrout when we were done that sucked big time and worst of all the home owner worked for us in the office NOT VERY HAPPY.
The use of muriatic or other acids on tilework is strongly NOT recommended because of problems with acid fumes and the safety precautions its use requires. These include protective clothing (acid-proof gloves, face shield, respirator), covering all neighboring metal surfaces with a thick coating of petroleum jelly and masking off all adjoining finished surfaces, creating dams at thresholds so rinse water does not carry the acid to other parts of the structure, waiting at least 28 days from the day of grouting before applying any acid, wetting the entire tile installation with water prior to applying the acid, and then giving the floor at least three clear water rinses. You will probably want to use a wet/dry vac to remove the rinse water, and you will probably need to replace the old with a new filter. Oh, yeah--provide plenty of ventilation (with fans) to clear out the air, and make sure the occupants vacate while the acid washing is being performed.
Quote: "Sulfamic acid has become a recommended acid for cleaning unglazed tile".
We have used it numerous times to clean up other contractors' messes. No fumes, no need for any of your drastic scenarios. Scrub it in, rinse it a couple of times with a sponge (or sponge mop) and you're done. While the premises are occupied.
Tell cousin to use the white colored 3m type scrub pads... Using the readily available green might cause some extra grout cleaning as they sometimes bleed the green dye into the grout and rough tile edge
Hydrochloric and muriatic acids usually found in gallon jugs are what I was refering to. The acid cleaners sold by grout manufacturers may contain acids that are not as powerful but they still require caution.
As for the wall of shame, my candidate is the contractor who installed quarry tiles on the main hallway of the testing labs at the TCNA headquarters on the Clemson campus: after speading the grout without much cleaning, they announced that the crew would return in a few days to clean the hard grout crusted tiles. Using muriatic, they managed to burn the surface of the tiles leaving a rainbow haze that has taken almost ten years of maintenance, regular office traffic, and countless tour groups to remove.
I have used Muratic acid to clean haze on rough tile surfaces maore than once. I put about half a bucket of water & add just enough acid to make a slight...very slight- bubblling sound when it contacts the tile surface. I have a bucket of rince wter to neutralize the acid after a minute or so. Us e your head . Dont wipe any wood or metal surfaces with the acid dilution.
Never use acid straight from the bottle. If you feel the need to have to wear a mask you are problay working with to strong a mixture, add more water. On smooth shiny tile I have never had to use M.A. only rought textured,hard to clean tile
Greg
You could also try straight distilled white vinegar. If it really is just haze, this will work AND the room will smell like a salad. Then buff all surfaces with a DRY and CLEAN white terri-cloth towel. Then, when you are satisfied that it has been cleaned, proceed to beating your cousin about the head with the aforementioned 2x4 :)
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