Clean Tile Grout

Your Place: Tile installers were lax in not removing grout haze | Philadelphia ...

Question: The contractors who installed my tile floor six months ago left a haze of grout over the tiles and I'm unable to remove it.

Answer: Removing grout haze from a tile floor as the work is in progress is one of the keys to a job well done, and it seems that your contractors didn't care.

I've installed several tile floors over the years, and the Hometime video I watched 200 times in the late 1980s stated clearly that if you removed the haze as you worked on the floor, clean water and a clean sponge were all that was necessary.

Let the tile set for 24 to 36 hours, and follow the clean sponge/clean water procedure again. You then use a clean, dry rag to wipe down the tiles, and another clean dry rag to polish off the haze.

If you let haze removal go for six months, the sponge and water technique won't work, and you'll need a commercial cleaning product instead.

If you know the name of the tile manufacturer, you might want to contact it to find out what is recommended for the tile so it won't be damaged.

If you buy a grout haze remover at the hardware store, test it first in an area that is somewhat hidden from view in the event it damages the tile.

Follow the safety directions on the product - wear gloves, long sleeves, and safety glasses - while you are working.

Q: We live in a home that was built in 1939. The bathroom has a tub and a separate shower.

The walls of the shower are completely tiled in subway tiles, which are in good shape, and still secure after all these years. The grout is in good shape also.

However, some of the tiles are discolored. At first, we thought this might be mildew, but treating the tiles with mildew remover or bleach did not remove the discoloration.

On closer inspection, it appears that the discoloration is behind the glaze, which would explain why the bleach did not work. No tiles other than those in the shower are discolored.

We had several contractors in to look at the problem, but once they saw it was wet bed construction, they never even gave us an estimate - not only were they not interested in replacing the entire shower (which we were ready to do in desperation), but they did not suggest replacing individual tiles either, a difficult job because the grout lines are very narrow at 1/32d of an inch.

Also, we were concerned that replacement tiles would be a different shade compared with tiles that were in place for more than 70 years.

Get Help! Learn To Clean Grout And Tile Quickly | The Post Service

There are many different types of tile that need to be cleaned, and there are many different ways to clean different types of tile. This article will center around how to clean tile grout . Hopefully, this will help you make tile and grout cleaning a little bit easier on you.

The best way to clean floor tile is to make sure that you have the right types of tile and grout cleaners and cleaning equipment you need to get the job done. Probably the easiest way to clean grout is with a steam grout cleaner. As you run the steamer over the surface of the tile and grout, the steam will be released into the grout crevices which will loosen the dirt up and allow you to remove them with a damp cloth. Another way to do it is by using a floor or grout cleaner. You can apply the solution to the floor with a damp mop or with a spray bottle. Do not use more water than you need to get the job done. After allowing it to soak for an ample amount of time, you want to return and scrub it with a deck brush or a grout brush located on the end of a pole. Scrubbing the tile and grout on your hands and knees is the typical method of cleaning. You want to avoid this type of cleaning whenever possible. Hopefully you'll get all of the stain out on your first try and restore the grout back to get original color. If you need it, you can also use a diluted solution of bleach or oxygen bleach to help restore your grout to it original color.  If you still can't get the stain off, you may want to think about having your grout resealed or repainted. This will help to restore the grout and tile back to its original color.

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