When I started this site it was intended to only focus on issues of installation. Through research I discovered a greater demand for information related to existing flooring. This particular subject was at the top of the list.
So, like every politician has promised and failed to deliver, I will give the people what they want! Well, as much as I can, anyway.
Out of curiosity I typed “how to clean grout” and “tile” into Google. I only made it through two pages of sites before I was fed up with all the crap from so-called “experts”. Ninety percent of what I discovered was bull!
Common sense dictates that you do not use bleach or hydrogen-peroxide (same effect) on any type of colored grout at all – ever. Yet this was the suggestion of most “experts”. If you happen to have white sanded grout in your tile, you’re set. If not, you’re gonna screw it up more.
What’s “sanded” have to do with it, you may ask. Exactly. Without knowing the product you’re cleaning, it will be difficult to clean it properly. That being said typed, let’s start there.
Sanded vs. Unsanded Grout
For something that confuses some so much, this is actually relatively simple. The difference? Drum roll please . . . sanded grout has sand in it. Fairly anti-climactic, yes? The implications are greater, though.
Sanded grout is used for grout lines (the space between the tiles) greater than 1/8 of an inch. I use it for grout lines 1/16 and larger. The reason sand is added is to prevent the grout from shrinking as it cures. If you attempt to use unsanded or non-sanded grout for larger grout lines it will shrink (sometimes as much as 50%) and look like hell.
Sanded grout is also much more stable and durable. Unsanded grout is used in smaller grout lines because sanded is difficult to force into the space. Because of this using sanded grout in smaller grout lines leaves open the possibility of not completely filling them which will, in time, lead to grout cracking, chipping out, and a number of other things that make an otherwise perfect tile job look sub-par.
Do I have sanded or unsanded grout in my tile?
I dunno, I can’t see it from here.
Sorry, I’m a bit warped, I stare at floors all day. There are several ways to determine this (the type of grout, not whether or not I’m warped). If you have large grout lines chances are it’s sanded grout. If it’s a shower with 4 X 4 or 6 X 6 inch tiles chances are it’s unsanded.
Run your finger across your grout, if it’s rough you have sanded grout. If you run your thumbnail along the grout line and you scrape a bit of grout out of it, you probably have non-sanded. If your grout is smooth, it is non-sanded.
Okay, what does that have to do with cleaning it?
The methods below describe how to clean grout in tile that is not natural stone – granite, marble, travertine, etc. You do not want to scrub these with a stiff brush as you risk scratching the stone. If you have natural stone the best solution is to either try the method below using a cotton cloth rather than a stiff brush, or purchasing a commercial stone cleaner. Not a grocery store bathroom cleaner, a specialized stone cleaner available at places like Home Depot and follow the instructions. Seriously, follow the instructions.
As with anything you do to your tile, or flooring in general, make sure to test the method in an inconspicuous spot to ensure it won’t harm your tile or grout.
Let’s deal with sanded grout first. After it cures, sanded grout is actually less dense than unsanded. This means more “stuff” permeates further into the grout itself. Anything you use to clean sanded grout will completely saturate into the grout, all the way to the floor beneath.
You can use bleach on sanded white grout. With a bleach/water ratio of 1/10 (umm, 1 bleach, 10 water, but you knew that) and a stiff brush you can scrub the grout lines. The grout is already white (or used to be) so bleach will not discolor it. Spray or dab the solution onto the stain and let it sit for about two minutes. Then take the stiff brush and scrub. Scrub hard, you’re not going to hurt it. Then rinse it with clean water. Repeat as necessary, as they say.
Hey moron, you may say, I don’t have white grout in my floor! That’s all right, no one else does either. The same method applies. Use white vinegar rather than bleach. Start with a 50/50 ratio of white vinegar and water, spray or dab it onto the area, let it sit, then rinse.
You can gradually make the mixture stronger as needed. Start with 50/50 . If that isn’t strong enough simply add additional vinegar. You can use straight white vinegar as well, it shouldn’t harm your tile or grout at all. Just scrub it until the grout gives up and you’ve scrubbed it into submission.
Unsanded grout, because it is more dense, is less apt to let stains in much farther than the initial top layer of the grout. So you just have to scrub that. Using the above method should work well.
The problem most people have is that they think if they scrub some of the actual grout out of the tile it will somehow compromise the tile itself – it will not. Grout has absolutely nothing to do with holding the tiles in place, stabilizing the tile, or any number of other things people are led to believe by the aforementioned “experts”. Absolutely nothing. So scrub away.
That’s it. This method should take care of most stains and discolorations in your grout. But, you say, all you’ve told me is to scrub the grout. Well, mostly. I do not claim to be an expert on the easy way. I am, however, well versed on the correct way. The above is the correct way. Sorry.
There is no magical solution that will gather up a stain and pull it out of the grout (unless it’s blood, hydrogen-peroxide will do that. Don’t ask me how I know that). While the grout does not make a difference with the stability of the tile itself, a lot of on the market cleaners will eventually compromise the integrity of the grout. The solutions above will not. Stains do not come out of cement-based products easily. Ever try to get oil off of your driveway? Grout is a cement-based product.
Sometimes once it’s stained, you will not be able to remove it. Don’t spend hundreds of dollars trying all the magical formulas, they don’t work. Think about it like this: if you spill cherry kool-aid on your white grout, do you really think that stuff in that bottle you just bought for $30.00 will remove it? It won’t. You’re stuck scrubbing. But that actually works better (and it’s less expensive).
If doing this does not remove your stain or discoloration to your satisfaction you may be better off just replacing the grout. Don’t let that scare you at all. It’s fairly easy and you can do it, believe it or not, for about $25.00. Less than a bottle of “magic”.
But that is a whole different post. Until then stop changing your oil on the kitchen floor.
Hi Roger,
first let me admit I know nothing about floors,tiles etc. I am just a mom trying to keep my house clean.
With that being said I have a 3500 sq foot house and was told my floor is travertine (by the way almost ALL of it except for the bedrooms is travertine flooring) It has-or should I say HAD cream grout. To make a long story short major areas are so dark they almost look black. I have read your posts and answers etc. and if I understand correctly (I hope I am so I don’t look stupid to you or your followers) that I should only use a professional grout cleaner from a Home Depot or such?
I spent $45.00 on 1 small bottle and again if I understand correctly I figure if that’s the case it will take me months to clean if I do a 2 foot or more section per day….I don’t mind how much it costs but it damn well better work. Can you please tell me what items YOU suggest to clean and wipe it with.
I would very much appreciate your advise as your site seems to be the only one that I believe.
Sincerely,
Stacey
Hi Stacey,
First I would try something simple like oxygen bleach. (Find some oxy-clean). It normally cleans grout very well. You may also want to see how much it would cost to have the grout steam-cleaned. With the amount of time and work you save it may just work out. It works very well also. Use micro-fiber towels for any cleanup.
Dear Elf
How effective are the steam cleaners? Would those $100 models help in anyway? Would it reduce the amount of scrubbing with vinegar?
Thank you
Hey Joe,
The steam will release the dirt from the grout so yes, the cheap ones will work as well.
Thanks Roger. It sounds like I could steam the grout first, then use the scrubbing method explained here.
I asked our tile guy:
On the bathroom and kitchen floors, I have 1/4″ multi colored cobalt blue tile with sanded charcoal grey grout. How often should it be re-sealed. How long should the seal ‘set’ ? What should it be washed with? what tool should be used to clean these tiles?
The walls have off white 3″ tiles with charcoal grey sanded grout. should they be cleaned in the same way as the floors? same tools?
Because the light is so limited, we had the ceilings in these 2 rooms tiled, to circulate the light. Should I ask tile guy if it’s all sanded grout?
Now, here’s your chance to rib me :: I’m planning to use water and Lysol disinfectant to wash the floors. What should I use for grease spatters in the kitchen?
Hi Lucille,
The resealing frequency of the sealer depends on how much abrasion your particular installation gets. Read through this to get the basics down: Tile and stone sealers. There is not generic answer to how often it should be sealed, it depends on the installation. Most of the questions you’ve asked are answered right on the sealer bottle. The manufacturer will tell you how to properly care for their product – they don’t want it to fail. Another thing that depends on your particular product.
Any tile installation should be cleaned with a neutral ph cleaner. You’ve mentioned Lysol – they do have a tile and bathroom cleaner which is ph neutral, it will work just fine for your tile. Normally the tile should be cleaned with a soft cotton cloth and your cleaner. If you need deeper cleaning use a soft bristled brush and your cleaner. The cleaning regiment of your tile and grout doesn’t depend much on whether it is sanded or unsanded.
We recently moved into a home with 600 sq. ft. of ceramic floor tile in which the grout had not been cleaned in at least 7 years (elderly previous owner). We too found OxyClean to work better than any other product.
As per the discussions above with the Home Depot associate, I also work in the Flooring Department of Home Depot Canada. I have stopped worrying about what the customer buys. If they don’t like our recommendations, there isn’t much we can do about them buying inappropriate or cheaper products.
And don’t get me started on owners who are cheaply upgrading the appearance of a house for a quick flip/sale. They should be rooted to their floor with a nail gun.
Hey David,
I completely agree – it’s the whole leading a horse to water thing. My issue with the referenced conversation, however, was not that she can not control what the customer buys, or recommends one product over another. You guys are completely within your right to do so. Some know how to recommend things properly, some don’t have a clue – and that usually makes little or no difference in some of your customer’s purchases anyway. You can only do so much.
My issue was that the need for annual sealing was recommended and TileLab products were one of the choices thrown out there. It is my opinion that unless tilelab is the ORIGINAL sealer used on an installation it should not be used to ‘maintain’ the sealed surface. If a different brand or type of sealer is applied over an already sealed surface and it is incompatible the new layer may ‘spall’, or peel. So although you can reseal every year it’s not required. It doesn’t hurt, but you need to use compatible sealers to do so. That was not mentioned. And splashing water on tile is not an accurate determination of an installation being sealed, or needing to be resealed.
I understand you can’t control what people buy, I get that, and I know it’s frustrating as hell. I, however, can control whether or not I let someone toss out certain product’s names on my website which I know for a fact to be incompatible with other products. I just don’t allow that. I have no problem mentioning specific products (none of which I get paid for) but I do want people to be informed about possible problems if they use them. That’s all I was doing, she happened to take it personally.
Oh well.
You’re correct, there are some people for which a nail gun would come in very handy.
In reference to Liz’s enquiry, the actual warranty for Surfacegard Sealer states:
Expected Wear
Lasts up to 20 years under normal conditions depending on hardness
and texture of surface. Use factors, cleaning routines, harsh cleaning
methods, sun exposure and weather conditions will affect wear.
In other words, in a perfectly controlled environment – not likely!
I work at Home Depot and always emphasize the small print:
Do not use cleaners containing ammonia, acids or bleach. Use an
appropriate TileLab® or Aqua Mix® neutral cleaner. Tile industry
experts recommend periodic testing of sealed surfaces. Apply a few
drops of water on the surface. If it soaks in, a coat of TileLab® or
Aqua Mix® sealer will be necessary to keep sealer at peak
performance.
Knowing our customers typical cleaning methods (or lack of) we recommend checking and resealing as part of your home’s annual maintenance.
Hi Lorri,
There’s going to be a list here, please don’t take it personally, but please pay attention to it.
To begin with the enquiry to which you have responded is three years old, Liz has likely made her decision and moved on.
While you may work at Home Depot it is apparent that you have had either no instruction or, at most, improper instruction on how sealers work, why they work and when they are needed. You can begin to remedy that here: How tile and stone sealers work.
Splashing water onto your sealed surface IS ABSOLUTELY NOT an accurate test of whether your sealer needs to be replaced. It just isn’t. I don’t know which ‘industry experts’ you may be referring to, but it is my guess that they are the industry experts at selling sub-par materials rather than the industry experts on tile and stone sealers.
The only surface that would require resealing yearly would be one which receives the equivalent of commercial traffic, one which received a cheap sub-par sealer to begin with, or one which was improperly sealed. If it does need to be sealed yearly your sealer isn’t worth the plastic bottle it’s stored in.
You do make some valid points such as the cleaning methods (or lack of) and the 20 year claim in a real-world environment. However, you’ve also come onto my website and not only stated a corporation for which you work, you repeatedly threw out specific names of two products your company attempts to push down the throat of every consumer looking at a bag of thinset – one of which I think is absolute junk. Please do not do that here.
I’m also fairly positive that the industry expert of whom you speak happens to work for that particular brand. I am not interested in a professional marketer’s opinion on how often his particular product needs to be used when speaking to people not educated in that field. If he could get away with it he’d tell you it needs to be resealed monthly.
Knowing how these particular marketers work (because I actually AM an industry expert) I do not blame you for this, I blame lack of proper instruction on your company – it’s rampant and frustrating. So at this point I am of the belief that you actually do have the best of intentions and offer my assistance with instruction. The post to which I linked earlier is the first of two parts which gives you basic information about sealers.
If, however, you are here simply in an attempt to convince people that the two products you’ve mentioned should be applied to their installation annually, it’s bullshit and I don’t allow misinformation to be spread here on my site, please try somewhere else.
Which brings me to my last, and most important point: If you use one brand or type of sealer on your installation you DO NOT use a different brand or type to add to it. The reason for this actually derives from the little green bottle of sealer you mentioned above. If the two sealers are incompatible they will not bond together. When they don’t bond together well heat or humidity will cause them to separate, this causes your sealer to ‘spall’, or flake away from the layer over which it is applied. Should one of my readers use that particular sealer annually over a different brand they originally used their floor would begin to look like a snake shedding it’s skin.
Did the industry expert tell you that?
Actually, I do take it personally – these are not my opinions – I was simply relaying the information on the bottle. “Industry experts” is their wording not mine. In fact, Surfacegard is from TileLab and distributed by Custom Building Products. It’s one that meets the environmental requirements for products carried in Canadian Home Depot stores. It’s not required to reapply annually but when you hear some of the grout cleaning methods used by some of my customers (the blowtorch was the scariest one) you’d probably recommend sealing more frequently or better yet, having NO TILE! If nothing else, it ensures some actually think about cleaning their grout at least once a year! While Aquamix is available through special order, it’s not a popular choice mainly because of price. Customers often do what they can to save money and often to avoid paying professional rates. Believe me, some of them almost faint at the thought of spending $25 for a bottle of sealer let alone more than that! Some people are just uneasy about having anything sitting on their grout for years but that’s a matter for a different kind of professional. And no – it’s not a Canadian thing – I frequent U.S. stores and hear the same old complaint. It doesn’t matter what you tell them – these “types” don’t care what’s best – they want what’s cheapest. It’s was obvious from Liz’s questions that she had little knowledge of tiling and wanted to skip right to the finish. Her level of expertise is no different from many of the customers I meet. Unfortunately this is where the “customer is always right” philosophy has led us to. In a perfect world, the manufacturers would make only the right product but that’s just not the way it rolls.
“Don’t take it personally” but almost anyone can have a professional looking website today – most who read and subscribe to yours are taking your advice on good faith and some probably out of desperation. As for spreading the bullshit, I was simply stating what the manufacturer’s product states not quoting Home Depot policy. You stated you had no personal experience with Surfacegard so perhaps you’re not qualified to provide “expert” advice about it. Custom Building Products has an excellent reputation and maintains a technical division – are you implying that these experts are spewing out lies just to sell their products? This certainly doesn’t bold well for the industry especially since many considered experts (John Bridge ring a bell?) advise you to contact the manufacturer when they are unfamiliar with the product or don’t know the answer. Hopefully you get useful advice whenever you ask for it but always need to weigh that advice. Sometimes you need more – you may have to search for it or pay for it. At the end of the day, it’s your decision you’ll be living with, not the salespersons or tile persons. I relate advice to taking medication – it might help alleviate the symptoms but it seldom eliminates the problem. When I look for a new car, I don’t just depend on the salespersons advice. They can tell me all about the financing, the bells and the whistles but I want to know more so I seek out the head mechanic. I’ve always found them willing and often flattered to be asked.
Knowledge gives you power and a smart consumer educates themselves first. This will also help you ask better questions when you have them! Several times I’ve overheard a “tiling expert” tell their client that their existing vinyl floor is the perfect membrane to use for their new tile job. Believe me, these Experts (“I’ve been tiling since before you were born”) do not take kindly to being informed otherwise – maybe it’s plain laziness or not bothering to keep up with current practises or maybe it’s the fact that a woman has an opinion. In my experience, I’ve found once client understands why a product is better or best for their situation, they’re willing to spend a little more.
Websites like yours show the need for information and are good indicators of the issues that are out there. I certainly don’t profess to be an expert of any kind but I do try to be as informed as I can be, often acquiring knowledge outside the boundaries of my “store training”. I hope it helps me better understand the kind of customers I deal with – their needs, issues and especially their limits. It helps me personally when undertaking jobs in my own home. When I have questions I look to other sources – like yours. So don’t worry, I don’t have plans to pin an “EXPERT” button on my chest any time soon. I’ll leave that to you – besides, it would probably hurt.
By the way, I did not see any date displayed for Liz’s post so I had no idea how old it was.
Lorri, perhaps you misread or misunderstood the ‘professional advice’ I gave Liz about the SurfaceGuard??? It consisted of this:
“You should seal the grout. I have not had personal experience with surface guard but custom products makes excellent materials.”
I have not used it – I stated that. I also stated that the company that manufactures it makes excellent materials. And that was all I said about it. I understand the need to research products and speak with the manufacturers, and if you read around my site a bit I recommend that a lot. Yes, John Bridge does ring a bell – he’s a friend of mine. You can find me on his site with over 2500 posts.
My issue with your post was twofold: First, it is the first time you’ve shown up on my site and I don’t know you. I answer an average of 30 or so questions a day. Above and beyond those thirty I get AT LEAST fifteen people I don’t know show up and mention a well known company and a couple of products their company sells in an attempt to build their links or sell their products on my site. I don’t tolerate that, it’s what has kept this site neutral. I don’t know if you’re one of those – at least I did not when I originally replied. Now that I know you’re not we can move on.
My second is, although you did give advice ‘relaying it from the information on the bottle’, it was incomplete advice. I know for a fact (it happened on one of my installations) that if TileLab sealer is applied over a certain sealer which was originally used it WILL spall, and the installation will look like a snake shedding it’s skin. I try to give complete, rounded advice here – that is a point which needs to be made if someone is considering sealing their installation annually.
If they use the tilelab initially there shouldn’t be a problem doing it annually with the same sealer. The same applies to any sealer. Not all sealers are incompatible, but some are – people are not aware of that. If they choose to seal yearly that’s fine, but it isn’t needed. It doesn’t hurt but is not required. So someone stating information from a bottle is not the complete picture, and that’s what I try to provide here.
It has nothing to do with laziness, not keeping up with current standards (I’m actually required to do so for two of my certifications), the fact that you’re a woman (I’ve seen women installers who kick my ass) or doing it for 20 years – another excuse from so-called ‘professionals’ that chaps my ass. I’ve seen installers that have been doing it for two years absolutely crush guys doing it for thirty. It’s all relative and all those excuses are bullshit.
The bottom line is I KNOW how price affects customer’s attitudes towards certain products – you deal with it every day a hell of a lot more than I do. That, however, does not change the compatibility issues with certain products nor, as you’ve pointed out, what may or may not be proper for their installation.
Abrasion is the only thing that wears sealer. If the sealer is worn off the top surface of a tile, which means it will soak in water, it does not at all mean that the tile is no longer sealed. Sealer does not waterproof anything, it does not prevent water from being soaked into the tile. An impregnating sealer will still be in the pores of the tile long after the surface portion of the sealer has been worn away. If they want to maintain a surface sealant on the tile then reapplying it annually is fine, but it’s not needed nor required. This also is not my opinion, it is from a discussion with one of the lead chemists at Miracle Sealants.
It is information like that I want my readers to know, the entire picture so they CAN make an informed decision with as much information as possible. So I apologize for my brashness, I simply didn’t know if you were attempting to push product here, I did not mean to imply that you were spreading bullshit (unless you were, in fact, hawking products
). I do truly appreciate you researching products you sell and trying to have the information at hand when needed – I’m sure you know a lot in your position do not.
We have 2×2 travertine tile on the floor in our master shower that is used daily. After 2 months of moving into our brand new house, we were starting to have a pretty bad mold problem in the grout lines and some spots in the tile. I contacted the guy who did the tile work and he came back, took all the grout out and put in new epoxy grout. Everything was sealed after, and we let that dry for a good 2 days before using the shower again. Now, 3 months after that, the mold is back and is getting worse day by day. I’m at the point where I don’t know what else to do! It’s disgusting to think we have only been in our house for 5 months and having such a major problem with the mold. Any advice or help would be much appreciated!!
Hi Brittney,
The only reason mold is going to grow in your shower floor is standing, stagnant water. The only reason you would have that is if the floor was built improperly (without a pre-slope). If you look at some of the photos on my flawed page (18 and 36) it will show you exactly how the water is sitting under your tile. Sealer does not keep water out of your tile, and you still have water flowing into the liner from the wall – both COMPLETELY normal. It needs to be removed and built correctly. Ask him if there’s a preslope under there. Better yet, ask him how he built the floor – the layers. I’m sure the liner is directly on a flat substrate.
What confuses the hell out of me is that we do have a pre-slope and I saw him put the liner (it was like a thick red paint if I recall correctly). Should we be wiping the floor every night after we use the shower? Should we be leaving the door open so it can dry better? (We have glass walls/door that stop about 2 feet from ceiling) What would you recommend to clean the floors to remove the mold?
I can email you pictures if you need to see it better
Did he put an additional layer of deck mud on top of the red paint? The red paint was likely redgard, which is fine. Something in there, however, is retaining water, it may be clogged weep holes. You can upload pictures here and I can take a look to see what I can see.
HI, looking for some input: we have white/grey polished marble tiles with white sanded grout, will the above mentioned method discolor the marble? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!
You don’t want to use vinegar on marble. Vinegar is an acid and marble is a calcium-based stone, it will etch the surface. Instead use oxygen bleach, it is in products like oxy clean. Just let it soak on there and rinse it off. You can use a soft cotton towel if you need to agitate it a bit.
i was cleaning my floor tile with grout cleaner and after i finished cleaning it left white spot marks.how do i now remove those marks
Hi Nuran,
I have no idea. What type of tile? What specific grout cleaner? I’ve never actually heard of a grout-specific cleaner – is that what you have? With most chemicals you can usually wet a cotton towel with more of the chemical and it will reactivate the stain, you can then clean the spot off with it.
We have terracotta tiles.I used the long life grout cleaner which I bought from bunnings.I sprayed and brushed with the brush.It cleaned the grout but left white marks on the tiles. Should I ring the product company?
That would be your best bet. They are really the only ones who can tell you how to both solve the problem and not compromise the product.
I have ceramic tiles with cement grout….with wear and tear over the years which Im sure no one ever cleaned it. Traffic areas at the entrance door and the kitchen and bathroom the cement grout has gone black while some areas of my apt where there is not much traffic area is white…Please help me in how to make this look clean and white again…again its cement between the ceramic tiles and I dont know what else to do….I have tried so many things as in a bleach cleaner, white vinegar and apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and nothing makes a difference. Im not sure where I live how long the tiles have been here in my apt. Thanks
Hey Debra,
You can try oxygen bleach. It’s in products like oxy-clean and will usually take most staining out of grout. If that works then use a good sealer over your grout – it’ll keep stains away. If it doesn’t work then you can always use a grout colorant. Just google ‘grout colorant’ and see what you have available near you or to order online. It works well.
Thank you for your reply Roger
Thanks for a great site!
We put light tile with very light grout in our new house’s foyer and laundry/mud room. It’s beautiful tile, but what was I thinking about the laundry/mud room? I live where the dirt is red so I have mud stains on some of the grout. It’s depressing. I feel like it will never be clean again and it’s only a few months old.
I’ve read a bunch of stuff online and most of it is garbage. Tried oxygen bleach and was not impressed.
I’ve been trying the hydrogen peroxide/baking soda mixture with some success, but I think I need to brush it and leave it on longer.
I’m going to try white vinegar as well.
Thanks for all the great advice!
Hey LJ,
Once you get it clean use a good sealer like miracle sealant’s 511 and you’ll be able to wipe the mud right off of it from then on.
Hi Roger,
We have penny tile on the floor of our shower, installed over brand new everything with sanded grout just over a year ago. We’ve used the shower fairly regularly after it had time to cure (but it remains unsealed). So far it looks great, other than a handful of places with very small holes??
So I cleaned it really well a couple of days ago. I used an oxygen based powder cleanser (no bleach) and a stiff grout brush. During cleaning, I could actually feel sand which alarmed me. Now dry, there are some places in the grout that are pitted and uneven! I was planning to regrout over the tiny holes but after reading your advice I don’t know what to do…did I remove grout with scrubbing?? Now it seems it’s worse than before. This is obviously a high use high moisture area…and it was just done! Please help!
Thank you,
Marnie
Hey Marnie,
You probably did loosen some of the grout with the scrubbing brush. It was likely, however, grout that was not installed correctly. When grouting you need to pay close attention to getting the entire grout line filled. If not you can end up with what are called ‘grout bridges’ where a portion of grout is actually missing in the grout line but the top portion covers it up, it’s a hollow area in the grout line.
You should be able to just go over all of it with fresh grout and let it cure for a full 24 hours before use. It should be fine. If not you’ll just be back to where you are now. Unfortunately that problem requires much more demanding work to fix. Removing grout from penny tiles is a PAIN. I’ve done it once. ONCE!
i have terra cotta tiles in most of my home. When i moved in 4 years ago i tried to clean the grout with various cleaners and what i ended up with is grout that is discolored and looks inconsistent. It always looks dirty because of this. how can I get the grout to be consistent. I believe the original ground was grey. The tile was initially installed 28 years ago. Thanks, Carrie
Hi Carrie,
Google ‘grout colorant’. There are two types, a topical and a dye. The dyes are better but can’t always be used unless you’re going from a lighter color to a darker one. The topical are similar to epoxy paints.
Roger, first, wish i could post a photo of my stone backsplash so you could see it.
1st day- i sealed the stone
2nd day- i laid the stone.
yesterday- i did the unsanded grout. 12×12 Chiaro Brick Mosiac, Tumbled Stone, Lowes. took me forever, all those little nicks and crannies !!! My question, before the final step of sealing the stone, is that I used French Vanilla unsanded grout and after wiping and wiping and wiping it is still on my stone a little. it’s a little “whiter” than my stone and i would like to try to wipe some of it off. is there something i can use to clean the stone without compromising stone or grout ?
Hi Judy,
Get a grout haze remover. They are sometimes sold in the tile section of big box stores, all tile shops carry it. It should take it right off.
Hi There,
Your information is very informative. We just had our living, dining, kitchen and bathrooms tiled with ceramic tile planks. Grout line 1/8th inch. Unsanded Grout. We were warned to not get dark grout because it can turn white/light in spots…we went with a lighter color but its turning very light and when I go to clean it turns whiter. I am assuming this is hard water issue…should I mop the floor with vinegar and water solution? Any other suggestions? Thank you.
Hey Dowling,
It likely is due to hard water deposits. Your best bet is to clean it with a ph-neutral tile cleaner made specifically for tile, then use a good sealer for the grout to seal the deposits out. If they show up again after that you should be able to simply wipe it off the grout lines with a damp towel.
Great, I didn’t know there was such a thing! Now what if I haven’t put water on them at all or mopped most of the floors because I was worried about the grout turning more white with hard water BUT the grout is already turning white in spots without ever having had water on it (or milk if you were wondering). Could there be something coming up through the grout from the flooring? Thanks for your time!
It could be latex leaching, but that is EXTREMELY rare and it’s likely just the hard water deposits. Scratch a bit of the surface of the grout where it’s white and see if the color is correct below it. If it is then it’s hard water.
Recently had a porcelain tile floor installed. Before I could get at the grout sealing, some doughhead (all fingers pointing at yours truly) knocked a part bottle of olive oil onto the floor and the grout in a five foot square area is now stained. Tiles were nice and slick though.
Ideas for cleaning up my mess?
Yeah, I read the [part about the scrubbing and the vinegar/water sol’n. Should I wash the area with hot soapy weater first? The sealing will commence after the cleaning.
Hey Steve,
Scrub it with a 50/50 solution of dawn dishwashing liquid and water. You’ll need to do it a couple of times to draw the oil out of it, but that usually works.
Hi,
About 8 months ago we had our shower retiled. I have noticed that the grout is already discolouring and in some places chipping away. I have scrubbed the grout with vinegar, but it hasnt removed the stains. Our other shower which was also recently done, about two months ago is also starting to discolour.
Help!
Thanks
Hi Carly,
If it’s chipping or cracking away that is indicative of movement. Discoloring (we yanks spell it without the ‘u’
) is indicative of a cementious grout which is not sealed. Have you tried oxygen bleach? That will normally get nearly any stain out of grout. Once you do get it clean a good sealer will prevent further discoloration (again – without the ‘u’ :D). The cracking or chipping is what I would be concerned with – do you know how your showers were waterproofed?
Hi Roger,
No I havent tried an oxygen bleach, will give it a go. The showers were sealed with a paint on product underneath the tiles, then a silicone type product along the corners/joins. I’m not sure exactly what it was though.
Well, keep an eye out for more cracking. It may be indicative of a larger problem.
We are going to use DuPont StoneTech Profession Grout release before grouting our copper slate (quartzite) floor. Should we remove it from the tile before sealing? If so, how? We’ve read directions and website info and even asked at the place we bought the tile and product and did not get a definitive answer. Thank you.
Hi Juli,
Any grout release product will be removed from the tile as you clean off the grout. While there may still be some left in the pores of the stone all that does is seal the tile similar to how your regular sealer will. Just use the grout release, grout and clean well, then seal. That’s it.
Hi Roger,
I was unable to add anymore to my other post about grout, caulk, etc. so I figured I would add it here as it will probably fit better here anyway…here is the deal… I grouted my bathtub walls and bathroom floor and I think I screwed it up. The grout on the walls was applied with no issues and wiped down once then twice to clean the major crud off before it set after leaving grout in joints for 15-25 minutes. Then a whiteish have appeared on the tile that I waited until the entire area was done and setting up, probably an hour total and went to wipe off the haze with a damp towel. This seemed to work well and I got most of the haze off. In doing so it seems that I also may have wiped the haze into the grout joints as they dried much lighter than they were suposed to. I fell pretty confident the consistency was right for the grout and I let it set up as bit before applying it. This was done yesterday morning. I have not tried anything yet to remove this from the grout joints yet and want to be sure I do it right if its possible.
Second problem is the floor grout…Both wall and floor grout was Mapei Sanded grout…the floor should be brown, it turned out light brown with light areas in it. The consistency of the floor grout may have been a bit thin but not real bad in my opinion. It seemed to take much longer to set up than the wall and it seemed shiny and almost tacky or sticky for awhile. The handfull i kept from the mixed batch dried the right color. 3/16 grout joints.
Do you have any advice on what to try to do to fix or clean this or am I screwed?
Thank You once again! (I should have just hired you and flew you here to do this project for me)
It’s doesn’t sound like the grout, it sounds like a problem with the water. Either the amount used in the grout or cleaning or with the quality of the water. Do you have hard water where you live? It sounds like efflorescence which is left over mineral deposits on the surface of the grout once the water evaporates. Did the ‘shininess’ of the grout as it was curing look like water on the surface? If so it is indicative of too much water in the grout.
To get absolute results you need to follow the mixing amounts fairly closely, and deviation could lead to efflorescence or crumbling grout. In an inconspicuous area scratch the surface of the grout down about 1/8″. Is it the right color? If so that’s the problem. It can sometimes be removed with a mild vinegar and water wash.
We have city water, but old plumbing nd I used garden hose for water supply so may be that didnt help.
Update is: the vinegar and water worked great on the floor and that is what I thought I screwed up the most, it is one even color now and ready to be sealed. The walls it seems to help slighlty with a lot of scrubbing with a stiff bristle brush and 50/50 vinegar and water. I will give the walls one more wash with this solution and scrubbing then wipe with clean water and it will be good enough, the colors in the grout do match the tile colors, I was just hoping for the one color grout. Do you think a stronger vinegar solution may help or cause more trouble? The grout seems the right color underneath with scratch test.
Thanks Again for the help!
You should be able to get it all off with numerous vinegar washings. I wouldn’t go over 50/50. Vinegar is an acid and unless neutralized may continue to degrade the grout. If you go too strong it’ll get into the pores of the grout and can’t be rinsed out – then it’ll cause problems.
Hello Roger,
I am in what sounds like to be the same boat as this gentlemen. I just finished grouting with Mapei Keracolor grout along with a sealing additive (Grout Booster from Lowes) and I have what looks to be a efflorescence problem. I have white lines everywhere. Can I still use this method of clean up (vinegar/water) with this combination and how long do I have to do this? I’ll scratch to confirm the color.
I did not see another post and tried to SEARCH efflorescence in your box to not double up. Excuse me if I am having you repeat yourself from another thread.
Thanks,
Brian-
Thanks,
Hey Brian,
I do not have a post on efflorescence yet. It’s a tricky subject to explain easily. The problem is likely your grout boost anyway, the latex in it. Call the tech line for the grout boost and explain it to them. I don’t know if the vinegar will work with it or not, they can give you a better answer than I can.
That’s why I don’t use the stuff.
Roger,
I called both Mapei and Grout Boost, both suggest using sulfmatic acid to wash the grout lines. Grout Boost said the vinegar may work possibly. I’ll let you know. These products are compatible with each other so that should not be a problem.
Thanks for the responses to my questions!
Brian-
Hey Jeff…sorry, I mean Roger, Well we are almost finished with the Master Bath and getting ready to start on my sons’ bath. Thanks again for the earlier help!
My question today is what would you recommend to clean the hase left behind from epoxy grout? I will not get into why we used epoxy grout
. I read about the vinegar but not sure about the epoxy equation???
Hi Mortimer, sorry, I mean Doug.
Depends on what brand of epoxy you used. Which was it?
Looks like CEG-Lite Commercial Epoxy Grout! More like comical pain in the
Grout! 
Yeah, you got that right! Hate that stuff.
Here you go: Epoxy grout haze removal
Thank you very much!
Hello, I have a terracotta floor – tiles were unsealed when laid and then sealed with linseed oil. The grout was left unsealed but started to look grubby so I cleaned it and then tried to seal both tiles and grout with boiled linseed oil. The tiles look good but the grout is patchy and uneven in colour like the oil has been absorbed in places and not in others – tried to scrub out the oil with vinegar solution but there are still dark bits. Any suggestions please?
Thanks
Lucy
Hi Lucy,
It was likely due to inconsistent grout line depths due to the amount of thinset throughout the installation. The areas with more grout are more porous and soak up more linseed oil. You may want to try some enhancing sealer on the grout only. That should even it out for you and seal it as well.
Hi, Jeff.
We had to use unsanded grout for our textured, natural-stone tiles for the entryway right inside the front door. We haven’t found a cleaner that will remove the unsanded grout from the tile surface. Will your vinegar solution work to remove the unsanded grout from the tile surfaces? We don’t really want to use any products with noxious fumes as we have a baby at home and we can’t leave the front door open for ventilation.
Cheers,
Daisy
Hi George (I’m Roger, not Jeff – but I’ve been called a LOT worse than that
)
A 10:1 solution of hot water – white vinegar and a micro-fiber towel should be sufficient to get rid of your grout haze. If you need more just add a bit more vinegar at a time. Do not go over about 4:1. Vinegar is an acid and may etch your natural stone. I don’t know what type of stone you have – some are softer than others. But acid will etch them all if strong enough. Always test on a scrap piece first.
Hi. I would like to add a method. I tried yours and it only semi-worked for me, and resulted in lots of hard labor. I have about 1500sqft of tile, so it was a big job…
First let me say your site is the only thing that got me anything that worked at all, so thanks!
My original and difficult method semi based on the above was to first steam as much dirt as i could out with a fine-point steamer attachment (like a pencil tip hole or a little bigger for max pressure)…and then use the method above, i.e. bleach and scrubbing. This worked to some degree, but couldnt handle some spots where the grout was laid rougher
Leave it to me to get 90% done before i happened upon the golden method that made it a breeze: Reverse the order. Lay the bleach first, and wait 1-5 minutes. Then, with the bleach still on, use the steamer with the little high pressure tip mentioned above, and shoot the grout. Holy crap, compared to what i was dealing with before, the dirt just FLEW off. and also: my now dry grout i’ve used this method on is now whiter WITH NO SCRUBBING than the entire rest of the floor that i slaved over.
So. Bleach, wait a few, steam, wipe up the water/bleach excess with a garbage towel as you go…DONE.
Booya. i had to come back here and share this because i searched for hours trying to find something that would help me make this not so painful.
Thanks Jeff, I’ll update this post over the weekend to let everyone know. Never even thought about that, glad to hear it works so well.
Thanks for sharing – you rock!
Hi, I have durango travertine on my floor and years ago a glossy finish & sealer (I think by Tile Lab) was put on the floor. It was very soft and everything scratched it, even light things like the wheels to the vac. I finally sanded the finish off my floor, but I’m left with the finish on the grout lines. I’ve cleaned them well but the grout lines look discolored. Could it be that dirt has penetrated into the soft finish? The lines are still shiney from the finish that was applied. I tried a stripper on part of the grout but that has left the grout lines grey and mottled. Is there anything that will sand the finish off the grout lines? Do you have any other suggestion for me? I have about 1300 sq. ft. of bone sanded grout. Thanks for your help.
Hey Sandra,
It sounds like the old sealer has finally been worn down and stained, although to be honest I’m not absolutely certain that’s why it has started discoloring. Regardless, unless it is only discolored in places that gets regular sunlight shining on it, it has stained for some reason, but you already knew that.
Being that it is a topical sealer it’s very possible that it’s only the sealer (or mostly the sealer) that is stained. If a stripper doesn’t work you will need to manually remove the stripper. The only way I can think of to do that would be to try a drywall sanding sponge. Just run it back and forth across the grout lines and it should begin to lighten up to the original grout color as the sealer is removed.
Once you get it removed use an impregnating sealer rather than a topical sealer on it. It will seal the pores in the grout and stone without making it ‘shiny’.
I’ve just finished a bar floor using 12×12 slate. The thickness of the tiles is of course all over the place. The first slate job I did I spent hours pre-arranging all the tiles so that the edges lined up with minimal amounts of lippage. I’ve since figured out it’s much easier to just set the tiles and then go back with a tiny chisel and “sculpt” any edges that are too high. Is there another technique that can be used to get these :censored:’n tiles to be flat so no one trips on them? Grouting this stuff is a pain too (done a couple showers both using 4×4 slate, ughhh). Is there any techniques you could recommend, besides having lots of clean water and sponges handy?
Hey Tony,
I absolutely hate slate that is not gauged (nor rectified, for that matter). The chisel works all right but can get tedious quickly. I have used my grinder to knock it down and go back over it with some polishing pads. There’s really no good answer to that part short of explaining to your customer what to expect should they choose that tile and be sure to charge for the time it takes you to do it. If you lay it out for them they’ll realize it will actually be cheaper for them to buy good slate than to save a couple of bucks on the stone and pay you to fix it all.
Before you grout your tile you can either use grout release (it actually works pretty well on slate) or give it a couple of coats of a good sealer. The grout release is cheaper but quicker. The sealer is more expensive but it saves multiple coats of sealer after you grout it. Either one makes it a lot easier to get the excess grout off.
Hi, i found your article most knowledgable and have a question about ceramic 12 inch by 8 inch
wall tile I will be grouting. They have 1/8 inch space. I was told to use sanded grout. Is this correct? The tilr is a matt finish, will the tile scratch when putting on the grout? Should we use a plastic or metal float?Should I seal the grout? The fellow at Home Depot recommended a brand called Surface Guard website is http://www.custombuildingproducts.com He said it has a 20 yr warranty against staining…do you know the product? Thanks for your help! Liz
Hi Liz,
Sanded grout is correct. A matte finish should not scratch at all with a sanded grout. As with anything related to tile and chemicals, though, always test it on an extra or scrap piece to ensure that. Always use a plastic (rubber) grout float to grout tile. If you purchase an ‘epoxy’ grout float it will work a bit easier. They are made of a softer rubber or a gum rubber and assist with getting the grout firmly into the grout lines.
You should seal the grout. I have not had personal experience with surface guard but custom products makes excellent materials. Sealer is one item with which the cost is directly related to the quality. In other words you will get what you pay for. The more expensive the better the product. With any sealer you will want to follow their directions exactly for the installation of the product to get the best results.
If you have any other questions at all please don’t hesitate to ask.