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Peanuts748 Mar 2016 14:46A question about the grout between tiles. Even after a year, some of ours are still gray, even though the grout was brown.
Of course, we have cleaned them thoroughly and even used grout cleaner. Fortunately, in the basement corner, this mostly caused two tiles to become stained rather than really cleaning the grout.
Does anyone have tips for the grout and possibly advice on whether or how to restore the tiles? Otherwise, I might need to replace two or three tiles...
Of course, we have cleaned them thoroughly and even used grout cleaner. Fortunately, in the basement corner, this mostly caused two tiles to become stained rather than really cleaning the grout.
Does anyone have tips for the grout and possibly advice on whether or how to restore the tiles? Otherwise, I might need to replace two or three tiles...
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nordanney8 Mar 2016 15:04What exactly is dirty now? The grout or the tile?
Usually, both are cleaned after installation; you can also do it yourself using a cement residue remover (for example, from Mellerud). Additionally, I would clean the grout with a small steam cleaner, or alternatively (if it’s ordinary dirt like you might find in a kitchen or from drooling dogs) with a good lemon-based cleaner and a toothbrush.
Usually, both are cleaned after installation; you can also do it yourself using a cement residue remover (for example, from Mellerud). Additionally, I would clean the grout with a small steam cleaner, or alternatively (if it’s ordinary dirt like you might find in a kitchen or from drooling dogs) with a good lemon-based cleaner and a toothbrush.
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Peanuts748 Mar 2016 15:40nordanney schrieb:
What exactly is dirty now? The grout or the tile? Normally, both are cleaned after installation. You can do this yourself using a cement residue remover (e.g., from Mellerud). Additionally, I would clean the grout with a small steam cleaner, or alternatively (if it’s just regular dirt, like what can occur in the kitchen or from drooling dogs) use a good lemon-based cleaner and a toothbrush.In several areas, the grout is still light gray instead of brown, even after multiple cleanings. In the basement, I tried using grout cleaner, vinegar concentrate, and similar products, but it seems that the tiles in that spot were damaged as a result.
Hello "Peanuts74".
All home remedies involving aqueous solutions that are acidic should be used with caution on cement-based components (in this case: mineral grout compounds)! The reason for my warning is that acidic solutions attack the (alkaline) cement matrix found in all cement-bound construction chemistry products. This inevitably leads to a loss of strength, as the grout slowly wears away from the joint cavity or crumbles.
There can be no "durability" of the coloration of mineral grouts, especially not in a heavily stressed component such as a floor with ceramic tiles, for example. It is unavoidable that dirt with various compositions settles in the joints or on the grout surface. Not all of it can be removed using acidic agents. In particular, fats cannot be dissolved with these.
The problem that bothers you visually is well known in practice. There is only one satisfactory solution, though it requires some effort: renewing the grout joints. The old grout can be removed using a so-called oscillating saw, which is also familiar from emergency care when cutting off old plaster bandages. The new grout should be well pigmented by the manufacturer. Although it may be somewhat more expensive than a standard cement gray grout, it maintains the overall appearance for a longer time.
If, however, the original color BROWN has more or less shifted to GRAY, this indicates that the mixing was not carried out optimally at the time or that the amount of color pigment added was reduced.
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Best regards, KlaRa
All home remedies involving aqueous solutions that are acidic should be used with caution on cement-based components (in this case: mineral grout compounds)! The reason for my warning is that acidic solutions attack the (alkaline) cement matrix found in all cement-bound construction chemistry products. This inevitably leads to a loss of strength, as the grout slowly wears away from the joint cavity or crumbles.
There can be no "durability" of the coloration of mineral grouts, especially not in a heavily stressed component such as a floor with ceramic tiles, for example. It is unavoidable that dirt with various compositions settles in the joints or on the grout surface. Not all of it can be removed using acidic agents. In particular, fats cannot be dissolved with these.
The problem that bothers you visually is well known in practice. There is only one satisfactory solution, though it requires some effort: renewing the grout joints. The old grout can be removed using a so-called oscillating saw, which is also familiar from emergency care when cutting off old plaster bandages. The new grout should be well pigmented by the manufacturer. Although it may be somewhat more expensive than a standard cement gray grout, it maintains the overall appearance for a longer time.
If, however, the original color BROWN has more or less shifted to GRAY, this indicates that the mixing was not carried out optimally at the time or that the amount of color pigment added was reduced.
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Best regards, KlaRa
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Peanuts749 Mar 2016 05:57Thank you very much for the explanation. However, the joints are only 1-2 years old, so it’s unlikely to be a “weathering process.” Since the same PCI mortar was used everywhere, which is naturally brown, that probably isn’t the cause. As I mentioned, it seemed more like construction dust trapped in the pores.
I’m sorry I can’t help you directly, but I heard from our tiler that gypsum dust is especially bad for the grout, and people end up cleaning “endlessly” without success. However, I didn’t ask him how to remove it once it’s there. Maybe it’s gypsum dust at your place as well, which, when mixed with water, creates a stubborn residue that’s hard to get rid of?
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