There is no reason to use muratic acid when there
are much safer choices. Sulfamic acid is a "safe"
similar acid and is redily available. Muratic acid
is nasty crap, and one should be careful to recommend
it. Unlike sulfamic acid, muratic can easily be harmful
to glazed tile surfaces, and particularly nasty to eyes
and skin. I know that the questioner is advised to
dilute it, but we can't count on his ability to handle such
a nasty material, or store/dispose of it properly.
It will ruin any stainless steel it contacts, not to
mention many other surfaces.
To answer the original question, scrape out the grooves
with a sharp putty knife or small sharp screwdriver to
remove most of it. Then use the sulfamic acid per
directions on container to remove remaining film.
Then rinse with a neutralizer such as baking soda.
thetiler
BobK207 wrote:
dadiOH wrote:
Ray K wrote:
By design, the tile has numerous shallow crevices in it. When I
grouted the floor, I should have been removed the grout from the face
while it was still wet, but I didn't. (At the time, I was unaware of
release agents.) This isn't an issue of an overall haze, but just
grey grout in the crevicies of the browish face.
Since the area is small, about 42" by 60", I am prepared to just pick
out the grout with a tiny screwdriver or pick. Any ideas for
"softening" the grout first with some chemical?
Muriatic (hydrochloric) acid assuming you can keep it off the grout in
the joints. It will eat it up, no picking necessary, but may need more
than one application. You can get muratic acid at pool supply stores,
Home Depot may carry it too.
Generally, it comes in about 28% concentration which is way too strong
for your purpose. A dilution of 1 part 28% with 5 parts of water should
be about right. If that is too weak, increase concentration a bit. Add
acid to water, not vice versa.
When you put it on, it will foam a bit once it contacts the grout. It
will also release unpleasant fumes. Once it stops foaming, the acid has
been pretty much neutralized by the grout; if grout remains, wipe up the
residue and apply acid again. When you are finished, neutralize with
baking soda then clean up with water.
Regardless of concentration, it is very caustic and you need to be
*extremely* careful with it...keep it off you and anything else other
than the grout you want removed. You could apply it with a brush (which
will be ruined) or an eye dropper or kitchen type baster.
--
dadiOH
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If you've got any leftover tiles.............make sure that the acid
does not adversely effect the tiles (glaz, sheen, etc)
I would suggest diluting the acid.......use the weakest solution that
does the trick.
cheers
Bob