"dadiOH" wrote in
:

Red Green wrote:
Stand up shower. 2"+ square tiles. Tiles are a mixed grey. Outside
shower also tiled on floor and half walls. Grout is a darker
grey...called natural grey from the grout charts I've looked at. This
is a HUD wreck. Shower was covered with soap scum and it's been
sitting a long time...years. I scrubbed the **** out of it with Comet
spray bath/tile cleaner. Overall it cleaned it up good. Grout is nice
and dark when it's wet. Dries light. Very pale grey. Looks like it
was still loaded with soap scum. But toss a little water on it and it
immediately goes back dark like it originally was (probably). The
fact that it does this is either a sign of hope or no hope. Just not
sure which. Used a nylon brush, a greenie pad and even tried on one
inconspicuous spot a brass wire brush with the cleaner.

Except for a couple of small areas where I have to remove some tiles,
fix backing then replace the tiles, the other tiles are sound - floor
and wall.

I plan on stop by a tile store tomorrow and see what they have to say
for a solution...besides regrout the whole damn thing.

Anyone have any similar experience or input?

Seal it with a non-water base sealer...something that will retain the
wet look when dry. You could even use oil poly by wiping/brushing on
followed by a wipe down with thinner to get rid of any slopped onto
the tile surface (that on the grout will have been sucked in).

Personally, I'd learn to like light grey.


Thanks for the reply.

Well close on the oil poly dadiOH. As I said, need to do some repairs
behind the wall at the shower floor. Tiles loose and press back for like
6" up. Obvious water got in and backing crumbling. That was verified
today.

As it turned out,

But toss a little water on it and it
immediately goes back dark

turned out to be a good thing when I called the tile store this morning.
Guy said there is a "Polycure" product that penetrates way into the grout
and will restore and hold color. I had several squares in tact with grout
I took off the wall. Took it in to the tile store. Guy tried it and it
looked real good. Said to leave it on my sample for a few days/week and
see if it retains to my satisfaction. If not, I can return it. Since I
have the test tile section, I can see a cross section of the grout.
Several hours later the grout is penetrated all the way through the full
depth of the tile. You don't wanna know what this stuff costs, ugh! But
it's better than regrouting.