Cleaning old Tile Grout / Admix?
 

Hello All. Anyone have advice on the following. Is there anyway to remove
grout/admix on the surface of my bathroom tile.

A previous contractor, mixed something, (Admix?) to the grout to make it
water-proof I guess, but never bother to remove the excess.

Now it's on solid, and no amount of scrubbing can take it off. Any ideas?

(I want to keep the tile, only just remove the grout left on the surface of
the bathroom floor tile.)

Thanks!

Cleaning old Tile Grout / Admix?
 

"R Guzman" wrote in message
nk.net...
Hello All. Anyone have advice on the following. Is there anyway to remove
grout/admix on the surface of my bathroom tile.

A previous contractor, mixed something, (Admix?) to the grout to make it
water-proof I guess, but never bother to remove the excess.

Now it's on solid, and no amount of scrubbing can take it off. Any ideas?

(I want to keep the tile, only just remove the grout left on the surface
of the bathroom floor tile.)

Thanks!

go to a real tile store and ask. there are products for this, containing
mostly some kind of acid.

Cleaning old Tile Grout / Admix?
 

On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 19:57:21 GMT, "R Guzman"
wrote:

A previous contractor, mixed something, (Admix?) to the grout to make it
water-proof I guess, but never bother to remove the excess.

Now it's on solid, and no amount of scrubbing can take it off. Any ideas?

(I want to keep the tile, only just remove the grout left on the surface of
the bathroom floor tile.)

Try a sharp instrument like a scrapper with the razor blade and then
some elbow grease and some more scrubbing.

Oren
"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland
and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore
excused from saving Universes."

Cleaning old Tile Grout / Admix?
 

"R Guzman" wrote in message
nk.net...
Hello All. Anyone have advice on the following. Is there anyway to remove
grout/admix on the surface of my bathroom tile.

A previous contractor, mixed something, (Admix?) to the grout to make it
water-proof I guess, but never bother to remove the excess.

Now it's on solid, and no amount of scrubbing can take it off. Any ideas?

(I want to keep the tile, only just remove the grout left on the surface
of the bathroom floor tile.)

Thanks!

I had this problem too many years ago....Muratic acid will remove it nicely
(8 bucks a gallon at a pool store). Be careful with this stuff and use
rubber gloves and also, be careful because it can damage the existing
grout.....good luck...Ross

Cleaning old Tile Grout / Admix?
 

"R Guzman" wrote in message
nk.net...
Hello All. Anyone have advice on the following. Is there anyway to remove
grout/admix on the surface of my bathroom tile.

A previous contractor, mixed something, (Admix?) to the grout to make it
water-proof I guess, but never bother to remove the excess.

Now it's on solid, and no amount of scrubbing can take it off. Any ideas?

(I want to keep the tile, only just remove the grout left on the surface
of the bathroom floor tile.)

Thanks!

Muratic acid will do the trick....get a gallon at a pool supply store for
about 8 bucks as I recall and be careful to wear rubber gloves. The stuff is
pretty obnoxious...also keep in mind that it can damage the existing grout
if you leave it on too long....good luck, Ross

Cleaning old Tile Grout / Admix?
 

"R Guzman" wrote in message
nk.net...
Hello All. Anyone have advice on the following. Is there anyway to remove
grout/admix on the surface of my bathroom tile.

A previous contractor, mixed something, (Admix?) to the grout to make it
water-proof I guess, but never bother to remove the excess.

Now it's on solid, and no amount of scrubbing can take it off. Any ideas?

(I want to keep the tile, only just remove the grout left on the surface
of the bathroom floor tile.)

Thanks!

Muratic acid will do the trick...you can get a gallon for about 8 bucks at a
pool supply store and be careful to wear rubber gloves. This stuff is pretty
obnoxious and don't leave it sit on the grout for too long or it may damage
it....good luck, Ross

Cleaning old Tile Grout / Admix?
 

"Ross Mac" wrote in message
...

"R Guzman" wrote in message
nk.net...
Hello All. Anyone have advice on the following. Is there anyway to
remove grout/admix on the surface of my bathroom tile.

A previous contractor, mixed something, (Admix?) to the grout to make it
water-proof I guess, but never bother to remove the excess.

Now it's on solid, and no amount of scrubbing can take it off. Any
ideas?

(I want to keep the tile, only just remove the grout left on the surface
of the bathroom floor tile.)

Thanks!

Muratic acid will do the trick...you can get a gallon for about 8 bucks at
a pool supply store and be careful to wear rubber gloves. This stuff is
pretty obnoxious and don't leave it sit on the grout for too long or it
may damage it....good luck, Ross


Definately test a small area first. The OP wasn't specific about the tile
material; marble, limestone, other natural stone will all etch to differing
degrees (some significantly faster than latex modified grout, in which case
the grout will come off when the base material etches away). Slate will
hold up well as will most glazed ceramic or porcilin tile. If the acid
fizzes on the ungrouted surface of a tile, don't use it, that is a sign of
etching.

You may not want to douse the whole area with acid but rather soak a small
rag and scrub the surfaces with the leftover grout. Perhaps use a cleaning
pad if the tile is not soft.

Even after etching I had some leftover grout on slate and ended up using a
popsicle stick to scrub it off. The tiny scratches that process left were
completely hidden by the sealer.

Cleaning old Tile Grout / Admix?
 

"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"R Guzman" wrote in message
nk.net...
Hello All. Anyone have advice on the following. Is there anyway to
remove grout/admix on the surface of my bathroom tile.

A previous contractor, mixed something, (Admix?) to the grout to make it
water-proof I guess, but never bother to remove the excess.

Now it's on solid, and no amount of scrubbing can take it off. Any
ideas?

(I want to keep the tile, only just remove the grout left on the surface
of the bathroom floor tile.)

Thanks!

go to a real tile store and ask. there are products for this, containing
mostly some kind of acid.


Those products contain sulphamuric crystals to make a weak sulphuric acid
solution or phosphoric or HCL abut all are much weaker and much more
expensive than muriatic. They are weaker to prevent you from over etching
or burning yourself badly. If you are careful and use diluted solution
first, you should get the same results.

Cleaning old Tile Grout / Admix?
 

On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 12:31:06 -0800, wrote:

On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 19:57:21 GMT, "R Guzman"
wrote:

A previous contractor, mixed something, (Admix?) to the grout to make it
water-proof I guess, but never bother to remove the excess.

Now it's on solid, and no amount of scrubbing can take it off. Any ideas?

(I want to keep the tile, only just remove the grout left on the surface of
the bathroom floor tile.)

Is this glossy tile, or flat porous tile?

I'm thinking glossy.

Try a sharp instrument like a scrapper with the razor blade and then
some elbow grease and some more scrubbing.

Maybe even a putty knife, with the blade fairly close to parallel to
the floor.

If using a razor blade, since the floor is flat, probably any holder
will be good, but here's a story about razor blades on brick walls to
remove excess mortar.

The corners of the blades kept braking, but I have a box cutter where
one end is a knife, and the razor in the other end is a scraper**. So
the center is supported, but the ends are free to bend.

**Many are not like that, and the ones that work this way give no
indication that they do except the shape of the end.

Worked great on the brick wall.

I would think the floor is flat enough that this style would give no
advantage.
Oren
"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland
and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore
excused from saving Universes."


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