I just put new tiles in three bedrooms and did the grouting and all.
Lots of work but no special difficulty. My real problem is getting
rid of that whitish film which keeps on re-appearing despite several
scrubs (water only). It does look better with each scrub. But is
there some cleanser that will make the job easier. I read that TSP
could be used but it could stain the tiles if one is not careful with
quick rinsing. Thanks.

wrote:
I just put new tiles in three bedrooms and did the grouting and all.
Lots of work but no special difficulty. My real problem is getting
rid of that whitish film which keeps on re-appearing despite several
scrubs (water only). It does look better with each scrub. But is
there some cleanser that will make the job easier. I read that TSP
could be used but it could stain the tiles if one is not careful with
quick rinsing. Thanks.

You should have gotten rid of the grout haze when it was fresh and
unset...grout, clean, let sit until it hazes, scrub off with a bath towel.

Now that the grout has set completely, you will have to remove it either
physically (scraping) or chemically (acid). Scraping probably isn't a
viable option so that leaves acid. A very weak solution of hydrochloric
acid is commonly used but unless you know what you are doing you can screw
up the tile - and/or yourself - so my advise is to hire a tile man to do it.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On Dec 14, 10:11*pm, wrote:
I just put new tiles in three bedrooms and did the grouting and all.
Lots of work but no special difficulty. *My real problem is getting
rid of that whitish film which keeps on re-appearing despite several
scrubs (water only). *It does look better with each scrub. *But is
there some cleanser that will make the job easier. *I read that TSP
could be used but it could stain the tiles if one is not careful with
quick rinsing. *Thanks.

Have you tried Scotchbrite (http://www.3m.com/us/home_leisure/
scotchbrite/products/scrubber.html)

This stuff is not too aggressive so it shouldn't damage your tile.

Lewis.

*****

wrote:

I just put new tiles in three bedrooms and did the grouting and all.
Lots of work but no special difficulty. My real problem is getting
rid of that whitish film which keeps on re-appearing despite several
scrubs (water only). It does look better with each scrub. But is
there some cleanser that will make the job easier. I read that TSP
could be used but it could stain the tiles if one is not careful with
quick rinsing. Thanks.


What kind of tile do you have? We have porcellain tile, installed by a
contractor. They cleaned
it very well after grouting - plain water, changed often. They advised
we sponge it again with
vinegar in water after a certain length of time ... two days? I don't
remember. When we shopped
for tile, there was another customer in the store asking what could be
done with their new tile job
they had just ruined by trying to remove grout haze with muriatic acid.

If you have unglazed tile, it is probably permanent or a job for an
expert. Unglazed should be
sealed before it is grouted and then cleaned right away.

On Dec 15, 8:14*am, Norminn wrote:

If you have unglazed tile, it is probably permanent or a job for an
expert.

I don't know how one might become an expert at removing set grout haze
from unglazed tile, I think the first job would kill you.

This is a part of setting tile with which I have no experience.

I'd have to guess if anybody knows how to do it it would be a brick
mason or tuck pointer, and one might not want to be too picky about
what happens to the tile.

If, as a journeyman in training you let this happen, your body could
probably be found deeply buried somewhere around the job site.
-----

- gpsman

gpsman wrote:

On Dec 15, 8:14 am, Norminn wrote:


If you have unglazed tile, it is probably permanent or a job for an
expert.



I don't know how one might become an expert at removing set grout haze
from unglazed tile, I think the first job would kill you.

This is a part of setting tile with which I have no experience.

I'd have to guess if anybody knows how to do it it would be a brick
mason or tuck pointer, and one might not want to be too picky about
what happens to the tile.


Not too picky? The whole point of the effort is to make it look good.
The issue is a common
one on ahr and one reason I am very glad we did not do our tile
installation ourselves. We had
a number of issues that were very skillfully handled by our contractor.
Our tile installers, two
young guys, moonlighted for Home Depot ) We could not have asked for
better quality work.

If, as a journeyman in training you let this happen, your body could
probably be found deeply buried somewhere around the job site.
-----

- gpsman

On Dec 15, 9:36*am, Norminn wrote:
gpsman wrote:

I'd have to guess if anybody knows how to do it it would be a brick
mason or tuck pointer, and one might not want to be too picky about
what happens to the tile.

Not too picky? *The whole point of the effort is to make it look good. *
The issue is a common
one on ahr

Your links to the best ahr resolutions seem to be missing...

Blow smoke up your own ass.
-----

- gpsman

On Sun, 14 Dec 2008 20:11:09 -0800 (PST), wrote:

I just put new tiles in three bedrooms and did the grouting and all.
Lots of work but no special difficulty. My real problem is getting
rid of that whitish film which keeps on re-appearing despite several
scrubs (water only). It does look better with each scrub. But is
there some cleanser that will make the job easier. I read that TSP
could be used but it could stain the tiles if one is not careful with
quick rinsing. Thanks.


TSP is a very strong detergent and could damage tile (along with your
skin). If the water rinsing is making a difference, keep rinsing.

wrote in message
...
On Dec 14, 10:11 pm, wrote:
I just put new tiles in three bedrooms and did the grouting and all.
Lots of work but no special difficulty. My real problem is getting
rid of that whitish film which keeps on re-appearing despite several
scrubs (water only). It does look better with each scrub. But is
there some cleanser that will make the job easier. I read that TSP
could be used but it could stain the tiles if one is not careful with
quick rinsing. Thanks.

Have you tried Scotchbrite (http://www.3m.com/us/home_leisure/
scotchbrite/products/scrubber.html)

This stuff is not too aggressive so it shouldn't damage your tile.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have had good success with 3m White scrubbing pads. The white ones have
virtually no abrasiveness but clean the surface without any scratching. You
could also try those white foam pads they advertise on TV, I cannot remember
their name, but they seem to be very good in certain applications.

EXT wrote:


wrote in message
...
On Dec 14, 10:11 pm, wrote:

I just put new tiles in three bedrooms and did the grouting and all.
Lots of work but no special difficulty. My real problem is getting
rid of that whitish film which keeps on re-appearing despite several
scrubs (water only). It does look better with each scrub. But is
there some cleanser that will make the job easier. I read that TSP
could be used but it could stain the tiles if one is not careful with
quick rinsing. Thanks.


Have you tried Scotchbrite (http://www.3m.com/us/home_leisure/
scotchbrite/products/scrubber.html)

This stuff is not too aggressive so it shouldn't damage your tile.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I have had good success with 3m White scrubbing pads. The white ones
have virtually no abrasiveness but clean the surface without any
scratching. You could also try those white foam pads they advertise on
TV, I cannot remember their name, but they seem to be very good in
certain applications.

Good idea......the green ones are too aggressive, as they can scratch
glass (glaze on tile) and stainless steel. I have seen
recommendations to use blue pads on floors, but the choice should be
tested on a spot that isn't obvious. I would
try dilute vinegar/water and proceed to stronger if it doesn't remove
the haze and does not harm the tile.
Take care to rinse thoroughly with clean water and try not to saturate
the grout joints.

On Dec 15, 11:46*am, Norminn wrote:
EXT wrote:

wrote in message
...
On Dec 14, 10:11 pm, wrote:

I just put new tiles in three bedrooms and did the grouting and all.
Lots of work but no special difficulty. My real problem is getting
rid of that whitish film which keeps on re-appearing despite several
scrubs (water only). It does look better with each scrub. But is
there some cleanser that will make the job easier. I read that TSP
could be used but it could stain the tiles if one is not careful with
quick rinsing. Thanks.

Have you tried Scotchbrite *(http://www.3m.com/us/home_leisure/
scotchbrite/products/scrubber.html)

This stuff is not too aggressive so it shouldn't damage your tile.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------*------------

I have had good success with 3m White scrubbing pads. The white ones
have virtually no abrasiveness but clean the surface without any
scratching. You could also try those white foam pads they advertise on
TV, I cannot remember their name, but they seem to be very good in
certain applications.

Good idea......the green ones are too aggressive, as they can scratch
glass (glaze on tile) and stainless steel. *I have seen
recommendations to use blue pads on floors, but the choice should be
tested on a spot that isn't obvious. *I would
try dilute vinegar/water and proceed to stronger if it doesn't remove
the haze and does not harm the tile.
Take care to rinse thoroughly with clean water and try not to saturate
the grout joints.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
----------------------------------------------------
Many thanks to all. My situation is not as dire as perceived by
some. I did clean the grout while wet with a soggy sponge and that
worked well. I was just left with this WHITISH haze and I assumed
that in this day and age there must be an efficient way to clean tiles
with some chemicals. Rest assured that my tiles now look fine after
several moppings with pure water (and, BTW, no scraping was ever
necessary). I will experiment with diluted vinegar in a hidden spot
to see if that makes a difference. Thanks again.

On Dec 15, 2:53*pm, wrote:

snip

*I will experiment with diluted vinegar in a hidden spot
to see if that makes a difference. *

Oxalic acid is somewhat stronger than acetic (vinegar) A component of
Bartender's Friend and radiator flushes. Might be interesting to see
if it might work. Being an organic acid, tile damage should not occur.

Joe