I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout
(used to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but they
haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout and
regrouting (quite a long job)?

Even some way of staining the grout white again?



-- Steven L.

I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout
(used to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but they
haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout and
regrouting (quite a long job)?

Even some way of staining the grout white again?



*Comet or Ajax cleanser with a toothbrush. The bleach in the cleansers help
with the whitening.

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:20:05 +0000, "Steven L."
wrote:

I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout
(used to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but they
haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout and
regrouting (quite a long job)?

Even some way of staining the grout white again?



-- Steven L.


TILELab Sulfamic Acid Cleaner:

Found at HD _and follow_ the directions!!

http://www.viewpoints.com/TILELab-Su...r-review-b1d67

On Oct 18, 2:09*pm, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:20:05 +0000, "Steven L."





wrote:
I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout
(used to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but they
haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout and
regrouting (quite a long job)?

Even some way of staining the grout white again?

-- Steven L.

TILELab Sulfamic Acid Cleaner:

Found at HD _and follow_ the directions!!

http://www.viewpoints.com/TILELab-Su...-review-b1d67- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You could try plain old Clorox (generic version also ok) bleach
applied with a toothbrush, Keep the area well-ventilated.

"Steven L." wrote in message
m...
I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout (used
to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but they
haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout and
regrouting (quite a long job)?

Even some way of staining the grout white again?



-- Steven L.

You have two things to do. One is to clean the grout, and there are some
suggestions here to do that. The second is to seal it after you have
cleaned it so that it won't get to looking bad very soon. Clean it good,
let it dry, dry, dry, even if you have to bathe for a few days. Sit an
electric heater in there overnight to help, but get it dry, and seal, and it
will stay clean looking longer. DO NOT USE TUB OR SHOWER, AND HEATER AT THE
SAME TIME. Sorry, but the government requires those warnings, so I thought
I'd throw one in there in case you might be the one person on the planet
that might do that.

;-)

Steve

Heart surgery pending?
Read up and prepare.
Learn how to care for a friend.
http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

"Steve B" wrote in message
...

"Steven L." wrote in message
m...
I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout (used
to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but they
haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout and
regrouting (quite a long job)?

Even some way of staining the grout white again?



-- Steven L.

You have two things to do. One is to clean the grout, and there are some
suggestions here to do that. The second is to seal it after you have
cleaned it so that it won't get to looking bad very soon. Clean it good,
let it dry, dry, dry, even if you have to bathe for a few days. Sit an
electric heater in there overnight to help, but get it dry, and seal, and
it will stay clean looking longer. DO NOT USE TUB OR SHOWER, AND HEATER
AT THE SAME TIME. Sorry, but the government requires those warnings, so I
thought I'd throw one in there in case you might be the one person on the
planet that might do that.

;-)

Steve


"I could tell my parents hated me. The first bath toy they gave me was a
toaster!" -Rodney Dangerfield-

On Oct 18, 2:20*pm, "Steven L." wrote:
I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout
(used to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but they
haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout and
regrouting (quite a long job)?

Even some way of staining the grout white again?

Have you tried this http://www.finazzle.com/

I have some and it works great. Don't remember where I bought it from
because I've had it for years. Think I bought it at Home Depot.

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:15:05 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

You could try plain old Clorox (generic version also ok) bleach
applied with a toothbrush, Keep the area well-ventilated.

We bought a couple of rentals with dirty grout.

SWMBO would make a poultice/paste using TSP and allowed that to sit
for good long period. It worked well. Once cleaned and dry, the grout
was sealed.

As a kid, there was "Spic and Span". -- a cleaner!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spic_and_Span

On 10/18/2010 11:32 AM John Grabowski spake thus:

[O.P. posted:]

I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout
(used to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my
bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but
they haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout
and regrouting (quite a long job)?

Even some way of staining the grout white again?

*Comet or Ajax cleanser with a toothbrush. The bleach in the cleansers help
with the whitening.

Amen to that. Exactly the ingredients I was going to suggest: abrasive
cleanser and elbow grease.


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

"Oren" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:15:05 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

You could try plain old Clorox (generic version also ok) bleach
applied with a toothbrush, Keep the area well-ventilated.

We bought a couple of rentals with dirty grout.

SWMBO would make a poultice/paste using TSP and allowed that to sit
for good long period. It worked well. Once cleaned and dry, the grout
was sealed.

As a kid, there was "Spic and Span". -- a cleaner!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spic_and_Span



SWMBO???

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:54:22 -0400, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:

"Oren" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:15:05 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

You could try plain old Clorox (generic version also ok) bleach
applied with a toothbrush, Keep the area well-ventilated.

We bought a couple of rentals with dirty grout.

SWMBO would make a poultice/paste using TSP and allowed that to sit
for good long period. It worked well. Once cleaned and dry, the grout
was sealed.

As a kid, there was "Spic and Span". -- a cleaner!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spic_and_Span



SWMBO???


Geez, I didn't say "the dishwasher". G

On 10/18/2010 4:48 PM, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 10/18/2010 11:32 AM John Grabowski spake thus:

[O.P. posted:]

I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout
(used to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my
bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but
they haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout
and regrouting (quite a long job)?

Even some way of staining the grout white again?

*Comet or Ajax cleanser with a toothbrush. The bleach in the cleansers
help with the whitening.

Amen to that. Exactly the ingredients I was going to suggest: abrasive
cleanser and elbow grease.



Elbow grease? My supply has been depleted for several years, so I like
Scrubbing Bubbles for normal cleaning....it gets rid of normal soap scum
without strenuous scrubbing. Rust stains my not be removable, but a
rust remover (test inconspicuously) with phosphoric acid may do the
trick. I've replaced grout in a shower and it is a fairly big project,
but well worth it. In the process I discovered our old shower had a lot
more soap scum than was apparent....tile is light taupe, matte, so it
didn't show. I could only smell soap while working on the grout until I
took a razor blade scraper to the tile. Whew! When all done, sealed
the grout and keep the shower open so it ventilates.

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 17:28:16 -0400, "
wrote:

I've replaced grout in a shower and it is a fairly big project,
but well worth it.

One great tool is a grout saw. You only need to take the tile grout
down a little, but get the grime out when using it. Then top with some
new grout and later seal...

http://images.drillspot.com/pimages/2780/278045_300.jpg

On Oct 18, 2:20*pm, "Steven L." wrote:
I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout
(used to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but they
haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout and
regrouting (quite a long job)?

Hire a pro, ask questions...and stop staring!
http://aprons-only.com/prices.html

R

"dadiOH" wrote in
:



if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.



The primary constituent of which is...?


--
Tegger

"Tegger" wrote in message
...
"dadiOH" wrote in
:



if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.



The primary constituent of which is...?


Fiberglass!

On Oct 18, 4:54*pm, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:
"Oren" wrote in message

...



On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:15:05 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

You could try plain old Clorox (generic version also ok) bleach
applied with a toothbrush, *Keep the area well-ventilated.

We bought a couple of rentals with dirty grout.

SWMBO would make a poultice/paste using TSP and allowed that to sit
for good long period. It worked well. Once cleaned and dry, the grout
was sealed.

As a kid, there was "Spic and Span". -- a cleaner!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spic_and_Span

SWMBO???

She Who Must Be Obeyed

"Tegger" wrote in message
...
"dadiOH" wrote in
:



if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.



The primary constituent of which is...?


--
Tegger

acetic ....... errr ........ ethanoic ......... err .............something
................

;-)

Steve

On Oct 18, 11:45*pm, "Steve B" wrote:
"Tegger" wrote in message

...

"dadiOH" wrote in
:

if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.

The primary constituent of which is...?

--
Tegger

acetic ....... errr ........ ethanoic ......... err .............something
...............

;-)

Well, the Romans got their vinegar by collecting ****. Must've been
interesting when they brought the toga back to the cleaners...
"Hey, Romulus? Yeah, my toga smells like ****, and it's not my ****.
Can you run it through again? Thanks."

R

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:38:40 +0000 (UTC), Tegger wrote:

"dadiOH" wrote in
:



if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.



The primary constituent of which is...?

Water

--
Pete

On Oct 18, 2:20*pm, "Steven L." wrote:
I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout
(used to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

To get any whitening agent to the grout you first have to penetrate
the soap scum, chemically and/or abrasively. I had pretty good luck
with TileX, but that was decades ago and it probably isn't worth ****
today.
-----

- gpsman

"Michael B" wrote in message
...
On Oct 18, 4:54 pm, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:
"Oren" wrote in message

...



On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:15:05 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

You could try plain old Clorox (generic version also ok) bleach
applied with a toothbrush, Keep the area well-ventilated.

We bought a couple of rentals with dirty grout.

SWMBO would make a poultice/paste using TSP and allowed that to sit
for good long period. It worked well. Once cleaned and dry, the grout
was sealed.

As a kid, there was "Spic and Span". -- a cleaner!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spic_and_Span

SWMBO???

She Who Must Be Obeyed
=============

Oh.....one of THOSE households....

Pete wrote in news:sku53tzf766o.1eb84berkrt4l$.dlg@
40tude.net:

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:38:40 +0000 (UTC), Tegger wrote:

"dadiOH" wrote in
:



if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.



The primary constituent of which is...?

Water



I meant the primary thing that makes vinegar, vinegar.


--
Tegger

In article ,
Tegger wrote:

Pete wrote in news:sku53tzf766o.1eb84berkrt4l$.dlg@
40tude.net:

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:38:40 +0000 (UTC), Tegger wrote:

"dadiOH" wrote in
:



if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.



The primary constituent of which is...?

Water



I meant the primary thing that makes vinegar, vinegar.

Spik and span (Sp) active ingredient was Tri sodium phosphate. Good
for cleaning all sort of stuff like moss etc.

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
http://www.informationisbeautiful.ne...l-supplements/

"Bill who putters" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Tegger wrote:

Pete wrote in news:sku53tzf766o.1eb84berkrt4l$.dlg@
40tude.net:

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:38:40 +0000 (UTC), Tegger wrote:

"dadiOH" wrote in
:



if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.



The primary constituent of which is...?

Water



I meant the primary thing that makes vinegar, vinegar.

Spik and span (Sp) active ingredient was Tri sodium phosphate. Good
for cleaning all sort of stuff like moss etc.


You're joking, right?

In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

"Bill who putters" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Tegger wrote:

Pete wrote in news:sku53tzf766o.1eb84berkrt4l$.dlg@
40tude.net:

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:38:40 +0000 (UTC), Tegger wrote:

"dadiOH" wrote in
:



if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.



The primary constituent of which is...?

Water



I meant the primary thing that makes vinegar, vinegar.

Spik and span (Sp) active ingredient was Tri sodium phosphate. Good
for cleaning all sort of stuff like moss etc.


You're joking, right?

Nope Jusy it is Spic and span,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spic_and_Span

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
http://www.informationisbeautiful.ne...l-supplements/

"Bill who putters" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

"Bill who putters" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Tegger wrote:

Pete wrote in news:sku53tzf766o.1eb84berkrt4l$.dlg@
40tude.net:

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:38:40 +0000 (UTC), Tegger wrote:

"dadiOH" wrote in
:



if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.



The primary constituent of which is...?

Water



I meant the primary thing that makes vinegar, vinegar.

Spik and span (Sp) active ingredient was Tri sodium phosphate. Good
for cleaning all sort of stuff like moss etc.


You're joking, right?

Nope Jusy it is Spic and span,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spic_and_Span


In this branch of the discussion, the question was "what makes vinegar
vinegar". In other words, what is the active ingredient? Take another shot
at the question while we break for a commercial.

In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

"Bill who putters" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

"Bill who putters" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Tegger wrote:

Pete wrote in news:sku53tzf766o.1eb84berkrt4l$.dlg@
40tude.net:

On Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:38:40 +0000 (UTC), Tegger wrote:

"dadiOH" wrote in
:



if "acid" scares you, you might try vinegar.



The primary constituent of which is...?

Water



I meant the primary thing that makes vinegar, vinegar.

Spik and span (Sp) active ingredient was Tri sodium phosphate. Good
for cleaning all sort of stuff like moss etc.


You're joking, right?

Nope Jusy it is Spic and span,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spic_and_Span


In this branch of the discussion, the question was "what makes vinegar
vinegar". In other words, what is the active ingredient? Take another shot
at the question while we break for a commercial.

I'm sorry I always think of the entire tread and respond I confess
sometimes incoherently.

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
http://www.informationisbeautiful.ne...l-supplements/

Bill who putters wrote in news:b2forewagner-
:



Spik and span (Sp) active ingredient was Tri sodium phosphate. Good
for cleaning all sort of stuff like moss etc.




Looks like Spic and Span might still contain TSP. According to the MSDS,
the ingredients contain:
Anionic surfactants, water softeners (complex sodium phosphates, sodium
carbonate), dry chlorine bleach, processing aids (sodium sulfate), metal
protection agents (sodium silicates).

Mr. Clean ingredients:
Cleaning agents (nonionic and anionic surfactants), quality control agents,
perfume, colorant and water.

My wife bought two whole gallons of Mr. Clean many years back and I'm so
glad we've finally used it all up. I'm buying some Spic and Span, as Mr.
Clean hasn't ever done nearly the same job, especially on bathroom tile
grout.


--
Tegger

"Steven L." wrote in m:

I'm a do-it-yourself newbie who's trying to clean the stained grout
(used to be white) between the tiles over the bathtub in my bathroom.

The stains appear to be a combination of soap scum and rust stain.

I've tried several products that claim to be "grout cleaners," but they
haven't worked.

Is there any alternative at this point to stripping all the grout and
regrouting (quite a long job)?

Even some way of staining the grout white again?



-- Steven L.



I know your post is a couple of weeks old. This came out recently. No
new miracle news though.


http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/...olved-2403158/

I have used a grout paint. I apply it with a q-tip. It dries within
minutes and is easily wiped off the tiles where you painted outside
the line. I bought it at HD but do not remember the name. It was a
white plastic bottle with a blue label approx 8 - 10 oz.