Clean It Up

UK General Cleaning Forum => General Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ian Rochester on November 18, 2008, 06:00:12 am

Title: Tile Grout
Post by: Ian Rochester on November 18, 2008, 06:00:12 am

Did a post build clean last week and they have used a cement grout on the kitchen floor tiles, we've tried everything to get the tiles clean with no joy.

It's been mentioned to use brick cleaner and a rotary scrubber, anyone done this before and what are the dangers?

Title: Re: Tile Grout
Post by: BDCS on November 18, 2008, 07:59:08 am

Wet the floor and do small areas, I use selscale and a nylon scourer but don't leave it on too long and wear pvc gloves and goggles etc

Title: Re: Tile Grout
Post by: Ian Rochester on November 19, 2008, 06:02:31 pm

Thanks, got some brick cleaner today and will be doing a test clean tomorrow morning, if all goes well we'll do the full clean on Monday, area is just over 30m²

Title: Re: Tile Grout
Post by: Griffus on November 19, 2008, 06:39:33 pm

All over PPE is essential with this job.

Be sure to use a particle respirator.

Scrub by hand not rotary otherwise you'll have acid all over the place.

Title: Re: Tile Grout
Post by: BDCS on November 19, 2008, 07:14:26 pm

A doodle bug would be best

Title: Re: Tile Grout
Post by: sherco on November 19, 2008, 09:22:45 pm

DO NOT USE BRICK ACID this is far to strong and will ruin the tiles.  you have to use Aqua mix sulfamic acid crystals you can get them from www.trades-direct.co.uk and follow instructions.

Title: Re: Tile Grout
Post by: BDCS on November 20, 2008, 12:07:28 am

I could'nt find them - I'd be interested to try them. I've always used acid before but I only do small areas on a wet floor and keep the acid on the scourer.

Title: Re: Tile Grout
Post by: RSWindows on November 20, 2008, 06:19:01 am

i stumbled into this topic by accident and i think i should share my experience in my own house.

ok, so.

i got drunk, thaught it a good idea to re-grout my bathroom wall times (ceramic) and made a complete balls of it...well sort of anyway
i put on loads of grout and there was loads of excess but i planned on wiping this away with a wet sponge, but here was the biggest mistake....i fell asleep and woke up on the bathroom floor and using the sponge that i was supposed to wipe off the excess grout with and i was using it as a pillow  :-\
Needles to say the tiles were in a right old mess! So i tryed everything i could get my hands on to try scrape the grout off with and it was a very slow painfull task, then i had an idea and put nitro-mors (paint-stripper) onto the grout and it turned the excess grout into a porrage like mush which wiped off with ease! if the tiles are ceramic like mine were i would say that it wont cause any damage and you could give it a try. If there is any spare tiles lying around do a sample area and see the results.

Do be warned however i take no responsability for any damages caused  ;D