We just had ceramic tile installed in our kitchen/dining rooms. The tile is white with a cream mixture. 2-3 days after installation gray has started appearing on the corners and sides of a lot of the tiles. I have tried bleach with steel wool. Nothing seems to work!! Is this the nature of the tile? Is this what it is supposed to do? Any advice welcome....
Thanks,
Meleah
Is it in the grout, or in the tile itself?
It is in the tile itself.
Thanks!!
Hmmm... Did the installer apply sealer to the grout and tile edges? If they did not, you might as well do it. As to how to remove the grey from the tile edges, I would not know how to do that. Try very carefully to scrape it off if normal cleaners do not remove it.
If you decide to apply sealer, make sure you follow directions, and do not apply too much of it (or wait too long to remove the excess), otherwise too much sealer also causes grey-looking splotches.
The installer did say they were going to apply "satin sealer" but have not yet. The gray started appearing soon after the tile was installed (2-3 days) It has been 4 weeks since the installation. When should they have applied the sealer?
Thanks!
Meleah
Gabriel,
Is there a difference in tile according to the price you pay? For instance, a more expensive tile would not turn gray?
If I remember correctly, I applied my sealer right after the grout fully cured, so I'm thinking 3 or 4 days...
I don't think there's a time limit, though, just that if you get dirt embedded in the grout before applying the sealer, the dirt will stay there after the sealer is applied.
Definitely I would call the installer. This might turn out to be not a big deal, specially if the installer also cleans the floor as it is right now (I would push them to do it, since they waited so long to apply the sealer).
I do not think so, although I am not in the tile industry (just a do it yourselfer). From my limited experience, I'd say it is easier to get tiles ditry that way on the cut edges. If you have whole tiles, maybe they do not have the blotch on the non-cut edge? Anyway, that's just a hunch.
Maybe there's someone else who knows more than I that can answer this?
On the outside chance that what you are seeing is a little bit of grout that is on top of the tiles, try a little vinegar on a scrubby kind of sponge. I would not use steel wool for risk of scratching the surface. Tile stores have better cleaners than vinegar, but I would try the vinegar first and see if that attacks the film. Do not get too generous with the vinegar in the grout lines as it will attack those as well.
Charlie
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