tile grout cleaning question

Sorry to be asking such a novice question but I have some thin powdery dried tile grout on some of my new shower tiles (Not obvious because of the colour but you can feel it when you are in the shower and touching the tiles).

Am I right in thinking its just a matter of elbow grease and nylon scourer or is there a special product I can use to get rid of it?

I don't want to spoil the glaze on the new tiles.

Reason for stupidity, didn't realise the tiler chap hadn't done a very good job of cleaning off the grout until we got back from our hols and started using the shower.

dedics

Reply to
Ian & Hilda Dedic
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I'd try a window scraper. Plastic handle with a stanley blade type thing

Reply to
stuart noble

won't that scratch the glaze?

dedics

Reply to
Ian & Hilda Dedic

No, its very hard to scratch glaze (or glass for that matter) with a steel blade - even using some force.

You can get commercial grout cleaners. I expect these are just weak solutions of HCL. Patio cleaner would also do the trick used sparingly.

Once it is all clean, it would also be worthwhile treating with Lithofin grout protector. That will keep it clean and new looking for many years.

Reply to
John Rumm

I imagine most wall grouts are acrylic, which probably wouldn't respond to acid

Reply to
stuart noble

yes. Use a quality tough descaler, but keep it OFF your chrome taps.

Brick acid also works well. (15% HCl)

You wont. Thats glass, and only hydrofluoric acid attacks it.

Yup. beaver away with rubber gloves and sponge dipped in acid. Even vinegar works, but its damned slow.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

You may imagine what you like, all the ones i have used respond to acid.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Absolutely the best thing in the world for this job is a Spontex tough scourer

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steel sort of brillo thingy, but essentially non scratch. Buy in any supermarket.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

Can't say I have ever seen an acrylic grout. Epoxy perhaps - but unlikely to be used on a shower.

Reply to
John Rumm

ok off to beaver away now....

thanks for all your replies.

dedics

Reply to
Ian & Hilda Dedic

What else is a standard white grout likely to be? Something has to make it set, and it isn't cement

Epoxy perhaps - but

Reply to
stuart noble

I think you will find it *is* actually white cement and a very fine aggregate.

Reply to
John Rumm

It is, of a sort. Probably a gypsum based thing if it isn't cement based.

So like plaster really.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

I'd say it was too bright white to be even partly cement

Reply to
stuart noble

Don't be silly. It contains white cement. Cement isn't always grey. The colour of tile grout depends at least partly on the colour of cement used.

John Rumm is exactly right; the ingredients are cement and fine fillers - basically the stone dust extracted from crushing operations at quarries.

There is also "sanded grout" which is used where the gaps to be grouted are wider than 3mm. This grout contains cement, fine fillers and some sand.

Reply to
Bruce

Was going through boxes of stuff in the garage today, and opened one to see what was it it. Loads of cans, bottles, etc, and sat there on top was a tub of "Waterproof acrylic grout"...

So there, now I have seen an Acrylic one. ;-)

To be fair - both exist, although the commonly available powdered ones are typically cement based IME. e.g:

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Reply to
John Rumm

White cement is at best off white. Grouts are *bright* white. Ready mixed grouts don't go off in the tub, cement would. Try thinking.

Reply to
stuart noble

I wasn't dreaming then :-) Or dreaming that I'd used it on several occasions.

It all comes down to your interpretation of "white" I suppose. AFAIK the titanium white we're used to seeing isn't possible with cement, but maybe white tiles aren't bright white either. Interesting that the BAL Microflex is cement based but is also flexible i.e. it contains "built-in admixture to provide flexibility". Can cement really be made flexible? Try telling that to the conservationists!

Reply to
stuart noble

Well, assuming coloured is the same base as white, from la bouche du cheval:

UNIBOND READY MIXED COLOURED WALL TILE GROUT

COMPOSITION COMMENTS Water based adhesive based on styrene acrylic co-polymer and silica filler.

And ===

UNIBOND CERAMIC WALL TILE GROUT

COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS

WHITE PORTLAND CEMENT 30-60%

COMPOSITION COMMENTS Cement-based grout with mineral filler.

Reply to
Rod

Yes, it can!

There is a whole range of admixtures that can provide flexibility in the matrix. The hydrated cement particles are still stiff; the flexibility comes from what is in the matrix around them.

There is no reason for conservationists to consider anything cement based, especially with admixtures that have not yet stood the test of centuries of time, when the perfect original materials are still available in the form of lime mortar etc..

Reply to
Bruce

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