How to remove bees wax from tile grout?

Aug 28, 2010 7 Replies

This has bothered me for years. The previous owner somehow melted the wax ring under this toilet. The wax flowed in the grout between the tiles near the rear of the toilet and discolored/darkened the grout.



How can I get the wax out of the grout? I tried cleaning compounds without results. I am afraid, if I use paint thinner or Acetone, the wax will spread further, making things worse.



Since the affected grout is darkened, any future buyer will suspect that there is a leak under the toilet. (Just like wax, water also makes grout look dark.)



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I would wager that he didn't melt it but somehow smeared it on the grout after making a mess and getting it all over the tile. It cleaned up from the tile very easily but got smeared/stuck in the grout.

Have you heard of Google?

Please read all of these carefully and they discuss different methods for different types of wax.

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Thank you.

The Oops/Goof-of/Propanol method appeals to me. I have a bottle of Goof-off. Will try it tomorrow. This is a little tricky because it is a rather soft wax and well aged.

- Walter www.rati>> This has bothered me for years. The previous owner somehow melted the wax

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Floor wax stripper, from the local janitorial supply. Like the janitor in grade school used before he rewaxed the hall floors every August. Getting less than a gallon will be hard- know any janitors that will decant some into a mason jar for you? Let is soak in, then blot. Use bleach to lighten, then some of that liquid grout sealer stuff. Don't lose sleep over what a future buyer thinks- there is usually a bit of grunge around a toilet base, especially in a house with kids. Nobody has time to scrub that crack real often.

Me, I'd probably just scrape like a dentist, ever-so-gently, trying not to go too deep, and then bleach and reseal. You can always just grind down the joints in that area and spot-grout to bring it back to level. If you aren't selling in the next year or so, the color should even out by then.

So, darken all of it, that should solve it...... :)

Try WD-40. I just used it today to remove some old tree sap from my car. It works without scratching the surface.

that's because wd-40 is basically kerosene and it cuts sap real well.

Hire some worker bees. 8-)

TDD

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