Thread: Grout haze on new tile

A friend, whom I help with projects, just had new tile laid throughout the house.
There is grout dust everywhere and grout on the tiles. We have tried to vacuum and mop but there is still a haze and grout where it does not belong. We have been on our hands an knees for 3 days. There has got to be a better way. Any ideas?

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Wipe with dry rag.

Grout that has allowed to dry is difficult to remove. They make special cleaners to help, check out a nearby tile store or ask the installers who made the mess clean it up for you...

Dom.

Seems I remember using a plastic mesh (kind of like a brillo pad) ball that would cut through the worst of the haze and then follow with a dry rag.
Wet mopping just makes it worse.
By the way, that should be part of the tile guys job. Call 'em back.

There are products on the market, available at HD, Lowes and most any tile shop, specifically for this purpose. Either way, still requires elbow grease but a floor buffer might make the job go a little easier, especially over a large area.

The tile installers are responsible for the haze. Get them back to do the job.

If that is not possible then the haze needs to be buffed off. A dry rag with a lot of effort usually gets the job done. Else use a pot/sponge scrubber such as Lysol Heavy Duty Scrubber Sponges (4-Pack)-57507-4-1 - The Home Depot or a sponge that has the green backing on the sponge,but be careful that you rinse often, you do not want to scratch the tile which can happen as you loosen the haze and it acts as an abrasive.


Have fun and whistle while you work or turn it into a family bonding quality time project.

Try white vinegar if it isn't real bad.

Originally Posted by Julianne Rudisell

A friend, whom I help with projects, just had new tile laid throughout the house.
There is grout dust everywhere and grout on the tiles. We have tried to vacuum and mop but there is still a haze and grout where it does not belong. We have been on our hands an knees for 3 days. There has got to be a better way. Any ideas?

Use Sulfumic acid - it's a crystal, the hotter the water, the more aggressive it is. Use rubber gloves & glasses. Keep a clean bucket of water & sponge ready to retard the action & clean up the sludge. Do not use scouring pads - test a small area, some tiles (like cheap sun baked Mexican tile) could be adversely affected.

Jul: 2 weeks ago, I re-grouted the 40 year old tile around our bath tub and generated hazing on all of them. Went to Home Depot 3 times and bought various liquids with acid content and they didn't work. On 4th trip, bought a 4" sisal wheel, (should have used 6"), and used the electric drill adjusted to higher rpm and cleaned all the tile in less than 1/2 hour. Wear a dust mask, you're generating fine silica dust. Try to hold drill so you spin dust downward into tub rather than upward and generating a cloud--and more cleanup. But I'd still go back to the tile installer first in your case.

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Jul: 2 weeks ago, I re-grouted the 40 year old tile around our bath tub and generated hazing on all of them. Went to Home Depot 3 times and bought various liquids with acid content and they didn't work. On 4th trip, bought a 4" sisal wheel, (should have used 6"), and used the electric drill adjusted to higher rpm and cleaned all the tile in less than 1/2 hour. Wear a dust mask, you're generating fine silica dust. Try to hold drill so you spin dust downward into tub rather than upward and generating a cloud--and more cleanup. But I'd still go back to the tile installer first in your case.