Grout shading is when colored grout dries to its expected color in some areas, a darker color in some areas and varying shades in between.
This is most commonly caused by uneven drying and improper hydration of the Portland cement in the grout. Concrete is also made with Portland cement. Is efflorescence a serious problem? Ultimately, efflorescence itself isn't dangerous. However, it can lead to potential moisture problems that can cause structural damage to building materials.
That means if you notice efflorescence in the basement or on concrete and other structures, it's important to take action. Does efflorescence go away? In many cases, efflorescence will disappear on its own over time usually after the first year of a paver or retaining wall installation.
Efflorescence can also be removed with special cleaners like the Gator Efflorescence Cleaner. On average, you should wait about 60 days before applying an efflorescence cleaner. Why does dark tile grout turn white? Grout turning white is usually due to efflorescence, which the movement of salt or minerals to the surface of porous material such as your grout and forms a whitish coating.
Another possibility is that grout containing polymer was used and exposed to too much water before the polymers had a chance to combine. In severe cases, the dirt will also discolor the tile. Very often, a tile floor can be cleaned with hot water or extremely small amounts of cleaner.
Preferably, the dirty water should be vacuumed off the floor. If not possible, sufficient rinse water should be used to remove all traces of the dirt and cleaner. Solving the problem of residue on grout depends greatly on the cause of the problem - with ongoing moisture migration through concrete being the most difficult.
Generally efflorescence is removed with an acid. However, grout manufacturers do not advocate the use of acids because they attack the cement in the grout. Used judiciously though, this can be a highly effective way of removing efflorescence. There are several products on the market for this with different acids and strengths.
In all cases, extreme care should be used to protect the person applying the acid and surrounding fixtures. Generally, it is best to employ an experienced professional for this type of work. Also, acid that is too strong can strip some color out of grout which is also undesirable and acid generally cannot be used if acrylic sealers have already been applied to the grout. After successfully removing the efflorescence, it can only reappear if moisture is entering the system. At this point, sealing the grout joints with a penetrating sealer may be recommended depending on the entire tile assembly.
I'm so relieved. We found a solution to this unpleasant grout problem read all about it here I Googled the problem and found out it's quite common. There is a small chance it was the manufacturer's fault, but most likely we were either too generous with water when preparing the grout mixture OR too much moisture was applied with a sponge when the grout was set. Either way, we felt stuck And during my search on the web I read that if the grout has been sealed we may need to remove the grout and start from scratch So my very patient handyman called the manufacturer of our grout and they recommended we give this a try -- Sulfamic Acid Cleaner.
We found this acid cleaner at our local Home Depot, and we followed the directions to simply add water. We have not used any cleaning products on floor. There is mixed messaging that if shower was properly installed — sealing the grout may actually trap moisture between the basin and tile. It is completely dry at this point. I see that their are products to fix this.
But this moisture below driving moisture up -is what is causing this. I will do whatever necessary — just do not to have mold or moisture accumulating over there. And would like to use our expensive new bathroom! First question is what is the white substance making your gray grout turn white?
You need to know what it is in order to clean it and to prevent it from reoccurring. It could be caused by the quality of the water that was used in terms of being very hard containing high mineral content. Or it could be the the underlying substrate is being subjected to moisture that migrates up through the grout and precipitates minerals leaving the white efflorescence.
I would buy some tile efflorescence cleaning and do a test to see if it cleans it up. You could try some diluted vinegar as it is acidic. But be careful and test in an out of the way area to make sure it works satisfactorily. Next you need to know what is the source of the water that is migrating and precipitating the minerals?
You need to stop the moisture source if possible. This is a trial and error process. If you have a shower then if it was constructed properly then you should have a waterproof membrane below the tile assembly. The waterproof membrane has to be sloped towards the drain. If the membrane is under the mortar bed then the drain weep holes have to be protected so they are not plugged. Often the weep holes get plugged and the water becomes trapped in the mortar bed and that could be the source of the water.
The only way to know for sure is to do an intrusive inspection. After the grout is clean and dry, then you can use a penetrating sealer for tile and grout. Go to tile store and buy it there are a number of different brands to choose from. The sealer will help prevent water getting into the grout and to a degree might minimize any moisture coming up from the floor.
Question: I just had my 15 year old marble kitchen backsplash resealed. The color of the grout that was on the backsplash prior to it being resealed is now inconsistent, color is either somewhat missing on various tiles or lighter than the rest. Will a new grout colorant adhere and work well if the grout lines were sealed when I resealed the backsplash? Chances are that as you cleaned the marble backsplash it bleached the grout joints causing the discoloring.
The grout colorants are epoxy base so they may or may not bond to the sealed grout; it will depend on the chemistry of the sealer. It is always better to have the grout joints absorb in the grout colorant to give a better bond and attachment. You will have to experiment to see if grout colorant is compatible with the sealed grout. If not, you can try to strip the sealer out of the grout joint.
What you are doing is experimental so always test everything out in an out of the way area to make sure it works before applying it to the entire installation. Yes grout turned white. I understood that the thin set mixture between subfloor and backer board would be dry in hours.
We let it dry overnight and laid porcelain tile the following day. Only got half done due to tile cutter issue. But then I completed the tile four days later. Looked great that night. Next morning my light grey grout is white. I am sure I used too much water.
So I have wiped down the floor three more times to remove haze and white effervescing. My question is could it also be that the thin set still had moisture in it.
If so, can it ever get dry enough to remove the effervescence? Water is off in the bathroom. Not in use at all. But not much on cure times except what is on bag Mapei Keracolor. The extra mixed grout I have left over is stored. You can normally install the grout the next day after setting the tile as long as the tile thin-set has set up to prevent the tile from moving. You might not have efflorescence, but rather a cement or latex haze.
If you clean it off with dry cheese cloth soon enough the day you grout and the grout has set up you can dust it off. If you leave it too long it can be difficult to remove. You might need to buy a highly diluted acid cleaner for removing grout haze or a latex remover from your tile supplier.
Will do. I wiped it about 20 minutes after I completed grout. However I could have used a gentle cloth but used the standard wet sponge thinking I was smoothing it better. Now I know. And thanks for being there for us to reach out to.
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Expert Answers. After 6 months, the dark grout has turned bright white and nothing works to remove it.
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