Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in restroom

[Blue Monarch]

Here's the scenario. This is an older building which hasn't been maintained all that well. Part of the problem is that wax has been applied to this floor as well. The floor cleaned up nice (dark spots are still wet), but the mop slop on the wall won't budge.

Originally, I cleaned with a stripper/high ph mix and a turbo. The turbo tilt method didn't even phase the wall. Next, I tried the wall by hand scrubbing with a grout brush. First I tried stripper, then high ph, then viper renew. Lightened a bit, but not acceptable.

Any ideas besides coloring? Any reason the wall won't clean, but the floor will? Possibly because it's unsanded grout?

 

[Hoody]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

Zep sells an aerosol baseboard stripper, use to use it a lot for bathroom tile in restaurants and places a like. The baseboard stripper is usually around 6 bucks a car, little bit goes a long way.

 

[hogjowl]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

Only way I have figured out to deal with this (I wish Oxyblaster came in a foaming formula) is to pressure wash it. Hot water at 2500 psi will normally deal with it, but you have to warn them about missing grout in the end.

 

[KevinD]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

I did 6 VFW bathrooms built in the 50's just like this awhile back.

Just like Marty said, I applied stripper and used a single jet in my pressure washing gun on the last 4 inch tile.

Lucky for me they all had sloped floor drains.

 

[Blue Monarch]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

stripper and 1,000 psi didnt work either.

 

[K P]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

Ya, unsanded seems more of a pain to clean up,especially white.What type of acid is Renew?You might try a little hydrochorlic to see if it is more aggressive.Wear a respirator and turn on the fan though.

 

[Out of Character - 0]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

Adjust accordingly if you don't need much but I'd use one 6lb pound jar of oxybaster to 3.5-4gal in a mop bucket mixed hot. "turbo" rotary 0 degree jet on a pressure washing gun. works on 95% of the jobs that others don't. On a particular job we couldn't get anything to work on I added a gallon of renovate and a gallon of 127volume peroxide. It worked amazing one time but then they would never clean up the same again but always required that mix to get a decent result. Not every job is worth risking making up a $110 mop bucket.

 

[Jamesh921]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

It may be cheaper and easier to just scrape out the grout and re-grout that first tile.

Unsanded grout in a 1/8" groutline should be easy to remove.... and easy to re-grout.

Let us know what works.

Good luck.

 

[Bee Busy]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

try using Magic Erasers by hand, I use them on walls, sounds like every option besides regrouting or coloring are done. Viper is hydrochloric BTW

 

[rwcarpet]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

Look's like "mop slop" from whomever mops the floor. Might have to recolor those few inches. That Magic Eraser sounds like a place to start.

 

[boazcan]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

You have tried most of what should have worked. Recolor and be done with it. Get them to bump a little on the price. If spray stripper didn't work - not much else will that will leave the grout in place.

 

[Jimmy L]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

Have you tried a small metal brush to physically remove the top layers?

Then go at the rest with the stripper etc.

 

[juniorc82]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

use a 175 and a black pad and stripper , use a doodlebug pad (black ) and baseboard stripper for edges. Your spinner wont do much for wax build up you need the abbresiveness of a stripping pad to scrub it loose

 

[steve frasier]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

can't remember the name of the product but it is a blue rubber feeling type block that is for grout cleaning, janitorial stores carry it

should work on both areas, or use a pumice stick but test in a small area first

can't tell if the tile is glazed, a lot of hand work

 

[J Scott W]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

Viper Peroxibright is an acid side cleaner. Acid is better on soap scum, urine, mineral deposits from hard water and such that is likely on a restroom wall and floor.

The Peroxide helps to brighten and provides some foam which allows a longer dwell time. Dwell time on vertical surfaces is often an issue. Foaming, clingy products help overcome gravity to provide more dwell time.

 

[KevinL]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

Get the rubbers things that Steve is talking about. They should be on everyones truck. They take off the stains that cleaning doesn't get. I forget what they're called too.

 

[fresh1]

Re: Any Ideas? Trouble cleaning verticle grout lines in rest

sometimes i use oven cleaner on nasty wall base. the spray sticks to the wall for a good dwell time. give it a shot