T&G....Here's The Deal.....

[rwcarpet]

Went out to do a test run on grout lines at a car dealership, and didn't have much luck. Contractor had installed the 12" ceramic and didn't seal until 2 months later. So between showroom traffic and dirty mop water, the grout was stained before sealing. They used a water based sealer....clear. I thought I could go out there and shine for this contractor, but the grout just wouldn't clean. used a few different grout presprays, and nothing. Went to the tile dealer and got into an arguement with him. He wanted to sell me a quart of his brand of cleaner for $30. He say's I gotta get down and hand scrub every inch of grout. I tell him I used a grout brush and dwell time, the SX12 at 1500psi, and he say's that ain't good enough. Contractor want's me to use a "steam genny" type machine to "steam" out the grout! I find out that there were 6 other cleaners that gave it a try, with no luck.

Where to go now???? Acid side?? Having contractor actually grind off the top layer??? They don't want to color seal.

Or......walk away???

 

[Mikey P]

If Oxy Blaster and a wax/finish stripper mix dont do it then use a Cobb's Acid mixed strong.

If that don't do it they have four choices.

Regrout.
Color Seal.
Carpet.
Ignore.


any chance they used a water based topical sealer and it's still dirty underneath?

 

[boazcan]

Second Mike's suggestion. That combo is as good as it gets. If it is a very large amount of tile and grout try a section with that combo - with scrubbing and w/o so you can see the difference. You may not want to scrub the whole place.



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[Vivers]

I was going to say color seal. But now I would try scrubbing with 175, enz all boosted with citrus

 

[mirf]

Ask the contractor what sealer he used. Then try to give manufacture a call and ask what to strip it with.

 

[rwcarpet]

If Oxy Blaster and a wax/finish stripper mix dont do it then use a Cobb's Acid mixed strong.

If that don't do it they have four choices.

Regrout.
Color Seal.
Carpet.
Ignore.


any chance they used a water based topical sealer and it's still dirty underneath?

YES.....it is a water based sealer that was applied to dirty grout.

 

[rwcarpet]

YES.....it is a water based sealer that was applied to dirty grout.

It's called Aqua Mix Grout Sealer, water based. Sold in tile stores.

 

[Larry Cobb]

RW;

You need to test the 'cleanability" of the grout.

Use the Dynachem Grout Cleaner @ 25% strength,

and see if the original color is revealed.

If not; then there is almost surely a topical coating over the grout.

In that case, the topical coating has to be removed with a solvent-based Seal Remover.

That is a very labor-intensive job.

Larry

 

[Shane Deubell]

It's called Aqua Mix Grout Sealer, water based. Sold in tile stores.

That stuff is pretty strong, i am with mikey also.
Floor stripper to start

We always start with floor stripper now in commercial settings with t/g, i just assume someone did something they should not of.
Nothing cheap either johnson or betco.

 

[mirf]

Custom building products also makes Aqua mix sealer and coating remover and should do the trick