I flooded my new unsealed Saltillo floor

[don g]

I've done some ceramic tile counters and a couple small areas with ceramic tile but never attempted Saltillio. I just found this site after searching for what I can do to recover from this mess. I layed approx. 550 sq. ft. of saltillo through my dining room, kitchen, bar area, a half bath and out the back door where my laundry room sits. Short story--I moved the washer and dryer back in on the new unsealed tile (It's been grouted) figuring it would be 2 weeks before it dried out enough to seal. Drain on washer came loose and flooded all of the tile with the wash cycle and rinse cycle. A lot of water plus some soap--no bleach. The tile is dried out but I have a bunch of the efflorence ? and in the hurry to get the flood removed from the tile I got down on the floor with the wrong boots and marked the floor up in a lot of places with black rubber sole marks. I've been using vinegar and a scruff pad to remove the white stuff and the shoe marks but as the tile dries up it looks real blotchy. Should I do a total acid wash to level out the colors? Anybody else ever deal with this problem or have any suggestions?

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[cx]

I don't think you're gonna have a serious problem, Don, but for sure you're gonna hafta wait some more weeks for that floor to get dry enough to seal, I'm thinkin'.

I'm gonna move you over the the cleaning and restoration forum where we've got people who can tell you exactly how to clean and prep that Saltillo.

[Davy]

Hi Don, I don't think you have a big problem either. In fact we always would flood the floor before grouting, maybe not as much as you did. Here on this forum we try not to recommend muratic acid, you have to be very careful with it but that's what we would use to get rid of the effloresence, 10 water to1 acid. If anyone has a safer way I would use it instead. I would wait 7-10 days before acid washing and wait another 7-10 days after that to seal.

[don g]

Davy---I flooded the floor about 2 days after I grouted (ruined some carpet also) and it's been drying since. Today has been about 10 days that the tile has been drying. It looks dry so I went ahead and started using a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water to clean the white stuff. The vinegar and a scruff pad cleans the tile fine, but the tile dries a real bad off color with streaks and blotches. Will this acid wash you're refering to clean and bring the tile back to their orginal looks before I seal? Do I need to warn the next door neighbors about fumes when I use the acid or is it fairly tame when you dilute it down?

thanks, don

[Davy]

It's fairly tame when diluted down but still can do damage. Do a small area at a time, maybe 50 sq ft. Much of it will soak in but come back immediately with fresh water. I try not to leave it on the floor very long before getting it up. I would have two mops, one for the acid and one for the fresh water. It should clean it back to original shade. I'm still waiting to see if there is something safer that I don't know about.:)

[don g]

Davy---I just finished cleaning the 550 sq ft. of saltillo with the muratic acid. For some reason when you said muratic acid I was thinking of some other kind of acid. It's swimming pool acid! I practially bathed in the stuff when I was cleaning my pool in the big city of Refugio, Texas several years ago.
I opened all the doors and windows in my house and got after it with a broom and mop. Now the saltillo looks like new and I can get the "War department off my back".
Thanks for the help and I'll let you know how the seal job goes in a couple weeks.
don g

[don g]

I more question please--I bought a (before I found this site) 2 1/2 gallon container of "Jasco Gloss and Seal" to seal my saltillo. Of course I've opened it and used a little on 1 tile to see what the floor is going to look like when sealed but did so mostly to satisify the "War Department". Would you use this or get the Aqua Mix?
Thanks again for the info about the muratic acid.

thanks, don g

[Davy]

I don't know enough about the Jasco to say. I think Aqua Mix makes a Saltillo sealer but I haven't ever used it either.

[don g]

Davy--What would you use as a sealer?

[Davy]

I don't know Don, I would have to check around and see. I like Saltillo stained brown to look like leather. I have installed tons of it but only stained and sealed one job, I thought I ruined the floor, the owners loved it. I used Dura seal stain (for wood floors). I have installed a few jobs and had a wood floor man stain and seal it for me but I don't know what he uses. Are you wanting it stained or left natural?

[don g]

Davy--Natural --- The only reason I installed the new 12" square Saltillos was because our foyer and den already had saltillo. They are the old 4X8 saltillo pavers and they still look real good for the most part. (I looked all over for a match to the 4X8s but couldn't find anything close) I don't think the original saltillo has been stained so staining the new would probably be a mistake.
Thanks again for the help
don g

[Davy]

Don, I remember a product used as a topical sealer on Saltillo. It is called "REZ", made by Pittsburg Paints. It's been many years, I don't know if it's even made anymore but we used it a time or two when we wanted a natural finish. Might be worth checking in to.:)