Can I clean groute haze on slate with vinegar?

[mmrocker13]

Very slow going on this project--12x12 chinese slate tiles from Menards. Rough surface, some pretty porus.

Grout haze is taking forever to get off. We scrubbed for 7 hours yesterday in an area of about 25 tiles, max. We used clean spnges, terry towels, and toothbrushes. They look better...but not like they did after we sealed and before we grouted. They are much duller than the sealed but non-grouted tiles. The obvious streaking is gone, although there is some still stuck on some of the ridges and pores.

We have seealed once, as I said (AquaMix Color Enhancing sealer). The ungrouted tiles look nice. The grouted ones look...dull. NOt awful, just more like they did before we sealed 9they are still beading water though, whcih is good).

So, going forward, as we grout the rest...would it be quicker to clean them with vinegar/water? Some people say the acidic content is bad for the slate...

OR should we continue in this back-breaking fashion, and geta bunch of slightly-duller tiles, and then re-seal. I mean, when they're wet, they look fine. When dry...they're just duller. Not streaky, just dull.

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[jvcstone]

Hi Rocker, got a name we can use??

Some slate is reactive to acids--will be so if there is a calcium carbonate component in the stone. Best to test on a scrap piece or out of the way area before committing the entire floor.

JVC

[mmrocker13]

Is it a good way to clean then, provided the scrap stays okay? This is just SO slow. I knew we would need ot be patient, but I just feel like we're doing something wrong.

What will happen when we seal again? I mean, will the "dullness" still be there, or will it look like when it's wet?

And instead of grouting, could we mortar between the tiles? As in, we'd mortar over the ones we DID grout, then use mortart in all the rest of the joints. It seems much easier to clean off.

This is for a kitchen floor, BTW. About 140 square feet.

Thanks!

Oh, and Rocker IS my name. I mean, my first name is megan, but nobody really calls me that... You can use either.

[mmrocker13]

So we presealed, like I said, with AquaMix Color Enhancing Sealer.

Could we use a grout release on all the ungrouted tiles before we grout? Or is that just redundant since we already sealed?

[ColiseumTileandStone]

You sealed before you grouted correct? Then you sealed it again? If you grouted and then didnt have the floor clean and sealed it your probably going to have to use some sort of stripper to remove the sealer and grout film. Then clean whatever film remains and re-seal.