New Ceramic counter showing ring marks/stains

[Toddgarf]

Howdy,
We jsut finished redoing our kitchen counters in cermaic tile just a few days before Thanksgiving. We're very proud of how it turned out. For the field tiles we used were PEI 3, COF60 and WA -3.0 (whatever that means).

Unfortunatley, over the weekend we've discovered that there are ring marks showing up if you look at an angle. They seem to be from glass bottoms, etc. Can't tell if it is affecting the glaze or finish or what?

We've tried to clean them with household cleaner, polish them and used grout haze remover and don't see any difference. Obviously we're quite distraught over having such an issue with our new tile counter.

I added a picture in hopes of it helping.

Anybody ever heard of such an issue? Anybody have any advice?

We appreciate any and all responses.

Thanks and happy holidays,

Todd and Sheryl

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[doitright]

Hi Todd & Sheryl, Welcome! :)

Well this is a new one for me. :shrug: :scratch:

What was in the glasses? I'm guessing something acidic (wine or juice perhaps)?

Did you seal the tile & grout?

If so, it it very possible that the sealer is etched. You may need to strip the sealer from the ceramic (if this is the case).

[Toddgarf]

Howdy Doitright,

Since we used what we understand to be ceramic tile we only sealed the grout lines. There was a minor margin of overlap onto the tile. When we wiped the sealer off we generally followed the grout lines. :confused:

There were a variety of drinks over the days of concern. The main drinks that I would think to be possible culprits include a variety of adult beverages, limeade and orange juice. The first night that we noticed something I took and extra tile and set a glass on it that I had tamped in a puddle of limeade and left it overnight. No apparent effect the next morning.

It's like the glaze or finish of the tile has somehow been effected :scratch:

Thanks again for any ideas anyone might offer. We're obviously quite concerned about the situation.

Todd & Sheryl

[doitright]

Hi Todd & Sheryl :)

What grout sealer did you use? :shades:

If you didn't experience any problem from the sample tile (not installed, or sealed), the tile is not the problem, the sealer is.

[Toddgarf]

Doitright,
We used a sealer called Grout Guard Plus penetrating grout sealer made by Tec.

I am experimenting further on a spare tile using a glass with water and ice in it. I am concerned that condensation off of the glasses might have carried some residual dish washer detergent off the glass and onto the tile. On another section of the spare tile I wiped dishwasher detergent directly onto the tile. :suspect:

I thought that ceramic tiles were somewhat impervious to such damage and concerns?????

[doitright]

Hi Todd & Sheryl :)

They usually are. I've seen other issues with low quality ceramics, but not this one.

I still think it's the sealer (on the tile). What happens if you apply small amounts of water just on the glass rings vs. just on the center of the glass ring?

Try rubbing the center of the ring with straight vinegar or acetone. Report back.

[Toddgarf]

Doitright,

Do you mean the sealer that came on the tile? I'm pretty sure that we didn't get the grout sealer on the tile per say.

I will try the vinegar and get back to you.

Thanks again,
Todd & Sheryl

[Davestone]

I've seen some tiles come with those rings, i guess they come from the factory suction cups when they're made.I would also try some cleaning maybe use a scrubby pad.

[Toddgarf]

OK,

This is what we found.

The water test did not yield any difference between the ring and non-ring area.

However, when we moved to dabbling with the vinegar we found a few interesting results. On the test tile that we were using we didn't see any effect. BUT, when I tried it on one of the ring areas there was some results. It did seem to rub out one of the rings but left a circle of difference in the sheen of the tile. Looking at the paper towel that I used I noticed that there was grout color marks. I tried the vinegar on another tile with issues and it seemed to even out the tile considerable and again there was grout color left on the paper towel. :yeah:

I had previously tried full strength grout haze remover with little to no effect. Although it seems like the vinegar is lifting grout haze. Could this be the rout of my problem? Also, will the vinegar hurt the tile glazing at all?? :suspect:

Thanks again for all the help. I can feel the Anx lifting already.

Todd & Sheryl

[Davestone]

Repeated use of vinegar may etch the surface, i would get it clean and use a little ammonia and water to rinse away the acidic vinegar and use a neutral tile cleaner when needed.Soap and water may clean the rings also.

[Toddgarf]

Howdy All,

Any idea why the vinegar would pick up grout haze even after I used a grout haze remover (Banish made by TEC)?

Would the vinegar lift any residual grout line sealer as well?

Do ceramic tiles come with any sort of sealer already applied (other than the glazing)??

One last question (thank you again for all your feedback), I guess what I'm ultimately wondering is with a single vinegar cleaning will we be removing anything that needs to be reapplied???

Thanks for reading,

Todd & Sheryl