orange hard water stains on white grout

[MRams12750@aol.com]

Hello everyone!

I'm very new to these forums, and I am sorry if I am asking a quesiton that has been answered a dozen times before. I tried to search, but didn't spot anything that seemed to fit my issue.

My DH and I had our bathroom remodeled about two years ago. We have a LOT of white grout, and a decorative panel of white tile with white grout over the bathtub. I know the GC who did the work used Spectralock.

We have very hard water, and I always seem to have an orange or peach haze forming on the tile and the grout. I can get it off the tile easily, but the grout is much harder. I'm worried that if I keep scrubbing with a brush, my arm or the grout will crumble.

Would CLR or OxiClean work well to clean the grout? CLR Bathroom formula doesn't seem to help. What about one of the hand held battery scrubbers, or a steamer? Also, if I get it all clean, can I apply some sort of sealer or stain proofing to help in the future?

Thanks for any advice you can give!

Take care,
Emmie

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[doitright]

Hi Emmie, Welcome! :)

Can you post a picture? :shades:

Do you have city water, or well water?

[MRams12750@aol.com]

Thanks, John, for the welcome :-)

I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to you; I lost track of the thread!

I have city water, it's an old house with a LOT of old plumbing. However, the bathroom was redone two years ago, and the plumbing into it is new.

The water here is known for being hard, and has a scent of chlorine, especially during the summer. Before the bathroom redo, we used to get warnings of the water lines being flushed, and we would wind up with teeny gravel pieces in our toilet tank :eek:We are now redoing the kitchen, and have been considering a fiter system for the whole house.

I never did get to take pics. My DH got some CLR bathroom cleaner, and it really reduced the orange stains. However, he said he also saw a white film, and we are a bit afraid it may be too hard on the crout. He also said he had to use a soft brush to really get the orange off.

Any ideas? Could it just be the water quality? And can we do anything?

Thanks again,
Emmie

[doitright]

Hi Emmie :)

More than likely it's the iron pipes before the bath. Use caution with the CLR, as it will deteriorate the grout joints. I suggest to get them cleaned and sealed ASAP. After they are sealed, you can not use an acidic product such as CLR or it will degrade the sealer. The sealer will make it easier to maintain. I also suggest purchasing a tile & stone specific neutral pH cleaner for ongoing maintenance.

The white film needs to be neutralized with a 33% solution of ammonia and water.

[MRams12750@aol.com]

That is what my DH and I just said to each other as I read your reply out loud. I had not realized that about CLR, and I am so glad you pointed that out.

We will get the grout cleaned and sealed ASAP. If you can recommend a cleaner for ongoing use, it would be very helpful. In the meantime, I am NOT buying any CLR bathroom cleaner anymore! If I need it, I will use it to soak the showerhead, but that's it. Tomorrow, I will put 1/3 cup of ammonia in 2/3 cup of water and wipe everything down.

Thank you so much for your help! I knew we had a job ahead of us when we went with all the white grout, but I could never live with orange tile :tongue:

I will let you know how it goes! If you have any other advice, please feel free to pass it along.