grout discoloration

[randyk]

After I had a new tile shower installed, grout residue remained in the crevices of the tiles (a lot of residue in a lot of crevices). The installer recommended vinegar and a stiff brush. I tried this on one wall of the shower and for the most part it worked. Unfortunately, it also left some dark splotches in the grout. Now I read that vinegar can discolor grout. Is there anything I can do to bring back the original color of the grout? I'm just sick about this and my wife is ready to kill me.

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[doitright]

Hi Randy, Welcome! :)

Is this sanded grout?

If so, one alternative is to use a grout colorant.

You could aslo do some TESTing on only the grout joints with an acidic cleaner.

[randyk]

It is a sanded grout. The color is pewter (light gray) and the grout joints are 3/16". I have only screwed up one wall of the shower. Would I be able to match the color of the other walls or would I have to color all the walls?

[Davestone]

You would have to do them all to blend them probably.Have you tried scratching the dark spots a little with a hand grout saw, and maybe rubbing some new grout in there.

[randyk]

I hadn't even thought of it, but I will give it a try. I was wondering if one of the oxygen cleaners might work.

[Davestone]

It might.

[doitright]

Hi Randy :)

Anything is worth experimenting with, just don't mix chemicals! :eek:

Grout colorant can actually blend quite well. If you don't do the entire job though, I highly recommend a high quality sealer for the remaining grout joints. If not, the first time the grout gets wet, you'll see what I'm talking about! :eek:

[randyk]

In an attempt to replicate my problem and experiment with various treatments, I took a substantial piece of grout that had squeezed out between some floor tiles (the floor was grouted with the same grout as the shower) and attempted to discolor it with vinegar. This was a total failure. The piece of grout always comes right back to the same, original color. I even soaked the grout in vinegar for a couple of hours. But, this morning after it had dried, it had returned to the same, original colr. How can this be? This is very frustrating.