white wall grout questions....

[tbailie]

Recently I renovated out bathroom and used a white 3x6 tile for the walls with white mapei unsanded grout. I used a couple of coats of Tile Lab impregnating sealer on the grout joints.

A few months later we noticed that the joints weren't quite as white as they were initially, and made the mistake of cleaning the tile with Tilex.
This did not make the grout look any whiter.

I then contacted a tile shop and the said the Tilex cleaner was a definite no-no and suggested using a heavy duty cleaner to clean the tile and then reseal. I did this, applying about 4 coats of the Tile Lab sealer. The grout still looks the same. I kept applying the sealer until water beaded up on the joint.

One thing I should note is that the entire room is tiled with the same tile floor to ceiling. The shower grout lines are just slightly darker than the original white grout. I am just worried that I may have sealed the grout using the wrong product.

My questions:

1. will white grout that is sealed and has been wet ever look exactly like the same white grout that has not been wet?
2. what is the proper method for sealing white grout?
3. is there anything i can do to correct the issue?

thanks,
t bailie

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[Davestone]

Impregnating sealers shouldn't change the look of grout, unless maybe it was applied while the grout was still wet, before 3 or more days of curing time.Also, maybe mastic was used to set the tiles and retained moisture.Typically we suggest following the directions on the sealer manuf. bottles, since every manuf. is different.But basically letting the grout set, cleaning, let dry then sealeing with repeated applications and drying off the excess is basically it.

[tbailie]

The tile grout was sealed after the grout had set up for about 10 days. The shower was not used during this time. I had followed the instructions from the selaer. Also, the tile was installed using mortar instead of mastic.

I've done a little research and looked back at some older posts. Sounds like white grout can be a real pain, if proper maintenance and cleaning do not occur regularly.

What would you recommend as far as a good cleaning regiment? Anything I can do to get the "new" white look back?

t bailie

[chvipergts]

Usually once the grout is discolored, it needs to be taken out and replaced. I remember years ago my grandfather had a tile shower with 1/8" unsanded white grout joints. He would re grout every two years to keep it looking good.

That's odd that you had problems with discoloration after sealing. I have used Mapei white grout several times, and I always seal white grout. Have not had any problems yet. I would be wary of the sealing product you used.

How to seal the grout varies by the manufacturer of the sealer. Most products I use recommend curing at least 48 hours prior to sealing. I believe Tile Lab recommends this time frame as well.

[tbailie]

Chris,
Is there anything you would recommend to get the grout back to it's "original" state?
Or, is this just a matter of the cement based grout needing to "dry out" ? I saw in an older post where it sounded like someone was having the same problem as me. They were told that cement based grouts like the Mapei even when sealed with a penetrating sealer, can slightly darken......is this typical?
Any recommendations on cleaning routine cleaning of the tile and grout?

Thanks for the assistance -

Travis

[chvipergts]

Travis,

I recently did a wall in a friends bathroom using Mapei white. I didn't seal it, but I know he did a week after it was completed. That was a few months ago, and it still looks like new.

You said the Tilex made it a lot worse, but it sounds like you had problems before that. The person you spoke with is correct about not using Tilex, which I believe contains chlorine bleach in it. What does the grout look like right now? Is it turning a grayish color?

Is it possible you used too much water when you were grouting? I know that there are a few grout colorants on the market, and I have heard some work okay. I have never used any of them, so I can't recommend a specific brand, but you may want to check it out and see if they work for you.

[tbailie]

re:

right now the grout is just slightly grayer than the adjacent "pure" white grout in the areas that don't get wet.
i had a tile contractor install the tile and grout. i chose to seal it myself.
do you have any suggestions on cleaners that i should try before trying a colorant?

thanks,
travis