grout haze question

[daisyduke24]

Hi There,

*I posted this in the "Cleaning, Restoration, Sealing" forum yesterday, and it was my first post here ever. I am not sure if it was the appropriate place for it or if it is better suited to this advice board, so I thought I would also post it here. Thanks!*

I recently had glazed porcelain tile installed in my kitchen. My GC used PermaColor Grout and sealed the grout with Aqua-Mix Grout Sealer -- just the regular stuff, not the Aqua-Mix Sealer's Choice Gold.

Question #1: I feel like there could be grout haze left on the tile, but I'm not sure if what is left on the tile is normal/expected. I have attached a picture so you can see what I am talking about. The tile on the towel is how the original tile looked before installation. As you can see it looks much shinier than the tile that has been installed. Should I be able to achieve a final result that is closer to the original tile? If so, what is the best method for removing the residual grout haze? It has been five days since the floor was grouted. From my research here and around the web it seems as though the Aqua-Mix NanoScrub could be an option or the Aqua-Mix Grout Haze Clean-up (used at full strength).

Question #2: There are a number of places on the tile where it doesn't look like the grout sealer was completely wiped off before it dried on, as evidenced by portions of the tiles looking wet/shiny. This is driving me nuts. From research here and around the web I have tried putting some of the Aqua-Mix Grout Sealer back on the tile and scrubbing the area with a nylon brush, but that did not work. I also tried scrubbing the area with a baking soda slurry, but that did not work either. What should I try next to remove the residual grout sealer? Aqua-Mix NanoScrub?

Question #3: I believe my GC only put one coat of the Aqua-Mix Grout Sealer on the grout to seal it, and I don't think it has a good seal. It fails the water drop test (does not repel and grout gets darker when water is applied). I wanted to get some of the Aqua-Mix Sealer's Choice Gold and put a coat or two on until it appears to be sealed. Can I put this sealer overtop of the plain Aqua-Mix Grout Sealer, or do I need to strip off the old first?

Thanks so much for your insight.

Erica

[cx]

Welcome, Erica.

I've moved this thread to the C/R/S forum and deleted the duplicate thread that you posted here yesterday. This is the correct forum for your questions, but sometimes a little patience is required for a response.

I can't tell much of anything from your photo, but maybe others will be able to.

[Stone Dude]

How recent is the installation?

[daisyduke24]

Thanks for getting me in the right forum, CX! I can usually find the info I'm looking for by searching the archives, but figured I'd better actually make a post for this one.

Erica

[daisyduke24]

Hi Cameron,

The tile was set on 1/24/15.
The grout was installed on 1/27/15.
The grout haze was wiped on 1/28/15.
The grout sealer was applied on 1/29/15.

Hope this helps.

Erica

[doitright]

Hi Erica, Welcome!

Your first step will be to remove the grout haze. Most products used to accomplish that will break down the sealer, so there is no need to worry what product you use in the future to seal the grout.

There are several manufacturers that have grout haze removers. Check with the grout manufacturer (Laticrete in this case) to see how soon a grout haze remover can be applied. Laticrete has acquired DuPont Stone Tech, so they may have an in house solution for you.

After you have restored your floor, a thorough neutralizing and drying of the grout will be necessary prior to applying your sealer.

[daisyduke24]

Thanks, John!

Thanks for confirming that your expert eye also sees residual grout haze on the tile. I've sent a note to Laticrete, so we'll see what they say about removing it.

As far neutralizing the grout before resealing, I believe I've read on some other threads to use a diluted ammonia mix (1 part ammonia to 2 parts water). Sound right? How much time would you recommend between neutralizing the grout and applying the sealer, so that it has sufficient time to dry?

Thanks again,

Erica