Removing dried grout from tile

ramsay3970 · Post by **ramsay3970** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:06 pm

Hello all. My first post and would appreciate any advice with the following problem.

I had new tiles fitted along with my new kitchen about a month ago. There is quite a lot of excess dried grout over the tiles made worse by the fact that the slate tiles have an almost embossed finish to them (embossed is probably not the best way of describing the finish, but it's not a completely flat tile) . I'm finding it extremely difficult to remove the dried grout, especially the bits that are stuck in and around the embossed bits. I've tried a scourer pad and wire pads but it's making little difference.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Razor · Post by **Razor** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:43 pm

Are they real slate? If so you do have a problem

They should've been sealed before and after grouting.

If you had it professionally done stop trying to sort it yourself and get them back.

You can get solution to clean grout off from a proper tile shop but it's a very laborious process.

python · Post by **python** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:47 pm

A paint scraper is the best tool I have found for this task.

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:45 pm

You will be able to get a chemical cleaner from these people-

http://www.extensive.co.uk/

If you contact them, they will tell you which product you need.

ramsay3970 · Post by **ramsay3970** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:29 pm

Many thanks for the replies.

They are real slate and yes, they are in a bit of a state. The tiler said that it should come off after a couple of washes. That may be true if his definition of a 'wash' is spending 15mins per tile with a wire pad. I've got about 30m2 so it's not an ideal situation.

Razor, can I ask what you mean by "sealed before and after grouting"? I know next to nothing about tiling.

Has anyone tried the chemical stuff from extensive.co.uk?

Thanks again!

thescruff · Post by **thescruff** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:40 pm

The slate is porous, and needs to be sealed.

As Razor said, you really should be getting them back, assuming they're reputable.

Razor · Post by **Razor** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:52 pm

If you got a proper tiling firm in they should know better than to leave it like that, I wouldn't use anything to scrape it as you will leave grey marks that'll never get hidden.

Ring them and ask what they sealed it with, I always seal it before grouting and again afterwards. Trying to do it yourself will give them a way out

Razor · Post by **Razor** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:53 pm

Perhaps just google fila slate impregnator!!

Is there anyone that Chez hasn't banned

Only-Me · Post by **Only-Me** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:38 pm

Get the tiler back............Its his problem. Not yours.

Have you paid in full?

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 2:27 pm

Razor wrote:Perhaps just google fila slate impregnator!!

Is there anyone that Chez hasn't banned

We only ban sites that spam us.

I have now added the link through a link shortening site

I doubt if it was topps themselves that spammed us, but they probably paid a firm for search engine optimisation, who in turn spammed us

tictic · Post by **tictic** » Sun Jan 03, 2010 12:57 am

lithopin do a product called ..abra clean
aquamix do one called nano scrub..

have a look at both off them.

ramsay3970 · Post by **ramsay3970** » Sun Jan 03, 2010 3:00 pm

It was a one man band but a decent guy. Have tried calling him but no answer prob as it's over the holidays. Will try again in the coming week.

I have paid in full but am now aware that I should not have paid a bean till I was completely satisfied.

Thanks again for all the replies!