Overcoming Common Grout-Cleaning Problems
Cleaners who are adding tile and grout services to their list of services may find a haze left behind after the floors are dry. To alleviate this problem, you must first determine if it is due to efflorescence or sealer. Efflorescence appears as a white powder, normally on the grout. Sealer haze appears as a milky white haze where sealer has pooled and dried on the surface rather than penetrating the grout or stone. Efflorescence can occur any time there is moisture in masonry material, and it can happen even after a thorough cleaning. To prevent it, dry floors quickly with airmovers after cleaning, seal grout lines or porous tiles after the floors are dried, and reduce the amount of water in the grout by choosing a sealer with a solvent carrier. If it still persists, brush the grout with a stiff brush or use an acid product. To prevent sealer haze, cleaners should determine how much sealer is appropriate for each job, and apply a few drops of water to the grout lines, and observe how quickly the water takes to penetrate. If the water penetrates quickly, there is little or no sealer present. If the water does not soak in, then the floor does not need additional sealer.