QUESTION

How to Clean Haze on Tile - Which grout should you use on marble tile for the floor sanded or unsanded and which cleaner should you use to remove the grout haze left behind. My husband and I have already installed marble in our guest bathroom and it went really good except when it time come to clean it we could not get the grout haze off the marble so Lowe's suggested an acidic cleaner and we used it but didn't over do it because my husband was afraid it would lighten the grout color but it looks like we didn't get the haze off a few of the tile or the acidic cleaner stripped the polish off the top. Can you give us any info for the next time?

ANSWER

ANSWER - Deciding on whether to use sanded grout or non-sanded grout depends on the width of the grout joint and whether the tile surface is sensitive to abrasion.

Non-sanded grout is designed for grout joints 1/8" wide or less.  Sanded grout is normally designed for grout joints 1/8" wide or larger.  Grout joints over 1/2" wide need a heavier gauge blend of sand to perform well.  1/8" wide grout joints can use either one, but sanded grout tends to be more stable and doesn't shrink as much.

Soft polished stones or soft glazed tiles can scratch when being grouted with a sanded grout, so always test the sanded grout with the tile first to make sure it doesn't scratch it.

Avoid using acid to clean polished stones and glazed tiles because it can etch the surface of the tile and bleach the grout joints.  The stone can be re-polished, but the glazed tile may not be repairable.  Never use highly corrosive acids such as muriatic acid.  A gentile sulfamic acid or a highly diluted phosphoric acid might be used, or a highly diluted vinegar.  If you use acids make sure the tile surface is saturated with clean water first, and then thoroughly rinse immediately after cleaning.  Use cleaners that are specifically designed for cleaning your tile.  Go to the www.CTaSC.com website to the Expert Answers and under Resources click on Cleaners and Sealers to get links to manufacturers of these products.

Acidic cleaners are only used to remove cement film and does not work to remove other types of stains.  If you use a latex modified or polymer modified cement grout then the haze can be a latex haze, which an acid will not remove.  There are special cleaners for removing latex haze, so go to Cleaners and Sealers to get links to manufacturers of these products, or contact the grout manufacturer who might offer a latex haze remover.