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How to Remove Grout Haze from Polished Marble Tile?
QUESTION
What product can we use to remove cement grout haze from polished marble tile? The tile was sealed prior to grouting with unsanded grout, but has lost it's shine. It's been 3 days now, we've tried cheesecloth, microfiber towels, sponges and hot water, nothing is helping. All the products I'm finding are acidic.ANSWER
ANSWER - Normally to remove a cementitious haze you use acid, but not just any acid as acid used wrong can cause etching problems. Never use muriatic acid like what is added to pools. Sulphamic acid is the safest, but you have to dilute it and wet the surface first before applying it. Always test first to make sure the surface isn't too acid sensitive.Because it is a polished marble made of calcium carbonate it makes it acid sensitive. If it is actually a cement haze, then if you take some diluted vinegar in a out of the way spot and apply it to the haze it should remove it. Of course rinse the spot with clean water right away and wipe dry.
The question is whether the haze is actually a cement haze or a haze from the polymers that are added to cementitious grouts.
There is a neutral based cleaner by Aqua Mix called NanoScrub that can be purchased at Home Depot that claims it cleans most coatings over marble safely. I would try that first.
If all else fails, you can have a qualified professional stone restoration company refinish the marble surface to look like new.
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Thank you, I’ll try that!
I had a marble matte finish floor put in hallway and bathroom laundry and closet area. It was poorly wiped down. I didn’t like the look of it. Contractor had it rinsed with sponge and water multiple times however it still looks like has some even though the water is mostly clear. Deglaze product was used. I want to seal it but it doesn’t look right. Contractor did not discuss this as a service previously and wants final payment!
You should not seal the marble until it is cleaned to your satisfaction or you will trap those undesirable conditions.
A haze can come from the grouting or the thinset mortars. Normally a mild acid will remove the cement haze from a tile, although marble being a calcium carbonate material is sensitive to acids so you have to be very careful what you use. Today most of the cementitious grouts and thinsets are polymer or latex modified so they can leave a latex or polymer haze that an acidic cleaner will not remove. Here again since marbles tend to be chemical sensitive you have to be careful what you use. Make sure you use a branded product that is made for those types of cleaning and test out whatever cleaner you use before applying to the entire floor.
If all else fails, there are professional natural stone restoration companies who have experience will cleaning and refinishing marble floors. You might need to hire their services to clean and seal the floor.
Can i use vinegar diluted with water to clean the haze from the marble bathroom floor? My contractor did not clean or seal the marble yet??
Vinegar is acidic. With glazed ceramic tiles diluted vinegar would be used to clean off a cementitious haze. Although marble is a calcium chloride and can etch if the acidic concentration is too corrosive.
A haze can come from the grouting or the thinset mortars. Normally a mild acid will remove the cement haze from a tile, although marble being a calcium carbonate material is sensitive to acids so you have to be very careful what you use. Today most of the cementitious grouts and thinsets are polymer or latex modified so they can leave a latex or polymer haze that an acidic cleaner will not remove. Here again since marbles tend to be chemical sensitive you have to be careful what you use. Make sure you use a branded product that is made for those types of cleaning and test out whatever cleaner you use before applying to the entire floor.
My polished marble island had a sealant applied when it was installed and now island has a haze or dull look to it! What can I use to remove the haze safely? Kitchen island is 70×130 so relatively large surface. Thank you!
Marble is very dense and impervious. Sealers on marble are normally for providing some protection against staining, but they don’t last long. It is possible someone put an enhancer sealer on your marble, but that normally isn’t done and isn’t needed. The marble is normally finished to a high polish or to a hone sheen. The nice aspect of natural marble is that you can restore the finish to be like new. You need to hire a professional stone restoration company to refinish the stone. This requires using diamond pads and oxalic acid to create the polish or hone finish. They will normally use a penetrating sealer to help project the surface from stains. Although the sealers do not protect the marble from scratching or acid etching, so if you use marble on kitchen countertops you have to protect it and expect you will have to refinish the marble every few years depending on the condition you want to maintain.