How can I clean dark brown grout stains from a light beige porcelain tiles?

[TheTiler]

I will back up Soyabean. Acetone often works, although sometimes a toothbrush is needed and a LOT of time. I've had a couple of miserable experiences with riven porcelain and polished porcelain even after I'd asked advice from the suppliers PRIOR to fitting. I had one job where the manufacturers of some polished white porcelain explicitly explained that the tiles required stripping off a manufactured wax coat with a Fila stripper prior to fixing and then sealing (with Fila). Then fix and grout and seal again (with Fila). Understood, I thought, however, once the factory wax is removed, it's all up to the sealant, and although you may follow it to the book, I managed to stain a couple by rubbing a knee pad on them during fixing. Took me forever to get it out, and I still had to warn the customer to never walk on the tiles in shoes. Some tiles aren't fit for purpose methinks...

 

[Soyabean]

Hi all I just wanted to say thanks for all your tips and advice last night. It gave me hope. Tonight I am much happier as my builders team managed to get the stains off of the tiles.

I just wanted to share the name of the cleaner. It is called MGP 30 is acid based and here is what I found out about it from the web "MGP 30 Cleaner for removing sealing residues from porcelain grès and natural stones, and concrete residues from slate; especially recommended for cleaning cobblestones, rosettes and ancient-finished marbles."

It has discoloured the brown grout in places next to the tiles but I can live with that. Last night was a nightmare; by comparison this is just an shame.

There must be things I can paint onto the grout to make it look brown again right? And if not, never mind. At least my lovely new tiles have not been ruined

Any of you heard of the MGP 30? And if not it may be worth looking up just in case… Cheers all!

 

[Brinkley]

try aquamix for colouring the grout

 

[johnryan]

just get a grout rake on the stained grout, and regrout it.

edit; very carefully regrout it i mean.

 

[Barry bp]

make sure nail varnish remover has acetone in many are acetone free!

 

[TheTiler]

Cool. Is MGP 30 by Larsen?

 

[TheTiler]

P.S - Why not try giving a tiler the job next time?:smilewinkgrin:

 

[ivanhoe]

hi, i had exactly same problem after tiling my bathroom, light plain porcelin wall tiles from b&q (i know i know) were covered in a ingrained stain from the dark charcoal grout. tried the nail varnish remover to no avail.
after searching on here i evetually bought something from Topps by fila called-grout residue remover and it did exactly what it said on the tin!
takes a while to work mind, dont know if its a bleaching process or not but after initial application and scrubbing nothing happened. much disgruntled i left it for while went to work and came back to find it had completely removed a said staining.
it does as some have mentioned tend to bleach the grouting and its pretty impossible to apply without touching the grout but small price to pay and that can be relatively easily resolved.

 

[Tabby Cranks]

Are you sure it's not Marmite.

 

[ivanhoe]

Are you sure it's not Marmite.

yeah, I hate marmite.

 

[Dan]

Bump