How to clean and polish older tile floor and clean darkened grout?

Question

My floor was installed fifteen years ago; has become dull and the grout, originally sand in color, has darkened. I would like to strip the dirt and either reseal or polish the floor.

Answer 1

the best thing that I have seen to clean tile is a acid wash of muratic acid and water in a one to three mix but there are severalpoints to watch out for,1 ventilation as the acid puts off a gas tha acts as a chocking problem.the acid and bleach will form mustard gas that will clear a building and not good to come in contact with ,2the acid will eat concrete and if misused will leave pitts and stains,3 carpet will dissolve so if tile is edged by carpet pull it back and plan to restretch back after job is done .4 mixing the acid use all safty you cando not get on skin,clean up wih water after acid etching till and grout , I would not seal it is the sealer that discolors and make tile slick.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How to clean and polish older tile floor and clean darkened grout?
My floor was installed fifteen years ago; has become dull and the grout, originally sand in color, has darkened. I would like to strip the dirt and either reseal or polish the floor.

Answer 3

Acid Wash Tile

Answer 4

You can rent a carpet steam cleaner the steam along with the scrubbing action of the bristles will loosen the dirt that has ground into the grout and it will refresh the tile. I do agree that waxing the tiles will make them very slick. Next to the carpet cleansers in wallmart or target they have carpet cleaning solution and tile cleaning solution that is meant for this, and it does not have the noxious odors associated with the acidic cleaners that you have hand apply then scrub and wash thoroughly.

Answer 5

About once a year, I don a pair of rubber gloves, get a small cup of bleach and water (50/50) and a toothbrush and scrub the grout! It's faster than you think. I haven't heard good things about sealing grout, so I've never had mine sealed. Good luck!

Answer 6

You probably have some WD40 around your house...so try this. Hope it works for you.

Water Displacement #40. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.

Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.. The main ingredient is fish oil.

When you read the "shower door" part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stovetop... Voila! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.

Here are some of the uses:

1) Protects silver from tarnishing.
2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4) Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery.
5) Keeps flies off cows.
6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7) Removes lipstick stains.
8) Loosens stubborn zippers.
9) Untangles jewellery chains.
10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes
18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20) Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21) Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
22) Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30) Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31) Removes splattered grease on stove.
32) Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35) Removes all traces of duct tape.
36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37) Florida's favourite use is: "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers."
38) The favourite use in the state of New York WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40) Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41) WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42) Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43) If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start