Removing Grout Haze from Porcelain Paving

It is extremely important when trying to remove grout haze from your patio that the surface of the paving is acid resistant such as ceramic tiles, porcelain, brick, clay and quarry tiles. Never use grout haze removers on natural stone paving as they are acid based products and can cause permanent damage to the surface of the stone. 

Introduction

It is not uncommon to see grout haze left on porcelain paving slabs after installation, this is caused by insufficient cleaning after grouting or after using FlowPoint which leaves residue on the surface of the paving slabs. It is very important when using these products that all residues are completely removed, we would always recommend use a large good quality sponge ideally coupled with a Wash Boy System and then continue to clean until the slabs are completely free from residue and the water is running clean. 

Grout haze can appear in the form of white powder, glossy patches or dull smears or streaks on the surface and especially around the edges of the porcelain paving slabs. This residue looks very unsightly and can spoil the overall appearance of your porcelain paving installation.

What products to use

To successfully remove dried on grout residue from porcelain paving slabs you will need to use a specialist grout haze cleaner, such as Universeal Grout Haze Remover. There are other products on the market that will do the same job, but always read the instructions on the bottle before commencing any application as they many differ to the instructions below.

These products dissolve the grout residue left of the surface of the porcelain and will easily remove this as well as many other problems such as, mortar and cement grout, efflorescence, encrusted and engrained dirt, as well as natural calcium & limescale deposits.

It quickly and easily dissolves whilst removing any grout film or residue from the ceramic or porcelain tile surface within minutes without damaging the tiles or grouting.

The cleaning process

1. Before starting any applications ensure that you are wearing all the appropriate PPE such as gloves, eye protection and suitable masks, fully read the product label before commencing any works.
2. Its is always important to do a test patch first, this will help you determine the strength of dilution you will need to remove the grout residue, these products can be used neat or up to 1:10 dilution with clean water. This test patch will also allow you to determine how long you will need to leave the treatment on the surface to get the desired results. 
3. Pre wet the surface of the porcelain slabs, then apply a thick coat of grout haze remover with a sponge or paint brush to all the affected areas of your patio, allow the solution to dwell on the surface for up to 10 minutes.
4. After leaving the grout haze remover to dwell for a while, agitate the surface with a stiff brush, this will aid the cleaning process.
5. After the ten minutes make sure you wash the whole surface of the porcelain paving fully ideally using a pressure washer to fully remove the grout haze remover.
6. Allow the treated porcelain slabs to thoroughly dry to assess the results. You can then repeat the process reducing the dilution rate if necessary.
7. If after trying to remove the grout residue a couple of times, you are still left with grout haze on your porcelains surface, you may need to use more grout haze remover in conjunction with a rotary floor buffing machine, you many need professional help at this stage.

Image above some rotary buffer in use.