To get rid of grout haze on porcelain or ceramic tiles, use a vinegar solution. In a big spray bottle or bucket, combine one part white vinegar with four parts water. For enhanced strength, more vinegar can be used. Use a mop or a soft nylon pad depending on the surface you need to clean.
For minor instances of grout haze, you might simply be able to remove it with some cheesecloth. First, put on a pair of nitrile or latex gloves. Then, wet the cheesecloth, wring it out, and wipe down the tile. You also can try running a clean rubber grout float over the tile to buff off the haze.
You'll want to get rid of it as soon as possible after the installation is complete and the grout has cured. Removing the grout haze too early could bring up the grout that you want to remain between the tiles, and this could in turn create a new layer of haze.
Before trying to remove any haze, make sure your tile surface is totally dry. About 24 hours are usually needed for this. To find out how long it will take, check with your installation specialist or, if you did it yourself, the grout's package. However, you shouldn't leave grout haze on for longer than 10 days.
If you notice a haze of grout left on the tiles post installation, either buff it off with a dry soft towel or undertake one final clean. Grout Haze is generally easy to remove within 48 hours of grout application.
Mix 1-part white vinegar to 4-parts water in a bucket or large spray bottle. Additional vinegar can be added for extra strength. Depending on the surface area you must cover, use a mop or soft nylon pad. Clean the area with pure water following the vinegar-water solution.
It is important to wait until the grout has set in before wiping the tiles clean, as premature wiping can result in gouges. However, don't wait too long, or the grout will dry onto the tiles, potentially causing irreversible damage.
If for some reason the grout haze does not come clean or you waited just a little too long, you can use a solution of ½ cup of vinegar, ½ cup of ammonia, 1 cup baking soda and 2 quarts of water or pick up a commercial haze cleaner at the store.
Re: Removing grout haze
I'd suggest using a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water. Please make sure to flush the area down with fresh water after your attempt.
Once you've activated the micro-scrubbers inside, your Magic Eraser is good to go. Start by swiping it firmly across the desired surface. In just a few swipes, you should start to see grout messes and buildup begin to disappear!
The QEP Multi-Surface Microfiber Cloth can be used to clean, dust and shine most surfaces. It is ideal for removing grout haze after tile installation. This cleaning cloth is durable and washable for multiple uses.
Grout that hasn't been sealed, needs to be resealed, or is in poor shape should not be cleaned with vinegar. The vinegar penetrates into the pores of the grout, further weakening the material. Over time, vinegar will deteriorate the condition of the grout by etching or wearing it away.
Dampen a wad of paper towels with isopropyl alcohol and apply to stubborn sealer deposits and haze. Thick, sticky, dried deposits may not come away without this treatment. Alternatively, mist on the rubbing alcohol with a spray bottle. Once the sealer is saturated, wipe vigorously to remove the sealer.
Apply warm water and lemon juice to the grout and allow it to soak in. It should help to soften the area a little to make removal easier. For grout that has solidified on a surface it should not have, use steel wool to remove it as the water dissolves the grout.
Sponging the grout too soon will pull it out of the joints, so let it set for about 15 minutes. After that, use a damp sponge to clean the face of the tiles in a light, circular motion. Next, clean the sponge and go over the tile again, wiping at a slight diagonal to the joint.
Optimally, no more than 30 minutes should pass for the initial wiping off of excess grout. This process must be performed gently with a wet grout sponge during regrouting. Once the grout application is complete and excess grout removed, there will be a second waiting process.
Grout haze can be remedied by using something acidic. A lot of people will turn to muriatic acid (HCl) which produces a lot of noxious fume and will burn your skin on contact. STAIN-PROOF Acidic Cleaner, formerly known as EFF-ERAYZA™, has the power of muriatic acid, but it is safer to use.
Similar to the white powder left in a drinking glass when a glass of water is left to evaporate, efflorescence is caused by minerals that are soluble in water being dissolved and transported to the surface of the grout as the water evaporates.
It can stain porous tiles or glazed tiles with micro cracking in its surface called crazing. If it is a cement haze, then a mild acid can be used to remove it such as sulphamic acid or a diluted phosphoric acid. You can use diluted vinegar since it is acidic to see if it does any good.
Two factors can produce this haze: efflorescence and sealer haze. Efflorescence appears as a white powder, normally on the grout. Sealer haze appears as a milky white haze where sealer has pooled and dried on the surface rather than penetrating the grout or stone. It is easily seen on dark-colored grout.
One of the most common causes for discolored grout is dirty mop water. Rather than cleaning the tile, mop water spreads the dirt from the tile into the grout. Since the grout is the lowest part of the floor, the dirt and grime from the mop water settles into the grout.
What is efflorescence? Efflorescence is a white deposit (usually calcium carbonate) that develops on the surface of grout and/or tiles as they dry out. It happens when soluble, naturally occurring mineral salts contained in Portland cement, or materials used in conjunction with it, rise to the surface.