How Do You Remove Grout Haze from Vinyl Tile

Installing vinyl tiles can transform your spaces and give them a fantastic look. However, grout haze may hinder you from enjoying the beauty that comes with it, so how do you remove grout haze from vinyl tiles?.

Grout haze may be caused by soap accumulation over time. For new tiles installation or renovation, byproduct may also cause cloudiness after drying up. To get rid of dried grout haze, check if the grout is fully hardened, determine your tiles and grout type used to help determine the grout haze remover to use. Embark on the haze removal with the commercial product, vinegar or baking soda.

Here is a complete guide that will help you out by addressing some common questions of the same.

How Do You Remove Stubborn Grout Haze?

Have you installed your tiles lately or done tiles renovation? Cloudiness look may appear on your flooring not just as a result of soap residue, but rather an installation byproduct that have dried out. Unlike the normal grout haze, grime and dirt, the installation grout haze is not easy to clean. To get rid of normal grout haze, it’s mostly done by washing/cleaning the surface of a tile with a cleaning agent.

Here are common steps to follow to get rid of vinyl tiles haziness

• For new tiles installation and renovation allow the grout to heal. It takes about 24 hours for grout to completely harden. However, avoid waiting for more than 10 days.
• Determine your grout and flooring tiles. To completely get rid of haziness, determine if you have used epoxy grout or not. In addition determine the type of tiles you have installed? stone, ceramic, porcelain , vinyl etc. This will help you decide on the type of cloudy haze remover to use.

TIP: Although store-bought cleaners are common, the main focus here is on the use of natural soaps. Natural cleaners (soaps) are simple-to-make cleaning agents that do not contain any chemicals. They are also referred to as green cleaners.

Benefits of Natural Grout Haze Cleaners

So why natural cleaners? Here are some of the benefits of natural cleaners;

• Easy to Make– as earlier stated, making natural cleaners is quite simple. In fact, you do not need any specialized skills or equipment. You can make them at home by following a few steps, and you are good to go.
• Environmentally friendly– Using natural cleaners is a great way to protect the environment. This is because when you drain such chemicals after washing your tiles, they pose no significant threat to your surroundings.
• Do not damage/dull your tiles– they are known to safeguard the state of your vinyl tiles.
• Affordable- since natural cleaners are made from readily available ingredients, the cost of making them is low.
• Skin-friendly- green cleaners are less harmful to your skin as compared to the factory-made cleaners.

With that out of the way, let us break down a few questions concerning the use of natural cleaners to remove grout haze from vinyl tiles.

Does Vinegar Remove Grout Haze?

One of the most popular questions is whether vinegar is an effective cleaning agent for grout haze. The answer is yes; vinegar can be used to remove grout haze from vinyl tiles.

Here is a step by step guide on how to remove grout haze from tiles with vinegar.

Equipment/Necessities

Before you begin, you will need certain things namely;

1. Distilled vinegar
2. Warm water
3. A bucket
4. Scrubby sponge/mop
5. Measuring cup
6. A pair of gloves

Process

1. Put on your gloves. This will protect your hands from any harm/cuts.
2. Mix one part of distilled vinegar to 4-parts of warm water in a bucket. You can use the measuring cup to make sure you get the right quantities. However, you can also add a few more drops of vinegar to the solution for extra strength.
3. Dip the mop or scrubby sponge in the vinegar-water solution and clean the dirty area.

Note: If you are going to cover a large surface area, use a mop. This will make the task easier and save you a lot of time. Otherwise, a scrubby sponge will do.

• After you are done, pour out the solution you just used to clean the surface with and fill the bucket with freshwater.
• Dip the mop/scrubby sponge in freshwater and rinse the area.

Will Baking Soda Remove Grout Haze?

Another question that is frequently asked is whether baking soda will remove grout haze. Well, baking soda is an excellent cleaner of grout haze. So, yes, baking soda will do the job.

Here is a step by step guide on how to remove grout haze from tiles with baking soda.

The process of using baking soda to remove grout haze is somehow similar to that of using vinegar. This is because vinegar is also an ingredient used in making this cleaning solution. However, unlike in the above method, baking soda is the main ingredient here.

Equipment/Necessities

1. ½ cup of baking soda
2. Spray bottle
3. 1/3 cup of ammonia
4. 7 cups of warm water
5. ¼ cup of vinegar
6. Nylon scrub pad
7. Gloves

Process

1. Just like in the other method, the first step is putting on a pair of gloves.
2. Mix the baking soda, ammonia, water, and vinegar in the right proportions (as stated above).
3. Add the solution to a spray bottle.
4. Spray the dirty area and let the cleaning solution sit for about 5 minutes.
5. Once the time is up, scrub the surface with a nylon scrub pad.
6. With a little elbow grease, work the grout residue off the vinyl tile.
7. Rise the surface with water and dry it.

Additional Information: Apart from removing grout haze, this cleaner can also be used to get rid of mold in shower grout.

How Long Should Grout Dry Before Removing Haze?

The amount of time required for grout to dry depends mostly on the type that was used. Therefore, you need to consult your installation professional before removing haze. He/she will give you the right advice.

If you installed the tiles yourself, check the grout’s packaging. Such information is usually written there.

But in most cases, you should wait for no less than 24 hours for the grout to dry before removing haze. This is because when you start removing grout haze prematurely, you may end up ruining everything. This will then force you to repeat the whole installation process.

Tip: When planning to remove grout haze, do not wait for more than 10 days as the task will be a bit more challenging for you to complete then.

Will Grout Haze Wear Off?

If you do follow the instructions above and clean the tile properly, the grout haze will inevitably wear off. This is because both vinegar and baking soda are powerful cleaning agents that can easily get rid of grout haze.

In conclusion, grout haze is the last problems you would need to deal with around your tiles. It spoils the aesthetic look and everything thus making the entire space look messy. It’s vital and important to remove haze from your tiles after grouting. You can do this by using a vinegar or baking soda cleaning agent. Doing so will give you incredible results. Always do not forget to give the grout at least 24 hours for it to dry before you start removing haze.