How to get GROUT off our new tiles..dodgy plumber!

wannabe_a_mum

Hey guys....first Thread on this forum which is amazing by the way!

Last August our Bathroom leaked through to the downstairs and we ended up claiming on the insurance. To cut a long story short, it was a nightmare, we ended up in a hotel for 3 weeks and Mono Services were awful. So we opted to pay ourselves and not use their preferred suppliers..............

Managed to get a local firm from yell.com and this guy came round and said he'd do the work. So we went ahead...he was slow but particular...hen he was a bit too slow with getting the grout sorted...he ended up letting it dry on the tiles!
This was around October last year and he fled....after we'd paid him around 90% of what we owed him!
Nwo we can't get the grout off our lovely new tiles.....they aren't glazed, they are large tiles, white with a raised circles pattern (got them from Tile Mart who are great!)

Can anyone tell us how to solve the problem??
The tiles were really expensive, as we forked out due to now using them all over the bathroom, just in the shower enlosure!

Any ideas that don't involve chemicals/a lot of money would be most appreciated!!!

Thanks in advance!

HugoSP

I am a little confused - you say these are not glazed. In which case how are they waterproofed for your shower? I suspect that they are a rough surface in places.

In any case, since the surface is not smooth then I think you will have to try the following.

Using a cheap sponge with a scouring surface on the back - the type used to wash up pans etc, wet it and work in small circular motions on the affected areas of the tiles. Any smooth surfaces can be gently scraped with a stanley knife blade. If I could I would approach this job by holding the blade so that the whole sharp edge in contact with the surface, then working it gently in small areas remove offending grout.

Doozergirl

You can buy paint scrapers that do what HugoSP describes without taking your fingertips off Otherwise yes, what he says

I know the tiles you mean, I like those. I think they are glazed, just have a matt finish.

HugoSP

Doozergirl wrote: »

You can buy paint scrapers that do what HugoSP describes without taking your fingertips off Otherwise yes, what he says

Dozygirl - you are supposed to hold the blunt end

Seriously, you can use a paint scraper bit sometimes you need to get into tight spaces and the body of the paint scraper gets in the way, so I remove spare blade from the utlity knife and contact the entire blade with the surface and gently work the contamination loose.

rygon

Ive just had the same trouble with my tiles (wall and floor). the best thing i found for it was to wet the tiles 1st and then use wire wool to remove the grouting. Worked a treat for me. You maty want to have a try in an inconspicuous place to make sure it doesnt hurt the tiles. Mine where cream and they came up a treat

sparrer

Just to resurrect this topic and thank the posters who suggested a scourer. Tiler left grout all over the tiles over the bath yesterday, I spent last night trying to wash it all off then had a :idea: and looked here for a solution. Found it of course - now why didn't I think of coming here first ?! :doh:

ormus

i use a cheap green nylon scourer for the light areas. for heavy areas i use those copper pan scrubs.
must be the copper ones and not the steel ones. copper is soft.

27col

You can buy a very cheap tool that will hold a Stanley Knife blade sideways . It looks like a small windscreen scraper, can be quite handy to have around the house.

keystone

Are we talking ceramic tiles or natural stone?

Are we talking epoxy grout or cementatious grout?

Cheers

trinity_enigma

keystone wrote: »

Are we talking ceramic tiles or natural stone?

Are we talking epoxy grout or cementatious grout?

Cheers

I wouldn't worry too much, if she hasn't got it off in the last 3 1/2 years, she's probably not too bothered about it :rotfl:

keystone

trinity_enigma wrote: »

I wouldn't worry too much, if she hasn't got it off in the last 3 1/2 years, she's probably not too bothered about it :rotfl:

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