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MrsRivera
2 under 2...whew!!
Member since 2/07 9876 total posts
Name:
Beth
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HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Ok, I know this is a long-shot, but I'm hoping one of you will know this answer, or has a DH who will know how to fix this...
DH put up a gorgeous tile backsplash in our kitchen last week. He just got around to grouting it the night before last. From the instructions, he was under the impression that he had to leave the grout on for it to cure. Meaning, he left grout completely covering the tile faces.
NOW IT WON'T COME OFF!!!!!
He's in our kitchen with a wire brush, trying desperately to wet the grout enough for it to come off, but I think it's cured by now and we can't find a way to get it off.
Please, someone tell me he didn't just spend hours and a lot of money on a ruined backsplash... 
Anyone's DH a general contractor, or even better, a tile installer????? Anyone?
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Posted 9/16/08 9:44 PM  |
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Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate
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mathteach
Roll Tide!
Member since 8/08 3169 total posts
Name:
Christine
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Read this
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| Posted 9/16/08 9:48 PM |
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csorisi
My 2 LOVES
Member since 11/05 1984 total posts
Name:
Corinne
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
I think he will have to wet it alot and wipe with a sponge and it should come off and just keep doing that. The wire brush might scatch the tiles. There were some spots on our tiles that still had grout and that is what we did.
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| Posted 9/16/08 9:49 PM |
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MrsRivera
2 under 2...whew!!
Member since 2/07 9876 total posts
Name:
Beth
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Posted by csorisi
I think he will have to wet it alot and wipe with a sponge and it should come off and just keep doing that. The wire brush might scatch the tiles. There were some spots on our tiles that still had grout and that is what we did.
Unfortunately, this is not working. He tried rewetting the grout with the damp grout sponge, but it's kinda like trying to remove dried cement with a sponge.
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| Posted 9/16/08 9:55 PM |
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MrsRivera
2 under 2...whew!!
Member since 2/07 9876 total posts
Name:
Beth
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Thanks. I think I will look into getting the acidic cleaner tomorrow. I just hope that doesn't mean that we have to re-grout the whole thing.
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| Posted 9/16/08 9:56 PM |
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ave1024
I Took The Wrong Road
Member since 12/07 6153 total posts
Name:
That Led To The Wrong Tendencies
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
I would try to carefully scrape the grout off with a paint knife. Try an area not typically seen first to test.
Grout should come off. It just takes time.
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| Posted 9/16/08 9:58 PM |
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MrsRivera
2 under 2...whew!!
Member since 2/07 9876 total posts
Name:
Beth
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Posted by ave1024
I would try to carefully scrape the grout off with a paint knife. Try an area not typically seen first to test.
Grout should come off. It just takes time.
From what I'm reading, it's possible to get grout off of CERAMIC tile that way, but we have natural stone tiles that have a rough surface.
What a nightmare.
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| Posted 9/16/08 9:59 PM |
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ave1024
I Took The Wrong Road
Member since 12/07 6153 total posts
Name:
That Led To The Wrong Tendencies
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
You mean the tumbled marble with all the cracks and crevices?
Ugh that's a pain in the ***. Does it really look that bad? Take a pic of it.
Good luck. 
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| Posted 9/16/08 10:10 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Keep wetting and scrubbing. Should eventually come off.
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| Posted 9/16/08 10:18 PM |
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MrsRivera
2 under 2...whew!!
Member since 2/07 9876 total posts
Name:
Beth
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Posted by ave1024
You mean the tumbled marble with all the cracks and crevices?
Ugh that's a pain in the ***. Does it really look that bad? Take a pic of it.
Good luck.
Yup, that's exactly it.
It looks pretty awful.
I'm hearing about this sulfamic acid stuff that may be able to take it off...looks like we'll be making a trip to Home Depot tomorrow.
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| Posted 9/16/08 11:15 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Posted by MrsRivera
Posted by ave1024
You mean the tumbled marble with all the cracks and crevices?
Ugh that's a pain in the ***. Does it really look that bad? Take a pic of it.
Good luck.
Yup, that's exactly it.
It looks pretty awful.
I'm hearing about this sulfamic acid stuff that may be able to take it off...looks like we'll be making a trip to Home Depot tomorrow.
Just make sure you, my dear, stay away from that acid while he is using it. I would imagine it could also smell quite strong, so BE careful.
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| Posted 9/17/08 3:42 AM |
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sunnyplus3
:)
Member since 11/05 8749 total posts
Name:
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
it should come off, but it is a PITA. A guy that worked for my DH once grouted a bathroom with stone tiles & left it on till the next day. He spent three days cleaning the grout.
If you try the acid make sure your cabinets & counters are covered completely.
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| Posted 9/17/08 7:20 AM |
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Uh oh! I'm sure somebody at HD or Lowe's can help you.  I hope it comes off...and easily too!
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| Posted 9/17/08 8:39 AM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
http://www.askthebuilder.com/390_Removing_Grout.shtml
I know this is going to sound crazy, but try it. Take one gallon of warm water and dissolve a cup of sugar into it. Take this sweet solution and pour it onto excess grout on a floor. If you have wall tile with too much grout, then soak paper towels in the solution and place them on the tile.
Keep the tile wet with the sugar water for at least two hours. After this dwell time is complete, use a nylon scrub pad and scrub a small area. You should see instant results. It may take more than one application of sugar water to completely remove the grout film.
This method is very cheap and easy to try. Worst case scenario with this is that you waste 10 cents worth of sugar and a few paper towels....
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| Posted 9/17/08 9:06 AM |
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JldDolphin
Member since 1/07 6929 total posts
Name:
Jen
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Posted by Goobster
I'm hearing about this sulfamic acid stuff that may be able to take it off...looks like we'll be making a trip to Home Depot tomorrow.
Just make sure you, my dear, stay away from that acid while he is using it. I would imagine it could also smell quite strong, so BE careful.
This acid is very strong and you shouldn't be in the house smelling this. Your DH would need to wear the right gloves and really have a lot of ventalation. I would try other methods first. Go down to Lowe's or HD and ask them for some advise. Or just keep trying with the water. GL!
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| Posted 9/17/08 10:07 AM |
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LemonHead
Sour Girl
Member since 3/08 5271 total posts
Name:
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Posted by KellyFG
A guy that worked for my DH once grouted a bathroom with stone tiles & left it on till the next day. He spent three days cleaning the grout.
The EXACT same thing happened to my DH, one of his employees did that. He almost murdered him! But it did eventually come of and everything looked great.
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| Posted 9/17/08 10:55 AM |
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MrsRivera
2 under 2...whew!!
Member since 2/07 9876 total posts
Name:
Beth
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Posted by faithann
Posted by KellyFG
A guy that worked for my DH once grouted a bathroom with stone tiles & left it on till the next day. He spent three days cleaning the grout.
The EXACT same thing happened to my DH, one of his employees did that. He almost murdered him! But it did eventually come of and everything looked great.
Thanks everyone, for all of the suggestions.
faithann, do you have any idea what your DH used to clean the grout off? I would imagine this is a common mistake for a novice to make, I just want to find the best way to get it off. 
I've already told DH that if he uses the acid stuff, he'll have to get a respirator and I'll need to be having ladies night out 
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| Posted 9/17/08 2:51 PM |
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pinkandblue
Our family is complete, maybe
Member since 9/05 32436 total posts
Name:
Stephanie
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
my dh does tile. Call him if you need some advice or help
fm me for the #
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| Posted 9/17/08 5:21 PM |
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LemonHead
Sour Girl
Member since 3/08 5271 total posts
Name:
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Re: HELP!!! DH may have ruined our backsplash!
Posted by MrsRivera
Posted by faithann
Posted by KellyFG
A guy that worked for my DH once grouted a bathroom with stone tiles & left it on till the next day. He spent three days cleaning the grout.
The EXACT same thing happened to my DH, one of his employees did that. He almost murdered him! But it did eventually come of and everything looked great.
Thanks everyone, for all of the suggestions.
faithann, do you have any idea what your DH used to clean the grout off? I would imagine this is a common mistake for a novice to make, I just want to find the best way to get it off.
I've already told DH that if he uses the acid stuff, he'll have to get a respirator and I'll need to be having ladies night out
MrsRivera,
I've got three different approaches for you to try:
First, DH said the 001 or 00 steel wool saved them. You can't get it wet b/c it will leave rust marks within minutes, but with a TON of elbow grease, it WILL come off.
DH used Stone Specific (that's the brand name) highly concentrated grout and tile cleaner. You only add a splash to a 3.5 gallon bucket of warm water. It works better than anything.
If it's tumbled marble or travertine, you can use an orbital hand sander. Start with 120 grit sandpaper and end with 400 grit (or as high a grit you can find in you local store) (You can ONLY do that with those two types of tile). This should be a last resort thing.
It may take forever, but your DH should be able to fix it!! So you may not get a girls niht out after all!
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| Posted 9/18/08 9:12 AM |
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