Hazy Daze: Efflorescence on Tile

11. May 2008 by Dean of Clean.

Have you ever over-watered a plant on your Saltillo Tile floor, and noticed after a few weeks that there’s a kind of light haze in that area all of a sudden? That…doesn’t mop away? Or that the stone in your gorgeous shower has white spots and streaks? Or the brick retaining wall out front was really beautiful until the first few hard rains - and now it looks like birds sat on it and , ahem, you get the idea.

In our cleaning adventures, we occasionally encounter this problem. There are solutions, some that you can employ and some that may require our help.

The name for this haze is Efflorescence, and it is caused by mineral salts in the stone, brick or grout being liberated by excessive moisture and wicking out to the surface where they dry. (If you have hard water this only aggravates the problem, since there are minerals in it as well that tend to build up on these hard surfaces.)

The good news is that ceramic tile (glazed or porcelain) is pretty much invulnerable, being fired and sealed on the surface. If hard water builds up (in a shower, say) you can use a safe acidic cleaner to remove it without damaging the tile. Same for the grout in between the tiles, and a soft wire brush may improve your results on the grout in extreme cases. NOTE: Read the label directions carefully, wear protective gloves and always provide adequate ventilation when using any cleaning products! The grout should be sealed with an impregnating sealer after you’ve achieved the desired results.

Brick, such as on retaining walls, can also be addressed with a wire brush or wheel, followed by a cloth dampened with an acidic product designed for this purpose. Don’t “rinse” the brick with water afterward - the moisture will only re-activate the salts. Follow this by sealing with an impregnating sealer; this will prevent moisture getting in or out of the brick.

Saltillo tile is very soft, so DO NOT use a wire or other aggressive brush on it - you’ll take the surface of the tile right off! Go with a dry green pad to buff off the first layer, then a dampened acidic cloth. An impregnating sealer is preferred for Saltillo, but if you prefer a more glossy finish then use a concrete sealer or an acrylic floor finish that are approved for Saltillo. DO NOT MIX different finishes, or apply them over each other. Also, be aware that with topical, gloss finishes, you’ll need to maintain them more (spray-buffing) and be willing to strip and re-coat eventually in order to repair a worn finish. This can be time and cost-intensive.

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Next Time: Efflorescence on Natural Stone…

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