Hard water stains on tile floor

[tolkstoy]

Hey all,

Im back again with a question. My facility is going on 60 years old with original tile flooring, it has aged poorly through its years and has a large buildup of calcium and rust stains.

My initial thought was to acid wash with a 4:1 ratio but the results haven't been as good as i hoped.

I used a straight solution of muriatic, let sit for less than a minute while brushing around and it has seemed to work wonders.

Anytime I use acid I am weary of effects Im not aware of, as I am doing cleaning im thinking “is this going to damage the floor drains?” “Is this a quick fix that will ruin the tile?”

I made sure to flood the floor with water and let fresh water into the drains for a couple minutes.

Anyone in a similar situation have any advice? Am I doing the right thing because it seems to be working well.

Thank you

 

[PoolStored]

Acids are not good for cement based grouts.

Muriatic acid is very powerful and can permanently damage grout and tile surfaces. It can etch the tile, break down the cement bond in the grout, and leave behind acid crystals. In some cases, the damage may be so severe that you may need to replace the tile or regrout.

Even CLR uses Lactic Acid and Lauramine Oxide.

Bleach and ammonia can have some of the same deleterious effects.

You are a bit stuck, many of the more reasonable solutions, that do not impact the tile or grout can be expensive. Grout-eez, pink stuff, and hydrogen peroxide/baking soda may do better without damaging the grout and tile. I would not mix these three solutions.