Hello, I need your help! My brother offered to regrout my shower and I gave him the silicone that I had on hand (I use it for crafting) which turned out to be clear. I mistakenly relied on his "professionalism" to do the job right. He grouted over existing grout and now it has mold embedded and that's all I see. It takes me several hours to clean and I can't get the mold to disappear. What should I do? It's driving me crazy!
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Do you have one of those edging things (can't remember the exact name) to pull the bad stuff out and then you can make a mixture of vinegar 2 parts baking soda to 1 part vinegar (it should be like cake icing--add by the tablespoon hot water if it is too thick--do not make it too runny) and put it in where there is mold. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Rinse and repeat. It will need to be totally dry before you can attempt to regrout it the right way with the proper grout (a non clear one that is specific for bathrooms).
Sorry to say, but you're going to have to remove the silicone and old grout, bleach out the moldy stuff, rinse, dry then regrout or recaulk. Those little silicone grout squeegies are handy, but the back of a plastic spoon works really well too, to follow along the grout lines and make them look nice and neat....it's a fairly easy DIY.
I believe if you google "Silicone Remover Scraper Sealant, Caulk Caulking Grout Removal Tool" you'll find a tool for sale and a how-to video. I don't want to promote product names but I think you'll find what you need for under $25. And don't let your brother near it! haha! :-)
This needed to be started with a thorough cleaning of your tile and grout. If using clear, it needs to be clear (grout made for bathroom tile). This tile is made for the bathroom and will hold up better under moisture.
The best way to get this fixed is to try and safely remove the existing grout that is between the tiles. This is going to be a very messy job and will take quite a bit of time to get this out. They have special hammers that are rubber for working on the tile so that you don't crack the tile. You will need to get a tool that can fit in the groves of the tile and start to slightly tape on the area to get the tool inside.
Once cleaned out now you have to grout the tile again. They have grout cleaners but if you have mold inside the grout it is best to remove it and start again.
I do not know how large an area you have but this could be a time consuming job.
There are several grouting tools available but you'll have to decide which is best for you and the work you will have to do.
www.google.com/
Since this type of stuff may be new to you, I would suggest doing a lot of reading before starting this project.
I'm a great fan of finding someone that knows what I'm trying to do and can help me select the right tools and the correct products that I will need to do a first rate job.
I usually go to my local Ace or True Value hardware store as they usually have very knowledgeable employees that are always helpful and can guide me all the way through a project.
They will have everything you need to do this job (although PGHgirl's cleaning solution is excellent).
You need to scrape out all the silicone and moldy grout, then apply new grout. After 30 days, seal the grout.
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