My marble and travertine shower almost immediately began getting a hard mineral buildup mostly on the grout. I've tried several cleaners and alot of elbow grease and can't seem to remove it. Any suggestions?

 

Dear Peggy:

Your problem has nothing to do with cleaning – nothing at all.

And the “hard water” buildup is not hard water at all.

You have water (and lots of it) behind and under your tiles.

Maybe the tiles were installed butt-joint. Maybe the grout came off. Whatever.

The problem is a severe cas e of efflorescence, and it is certainly not by desperately seeking a cleaning product that you will ever solve the problem. And the efflorescence is exclusively caused by an installation failure.

It is interesting noticing how many queries are posted in this Question Board about the suitability of a stone or another for a shower stall. While it is true that a few stones are not appropriate, it is also true that the most important factor of the entire equation is the person who's going to do the installation.

But apparently, nobody is concerned about that…

Is there a solution to your problem?

It depends. If the tiles have been set butt-joint the only solution is a jackhammer. If the grout came off but there's an appropriate grout gap between the tiles, then, considering that's a recent installation, there's still hope. But only a physical inspection of the installation made by someone who really knows what to look for can determine that and the possible course of action.

May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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