Cleaning Tiles

[basjke]

I have white tiles in my shower which over the time get dark brown stains all over them although they get scrubbed weekly with vixol or a similar product.As they look really ugly I was considering replacing them because I thought the top layer was gone with the time.

Then the other day I tried as a last resort to have such a very hard nylon 3M brush in the drill machine and polishing the tiles with it.To my surprise all the stains came off and the tiles turned white again so clearly the toplayer hasn't worn.

As this is a really time consuming and hard job to clean them one by one I thought I should ask here if somebody is aware of a chemical product available in thailand that could do the job for me.

I assume the problem must be with the water,my village uses well water,as the rest of the bathroom has the same tiles and these are still white.

[Tyke]

I have white tiles in my shower which over the time get dark brown stains all over them although they get scrubbed weekly with vixol or a similar product.As they look really ugly I was considering replacing them because I thought the top layer was gone with the time.

Then the other day I tried as a last resort to have such a very hard nylon 3M brush in the drill machine and polishing the tiles with it.To my surprise all the stains came off and the tiles turned white again so clearly the toplayer hasn't worn.

As this is a really time consuming and hard job to clean them one by one I thought I should ask here if somebody is aware of a chemical product available in thailand that could do the job for me.

I assume the problem must be with the water,my village uses well water,as the rest of the bathroom has the same tiles and these are still white.

I use bathroom duck - available everywhere. Bit nasty if it gets on your skin but cleans very well. An alternative is household bleach. Again be careful and use gloves.

[InSiSongkram]

Agreed use Duck Pro in the purple bottle its amazing and bleaches all grout and surfaces whiter then white.

[basjke]

As I said in the OP already.The tiles are scrubbed once a week with vixol or a similar product.

At the moment I'm using a steel brush on a drill machine to get the dark colour removed and it works but it's a hard job.

I just wonder where the stains come from.

[GungaDin]

^^^ ^^^ Shitty water.

Where do you live?

My t-bowl looks like it has urine it permanently.

[basjke]

^^^ ^^^ Shitty water.

Where do you live?

My t-bowl looks like it has urine it permanently.

I live in the civilised world(read pattaya) but the village doesn't use city water as they have their own well.

I got the tiles almost clean using the steelbrush but some stains still remain on most of the tiles.I am now experimenting with all kind of bathroom cleaners including a lime removal product I brought from europe to get the remaing stains removed but so far nothing seems to work.I try each tile with a different product and let it soak for a few hours but I'm not to confident about the results.

[excaliber]

As I said in the OP already.The tiles are scrubbed once a week with vixol or a similar product.

At the moment I'm using a steel brush on a drill machine to get the dark colour removed and it works but it's a hard job.

I just wonder where the stains come from.

Well, you know what they say, "Experience is the best teacher".... Vixol has muratic acid which disolves the glazed surface of the tile rendering them porous. (ruins toilet bowls as well, dissolves the porcelain.

So the more you use the stuff, the faster they become impregnated with dirt, algae, etc. It appears you've past the point of no return, i.e., not much you can do about it now except for covering the existing tile with new tile, marble, granite, etc., using the process I mentioned in another post. No need to tear the old tile out.

It can be done in a a couple few days depending how good you are and if you're using the right tools & materials.. might as well do the floor also...