Help - My grout is going green!!!

[damage]

Hi guys,
Tiled my bathroom back last Novemer (2007) and notiuced today that the grout is going a green colour, the sort of green that copper goes.

I use Bal epoxy grout as the tiles were about 4" square. The green grount is only appearing around the bar that holds the shower but runs the full length of the shower bar.

I tried scrubbing it with bleach but it dod not do anything.

I thought epoxy grout was really good coz it sets like stone so how come it is tunring green?

Any info / ideas / help would be grate!



Damage

 

[gcol]

Hi guys,
Tiled my bathroom back last Novemer (2007) and notiuced today that the grout is going a green colour, the sort of green that copper goes.

That's a new one
Any chance of a pic?
Incidently, that green stuff you get on copper is called verdigris. If it is a verdigris stain, then this stuff might shift it. http://www.cleaning-warehouse.co.uk/hag046-hg-hagesan-blue-1l-219-p.asp

 

[damage]

Hi gcol,
Heres a pic, sorry about the quality but took it with my phone, and the pic is at a 90 degree angle.

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• damage
• 9 Aug 2008
• 1

I have jusr removed the shower rail thing to have a look to see if the screw had gone rusty or somthing but everything looks fine.


Damage

 

[gcol]

One of the main benefits of epoxy grout is the fact is has a high resistance to staining. The data sheet for Bal's epoxy states that prolonged contact with carbonates (verdigris is copper carbonate) should not be a problem. You say that the screw is ok? Is it a brass screw? (You get verdigris on brass too. Brass screws can be plated to look shiny. If it's plated, has any of the plating worn off?
The bracket could well be plated copper - if so, is any plating missing from the edge?
Does this area get wet? You say the pic is 90° out - would it need to be rotated 90° clockwise to be the right way up?
All this aside, your grout should definitely not be stained like that so I'd advise getting in touch with Bal's technical department and see what they have to say about it. Tel: 0845 6001222

 

[damage]

Does this area get wet? You say the pic is 90° out - would it need to be rotated 90° clockwise to be the right way up?

Thanks for the reply gcol. Your are correct that the pic needs to rotated 90 degrees to be th right way up. The pic is of the screw hole where the bottom of the plastic bar that holds the shower head is attached. And yes the area does get wet.

The screw was fine, no sign of any rust / wear and the fittings are made from plasic so they are not to blame.

I did have a friend over the other night (who's a plumber) and asked him to have a quick look and he reckoned it was just soap scum & dirt! But I have cleaned it with a nail brush and bleach and it is still green!! He also said just dig out the grout and put some new grout in but this is epoxy and I don't think it will come out very easy!

I will goto Topps tiles and buy some of their grout cleaner and see if that can shift it.


Thanks for your help & advice.


Damage

 

[gcol]

The reason I was asking if that was the right way to rotate the pic was because that way would suggest that water was being held behind the bracket. It's not really as much an issue at the top - just half way down and below.

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• gcol
• 12 Aug 2008
• 1

It would suggest that your friend maybe correct with his soap scum idea - though I've only really seen orange staining. Do you use some exotic shampoo?