The Bathroom War Continues

[blackpudd1n]

Whoever built my apartment is the master of all trolls.

 

Now, I've bitched and complained numerous times before on this forum about the floor tiles in my bathroom. Dark grey, fine-porous tiles. I have cried many times in frustration trying to get those motherfuckers clean. Not to mention thrown a few tantrums after I've been down on my hands and knees for a couple of hours scrubbing the bitches and been unsuccessful

 

The dirt gets trapped in those fucking miniscule pores. Not only is it virtually impossible to get get rid of the dirt, but a lot of cleaning products manage to get residue trapped in the pores, so they don't look any better for my efforts.

 

But I haven't given up.

 

Today alone I went through 8 litres of vinegar trying to get those bastards clean. I'm using the shower stall, which has the same fucking tiles on the floor, as my testing area. The shower stall is the worst area, due to soap scum, so I figure if I can find something that works on the shower stall, then I'm good to go on the rest of the floor area.

 

So today I covered the shower floor in two layers of paper towels, and poured vinegar all over it. I left it there to soak for about an hour, then attacked it with a scrubbing brush and more vinegar. It wasn't working, so then I dumped about a quarter of a box of bi-carb soda on the floor, and went at it all with vinegar. I seem to have had some success with that, because I did turn up some scum... But after rinsing the floor off, I discovered that the bi-carb had left residue So then I covered the floor in paper towels again, and gave it another soak in vinegar, but I still haven't achieved the desired results, and I'm out of vinegar and bi-carb. Just as well they're cheap to buy.

 

So I'm going to have another go at it, probably tomorrow, and this time, I'm going to put bi-carb soda down, then cover the floor in paper towels again, then cover them in vinegar. After leaving it to soak for a while, I'm then going to scrub the floor again, after which I will give it a rinse and cover it in paper towels and vinegar again to try and dissolve any residue. I've got to say, though, the drain cover is looking incredible- so shiny!

 

tl;dr? That's cool, I just needed to get it out of my system. I've scrubbed these floors with an acid mix from a tile shop, and that didn't even work. Besides, I figured I'd have a thread to stick my tile bitching in. let me know if you have any suggestions. There must be a way to get these fuckers clean!!

[blackpudd1n]

Oh, shit.

 

Apparently mixing bicarb soda and vinegar together produces carbon dioxide and... salt. Fuck, I've really done it this time. FUCK!!! How the fuck am I meant to dissolve salt?! Fuck!

[blackpudd1n]

So the good news, from what I can gather, is that salt does dissolve. I'm sitting at home on a Sunday night taking a crash course in chemistry to try and work out a solution (ha ha- look, a chemistry pun!) to this issue. You know, I can see now how chemistry would be a handy subject to have knowledge of.

[Margee]

Pudd....I'd go get me a new apartment....

 

I don't know if this was mentioned on the other thread, but I use straight and diluted amonia for all the cleaning in my house. You have to wear a mask, but let me tell you...you can't get any cleaner than amonia.. try straight amonia on the bathroom floor and let it set for 10 minutes. Make sure you are in a ventilated area or you have a mask on. It can take your breath away!! It will 'melt' wax down in minutes.....give it a try even on the scum. I use it for just about everything except furniture of course....It's real cheap too!!

 

Hug for you today

[LivingLife]

Verimark has one of those mini steam cleaners that may help.

 

FWIW get Spirits of Salts from your hardware store, it is acid so be careful. dilute it and use an area out of sight to test.

 

Sometimes, you get a build up of black crust in the toilet bowl. It is a residue of calcium and the loo bloos make it worse. A tablespoon of acid out of the bottle and left to soak for 30 minutes will dissolve or soften the stuff which you than can get out with the brush.

 

A diluted approach to the tiles may have the same effect. BTW it stinks while bubbling and keep a window open. This also a better way to clean out drains like Pee or S traps rather than bicarb. Do not do the whole floor at one time, you are gonna need to get on your knees and the acid will eat your clothes. Use PVC gloves.

 

If you mess it on you wash liberally with water. Protect your eyes.

[blackpudd1n]

Pudd....I'd go get me a new apartment....

 

I don't know if this was mentioned on the other thread, but I use straight and diluted amonia for all the cleaning in my house. You have to wear a mask, but let me tell you...you can't get any cleaner than amonia.. try straight amonia on the bathroom floor and let it set for 10 minutes. Make sure you are in a ventilated area or you have a mask on. It can take your breath away!! It will 'melt' wax down in minutes.....give it a try even on the scum. I use it for just about everything except furniture of course....It's real cheap too!!

 

Hug for you today

 

Hmm. Ammonia- I haven't tried that one yet. How does it go on metal? Will the metal be okay? And does ammonia leave any residue that needs to be rinsed off? Because that's the issue I keep having, residue left in the tiny pores that I can't get out with anything I have tried so far.

 

I wish I could get a new place, but beggers can't be choosers I'm actually very lucky to have this apartment, and really, overall, it's pretty awesome. It's big for a one-bedroom apartment, with plenty of storage and a big private balcony. It's just those damn tiles that are driving me up the wall! It's also brand new, and I have a lifetime lease on it. And the rent is a percentage of my income, up until a cap. So unless I win a nice share of the lottery, I'm stuck here lol. Which is partly the reason why the tiles depress me so much :/

[blackpudd1n]

Verimark has one of those mini steam cleaners that may help.

 

FWIW get Spirits of Salts from your hardware store, it is acid so be careful. dilute it and use an area out of sight to test.

 

Sometimes, you get a build up of black crust in the toilet bowl. It is a residue of calcium and the loo bloos make it worse. A tablespoon of acid out of the bottle and left to soak for 30 minutes will dissolve or soften the stuff which you than can get out with the brush.

 

A diluted approach to the tiles may have the same effect. BTW it stinks while bubbling and keep a window open. This also a better way to clean out drains like Pee or S traps rather than bicarb. Do not do the whole floor at one time, you are gonna need to get on your knees and the acid will eat your clothes. Use PVC gloves.

 

If you mess it on you wash liberally with water. Protect your eyes.

 

I do have a steam mop- do you think that that would dissolve the salt?

 

I'd prefer to avoid using acid- I'm so accident prone. but I will keep it in mind if I get desperate. I'm also considering whether to try some contrete cleaner.

[LivingLife]

Concrete cleaner is Spirits of Salts which is what I suggested. Not sure what it does with salt but it will bubble the grime out of the pores. One you have successfully cleaned up, get a water based stone sealer and coat the floor tiles with it.

 

If your tiles are ceramic, the acid in more concentrated forms will not damage the tiles. If they are concrete based tiles, you need to work with it pretty diluted.

 

Just another tip, don't store the Spirits of Salts indoors. The fumes that get out will rust exposed steel surfaces. You should be able to get a litre. No matter how well tighten the cap, it gets out. My bottle stands outside by the kitchen door step.

[blackpudd1n]

Concrete cleaner is Spirits of Salts which is what I suggested. Not sure what it does with salt but it will bubble the grime out of the pores. One you have successfully cleaned up, get a water based stone sealer and coat the floor tiles with it.

 

If your tiles are ceramic, the acid in more concentrated forms will not damage the tiles. If they are concrete based tiles, you need to work with it pretty diluted.

 

Just another tip, don't store the Spirts of Salts indoors. The fumes that get out will rust exposed steel surfaces. You should be able to get a litre. No matter how well tighten the cap, it gets out. My bottle stands outside buy the kitchen door step.

 

Oh, okay. I was thinking of this stuff when I mentioned concrete cleaner: http://www.wetandforget.com.au/wetforget.htm

But damn, is it expensive!! Holy shit!

 

How long would I have with the salts before I'd have to get rid of them? Because I wouldn't be able to keep the stuff at all. I'm in an apartment upstairs, and knowing my luck, the cats would get the shit on themselves, knock it over or something.

[mcdaddy]

Just lay newspaper on the floor. It works for puddins, right?

[blackpudd1n]

Just lay newspaper on the floor. It works for puddins, right?

 

Not my two- if the litter tray doesn't meet Wednesday's standard, she'll piss and shit on fabric :/ My puddin is posh.

[mcdaddy]

Just lay newspaper on the floor. It works for puddins, right?

 

Not my two- if the litter tray doesn't meet Wednesday's standard, she'll piss and shit on fabric :/ My puddin is posh.

 

Damn. That's one high maintenance puss!

 

I bet you paint her nails. I she has any.

 

[LivingLife]

Concrete cleaner is Spirits of Salts which is what I suggested. Not sure what it does with salt but it will bubble the grime out of the pores. One you have successfully cleaned up, get a water based stone sealer and coat the floor tiles with it.

 

If your tiles are ceramic, the acid in more concentrated forms will not damage the tiles. If they are concrete based tiles, you need to work with it pretty diluted.

 

Just another tip, don't store the Spirts of Salts indoors. The fumes that get out will rust exposed steel surfaces. You should be able to get a litre. No matter how well tighten the cap, it gets out. My bottle stands outside buy the kitchen door step.

 

Oh, okay. I was thinking of this stuff when I mentioned concrete cleaner: http://www.wetandfor...u/wetforget.htm

But damn, is it expensive!! Holy shit!

That is probably a biocide of sorts, don't recall seeing that here but SoS will be like $10-20 a litre.

 

How long would I have with the salts before I'd have to get rid of them? Because I wouldn't be able to keep the stuff at all. I'm in an apartment upstairs, and knowing my luck, the cats would get the shit on themselves, knock it over or something.

I seldom buy in quantities larger than a litre (smallest we get here) and I have had mine for about a year now. The only thing is to keep it where teh kittehs cannot get to, mine have no qualms and probably they would smell the fumes and stay away, mine stays on the ground.

 

BTW, if you have a plastic kettle that is black inside, this is also calcium build up. Fill kettle up with half a teaspoon, bring it to the boil and rinse, brand new kettle.

 

This stuff is soo useful as you have probably gathered.

[LivingLife]

Perhaps you can store it in a tupperware container of sorts and then put it say in the bathroom. There should be no steel there. Do you not have a garage for the car?

 

The problems only really come in say if you have steel kitchen cabinets and store it under the sink. Anywhere well ventilated, there will be no problems.

 

This is why they stored acids at school in a cabinet that vented to atmosphere. Ask locally, surely the landlord/caretaker can help store or maybe he has some he can give you to try out. I am guessing what type of complex you stay in, IIRC it was clusters?

[buffettphan]

Is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (or generic/store brand) available in Australia? I've had pretty good luck with them when all else fails.

 

 

http://www.mrclean.com/en_US/magic-eraser.do?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=mr.%2Bclean%2Bmagic%2Beraser&utm_campaign=PG_Mr.%2BClean_Search_Brand%2BAwareness

[Kaiser01]

pfft cleaning products are a waste of time, a contained nuclear explosion is the way to go if you want to remove scum from the bathroom floor. Or build a high intensity laser to do away with it.

[blackpudd1n]

Perhaps you can store it in a tupperware container of sorts and then put it say in the bathroom. There should be no steel there. Do you not have a garage for the car?

 

The problems only really come in say if you have steel kitchen cabinets and store it under the sink. Anywhere well ventilated, there will be no problems.

 

This is why they stored acids at school in a cabinet that vented to atmosphere. Ask locally, surely the landlord/caretaker can help store or maybe he has some he can give you to try out. I am guessing what type of complex you stay in, IIRC it was clusters?

 

No, no garage for car. Hell, somehow they managed to build the building with 11 units and four car spaces. At this stage it's not an issue, as only four of us have cars... So far...

 

I have steel in bathroom/laundry and kitchen. Oven, stove top (which I hate), and sink. All door handles and window frames, too. In bathroom/laundry, there's drainage grates all around the shower, handrails everywhere (place was built for the mobility-impaired, even though there is no lift upstairs (in case of fire), and no way they'd put someone up on this level do to how hard it would be to get up and down the stairs), and laundry tub.

 

And as for my housing manager, well, she's covering an area of about 300km. We had a new housing manager, but I don't think she could hack it (this isn't exactly private rental), so she was reassigned within the organisation, and our old housing manager was back with the two large areas. The woman's swamped. I don't like to bother her unless it's absolutely necessary. And if, for some reason, my rent payment doesn't go through, she calls me first because she knows that it's more likely that someone in their office stuffed up than that I didn't pay the rent. I just give her the confirmation number and the date and she tells them to sort their shit out. I really do feel for her- she's just so overworked.

[blackpudd1n]

Just lay newspaper on the floor. It works for puddins, right?

 

Not my two- if the litter tray doesn't meet Wednesday's standard, she'll piss and shit on fabric :/ My puddin is posh.

 

Damn. That's one high maintenance puss!

 

I bet you paint her nails. I she has any.

 

Dude, I'm the one trying to prevent my partner from dressing them up in little outfits!

[blackpudd1n]

Concrete cleaner is Spirits of Salts which is what I suggested. Not sure what it does with salt but it will bubble the grime out of the pores. One you have successfully cleaned up, get a water based stone sealer and coat the floor tiles with it.

 

If your tiles are ceramic, the acid in more concentrated forms will not damage the tiles. If they are concrete based tiles, you need to work with it pretty diluted.

 

Just another tip, don't store the Spirts of Salts indoors. The fumes that get out will rust exposed steel surfaces. You should be able to get a litre. No matter how well tighten the cap, it gets out. My bottle stands outside buy the kitchen door step.

 

Oh, okay. I was thinking of this stuff when I mentioned concrete cleaner: http://www.wetandfor...u/wetforget.htm

But damn, is it expensive!! Holy shit!

That is probably a biocide of sorts, don't recall seeing that here but SoS will be like $10-20 a litre.

 

How long would I have with the salts before I'd have to get rid of them? Because I wouldn't be able to keep the stuff at all. I'm in an apartment upstairs, and knowing my luck, the cats would get the shit on themselves, knock it over or something.

I seldom buy in quantities larger than a litre (smallest we get here) and I have had mine for about a year now. The only thing is to keep it where teh kittehs cannot get to, mine have no qualms and probably they would smell the fumes and stay away, mine stays on the ground.

 

BTW, if you have a plastic kettle that is black inside, this is also calcium build up. Fill kettle up with half a teaspoon, bring it to the boil and rinse, brand new kettle.

 

This stuff is soo useful as you have probably gathered.

 

I love my puddins, really, I do. But they've both done some really stupid shit in the past. Like Bruce, running up and jumping on the windowsill so fast, he headbutted the window and fell off backwards. Wednesday, falling in water... In the toilet, in the washing up water... And seriously, the number of times she's tripped us up, you'd think she would have learned by now. My cats are accident prone, no matter how hard I try. Hell, Wednesday's even run into walls!

[blackpudd1n]

I've really got to go to bed, I'll chat to you all tomorrow. Thanks for all the help, I appreciate it

[LivingLife]

The stuff is aggressive towards steel as in containing iron. Chromed and aluminium stuff are OK as the oxidisation takes longer.

 

This SoS is not really that dangerous and is what I use in the building trade to clean surplus mortar off with on face brick and brick or concrete tiles. A HP washer works for me in most cases outside but inside you have to use this stuff. I do not use gloves and the burns are more like irritating itches with splatter. It eats cotton so denim will end up with holes in after the next wash.

[Guest Valk0010]

Oh, shit.

 

Apparently mixing bicarb soda and vinegar together produces carbon dioxide and... salt. Fuck, I've really done it this time. FUCK!!! How the fuck am I meant to dissolve salt?! Fuck!

A shit ton of water.

[Will02]

Pudd: could you post a picture of these tiles so we can all see what you're dealing with?

[jdog]

I hate tiles. Well they look nice but aren't easy to clean. I could never have tiled kitchen counter surfaces. That would drive me nuts. It is more practical to have smooth surfaces.

Tiles are a pain to clean and yours sound really difficult to clean. I hope you can come up with an effective solution. Maybe for the floor you can get those peel and stick adhesive tiles which are smooth surface and cover up what you have. and if you ever leave the place you can just peel them back up. I am guessing that is how they work.

But if you are dealing with tile inside shower stall. I have no clue. I hate cleaning. I have bad arthritis in my hands too so the simpler the better for me.

[stryper]

So the good news, from what I can gather, is that salt does dissolve. I'm sitting at home on a Sunday night taking a crash course in chemistry to try and work out a solution (ha ha- look, a chemistry pun!) to this issue. You know, I can see now how chemistry would be a handy subject to have knowledge of.

 

salts usually dissolve in water.

 

If the tiles are porous you'll need to seal them. When i worked construction, we always had to make sure the grout was sealed before we did anything else in the Kitchen or bath. we also never put down unsealed tiles.