After a leak, how long will it take for darkened marble tiles to lighten up?
Q. We had mosaic marble tiles installed in our bathroom about a month ago and recently noticed the tiles about 12 inches around the toilet were a darker gray color than the rest of the floor due to a leak in the wax seal when the toilet was replaced. The tiles were not wet to the touch, the leak was underneath the tiles. Do you think the darker colored tiles will lighten back up over time once the area dries up, and if so, how long might it take? It has been 2 days since the leak was fixed and the tiles are still dark. Could the tiles have been stained by the water mixing with the thin set underneath, and if so, is there a cleaner that might whiten the tiles again, or will the tiles need to be replaced in this area?
A. The moisture absorbed by the tile may dissipate, but it may take quite a while, even weeks or months. For now, to help speed things up, run a dehumidifier in the bathroom 24/7 or run your air conditioner (which is also a dehumidifier). If you see any change in the darkness of the stone, that means it is working. If all the moisture dissipates and the stone is still darker in that area than the surrounding area, it might be that color from the wax ring wicked up into the pores of the stone. If this is the case, you can apply a poultice to remove the stain. After you apply the poultice, if you see any progress, keep reapplying the poultice until the entire stain is removed. Your wet poultice ingredient will be a solvent, such as varnish remover, available at your local home store. For detailed directions on mixing and applying a poultice visit our Stain App: https://surphaces.com/stain-management-app/. Feel free to reach out with further questions.