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The sticky substance is silicon residue, which can be difficult to remove. First, try cleaning the floor with mineral spirits and clean cloths. If this does not remove the silicon, then stronger solvents may be necessary. Suggested solvents may be... Read More

The hard white deposit is a build-up of salts. These salts—known in the tile industry as “lime putty”—are coming up from the setting bed, and can be very difficult to remove. To remove lime putty, scrape away as much of it as possible... Read More

You should have a professional installer check the installation for soundness. It may have not been installed properly. The hollow sounding tiles is an indication that areas under the tile are not in contact with the setting bed. These hollow areas... Read More

Yes, you can darken the granite by applying a special darkening sealer. These are known as color enhances and can be purchased at stone equipment and maintenance suppliers. You can also use the mixture of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Start... Read More

Yes, you can darken the granite by applying a special darkening sealer. These are known as color enhances and can be purchased at stone equipment and maintenance suppliers. You can also use the mixture of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Start... Read More

Small cracks in a terrazzo floor can be repairs as follows: Clean the crack with acetone, making sure to remove all dirt, old wax and other debris. A dental pick is helpful in removing old wax buildup. After the crack is cleaned you will notice that... Read More

White thassos marble can be tricky to polish. One technique that works is to start polishing as you would normally polish. Normal is working the powder into a pasty consistency. Continue to work the slurry until it is totally dry. Continue to work... Read More

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... Read More

Q. How do I remove grout stains from ceramic tiles? Grey grout has penetrated and stained some of my ceramic wall tiles. Is it possible to draw this out? The stain is from grey grout. The tiles were sealed, but unfortunately one pack had not been... Read More

Q. The travertine in my shower was cleaned with a bleach-based cleaning product, causing a stain. Will my travertine need to be replaced? A. Bleach should not cause a stain on travertine. You are probably seeing alkaline etch damage. A stain... Read More