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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 can grind the uneven counter flat but, I would first check to see why the slabs are uneven. It is possible that the plywood under the slabs has shifted or the granite was installed uneven. Check to make sure the slabs are secure. After the... Read More

Q: I'm laying "penny" mosaic tile on top of a heating system. I had to use a light amount of thinset in some spots due to leveling issues. As a result I have some tiles that are coming up (I have not yet grouted). I am going to use spectralock... Read More

Q. We grouted our beautifully installed marble backsplash with Mapei FA+ (color: rain) without sealing it first. It is now grey instead of white. Is there anything I can do to restore the tile to its natural color? I wonder how much the grout color... Read More

Some grout colors can be bleached by the oxalic acid in polishing powders. You are always urged to perform a small test to determine if this might happen. It is possible to recolor the grout. There are several companies that sell grout colors which... Read More

Q. Hi. I recently had a patio laid in natural sandstone and my builders used a cement coloring in the pointing. When wiping down with wet sponges, they have left stains on the sandstone. What do you recommend?  Is there anything we can do? Builders... Read More

Q. I just had my floors refinished, how do I maintain them?   A. There are several things you want to avoid when maintaining your floors, as well as some of the best practices for floor maintenance:    Don't use stone soap. Don't damp... Read More

I will assume you are not cleaning it with acid cleaners. There is a possibility that there is some residual acid in the grout or the pores of the stone that bleeds out when you take a shower. Try rinsing the shower wall with a solution of baking... Read More

Flamed granite has a rough texture which will tend to hold dust and dirt. Prepare a solution of stone soap or neutral cleaner and warm water. Flood the floor with this solution and either agitate with a scrub brush or machine-scrub. Pick up the... Read More

There are many on the market. But if your shower walls are marble, you will have to use caution in choosing the proper cleaner, since most soap scum removers are acidic. Do not use an acidic cleaner on marble walls! If the tile is ceramic or granite,... Read More