Excess Grout on tile

Last night I grouted my bathroom but could not get all the grout off the tile. We used tile (since it was a bath) that has a rough surface because we didn't want a slick floor when wet. The more I tried to get the grout out of the rough surface the more grout would be removed from the joints resulting in just as much grout on the tile as I was removing.

Finally after 4 hours of cleaning, regrouting areas where to much grout was removed, I gave up for the night hoping that after the joint dries, the cleaning may be easier. After work this evening, I need to finish but I'm not sure what to use. I'm afraid that after 24 hrs I am going to have rough time of getting the grout out of the pores.

Anyone have any ideas on the best way to clean the tile? Is there a special cleaner that can be used?

This question has "Nestor" written all over it.

Purchase grout remover at a tile store. Next time apply grout release prior to grouting and the problem is avoided. Even though it's not necessary for glazed tile grout release makes the clean up job easier.

Caajuun:

I'd comment if I could, but even though I've laid a lot of wall tiles, I've never made any secret of the fact that I have yet to lay a tile floor, so I don't have any experience grouting floor tiles. Sorry.

Caajuun:

I don't think grouting floor tiles would be all that much different than grouting wall tiles. I think it's the rough surface of the tiles you used on your floor that caused the problem because you couldn't clean the grout off the tiles without also removing it from the grout joints.

I think in that case, I would have just worked slower, let the grout dry up a bit on the areas I had grouted before moving on to the next area, cleaning the grout off the tiles with a stiff brush and removing it with a vaccuum cleaner than relying on the sponge. When non-sanded grout (and I realize the stuff on your floor is sanded) is just put on, it's soft and you should be able to remove it well from a rough surface with a brush better than a sponge.

That's my best advice, besides phoning up some contractors and asking what they do in this kind of a situation.