apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

If you've already tried a wet look sealer, I don't know what else there is out there. It's too bad. Unfortunately, I really have to agree that it looks awful, and I'd probably replace it with something more manageable. At the very least, it's a small area, so the $$$ shouldn't be too bad. Sometimes you just have to start over.

is this ceramic or stone tile?

im not sure if you bought the tiles that you may have wanted to. i think that you may have wanted a shiny hex tile. it seems that you bought a matte tile? I think that you may want to go to a super fancy tile place and ask if there is some kind of high gloss sealer. i don't know if that exists. if you can't live with it.... you can always have it redone later. it may just grow on you.

on second thought. black and dark gray on the floor will show the calcium deposits from the water when they dry. so you will always have some kind of white residue on that floor. in which case you may want to change it.

My guess is you used a matte sealer...try the ultra wet look kind

if it's a stone... I've had similiar issue... installed black matte 12X12 marble tiles with grey grout in the kitchen and I didn't like the dull look...

but i went thru few enhancers to get the wet look i wanted and sealed it on top of it... I do not recall the name of the brand, but it was purchased from Lowe's...

What about dealing with the calcium deposits by getting a hard water filter for your shower?

I have black marble on my shower floor, and the same problem. I've solved it to some extent with my cleaning routine, which I don't do often enough! Scrub it with one part baking soda/one part Borax. This is the best thing I've found to remove the scum, and it's cheap and relatively safe. Then use a rag to rub mineral oil on the tile. Just a very thin coat will do, because if you use too much it will get slippery. Hope that works for you!

http://inspiredroomdesign.com/blog.php

If it's a calcium deposit, try the water filter (and your hair will look amazing, too!) or a shower-cleaning spray to use after you shower.

Just to play devil's advocate... wouldn't the wetlook tile also be more slippery? This matte tile/grout combo may in fact be safer. Anyone with any experience in this?

I think the small tiles and lots of grout lines help make the floor less slippery regardless of whether the tiles are sealed or not. That's often the reason for having small tiles in the first place.

We had the "wet look" sealer on relatively rough slate tile, and the texture itself kept it from being slippery.

But plenty of people manage just fine with slick tile (or other surface) floors in their showers.

If you don't want to pull up the tile, you can do a non-skid epoxy resin. It is sold in cans like gallons of paint. You can "paint" the floor or pour it to self level (carefully, making sure to put something inside the drain to collect the excess). Any hardware store person (not at Home Depot or Lowes!) can help you with this.

@farmhousemoderne Do you use the baking soda and borax mixture dry? Do you add water to make a paste? Or water to make a slurry?

I want to try it on my marble bathroom tiles.

I think you should try a filtering shower head. It should cut down on the calcium.

Working in the tile and stone industry for several years, I've seen my share of problems similar to this. Others may be right, it might be a calcium deposit from the water, and only consistent cleaning will help this. However, it could also be the result of sealing a grout haze onto the surface of the tile. It looks like you have used a porcelain hex, which means the tile itself doesn't need sealing, only the grout does. Sealing a porcelain tile will create a film on the surface that needs to be stripped off, because the tile itself isn't porous and cannot soak it in (as stone does). So...what probably happened is you had a grout haze on the tile after the grout dried (this requires a lot of elbow grease and sometimes a grout release to remove), and then the sealant you put on it is just sitting on top of it all. What you might need to do is use a grout release (any store carrying tile and setting materials should have this) to strip it all off, down to the clean, bare surface of the tile. Just be sure to use masks and a lot of strength--it can be toxic and it sounds like you might have to get through a couple of layers of sealant and grout...And reseal the grout afterwards, but make sure you wipe it completely off of the tile so as to avoid repeating the process. Hope this helps!

Oh...and if you want a wet look, there are commercial sealants that will give tile a glossy--almost wax-like-- finish (again these just sit on top of the tile)...but make sure you go through the process of removing whatever is on the surface first.

I second the grout haze comment...that's exactly what it looks like to me.

I bought a gloss sealer for my tile and it woked great, ask a local tile shop to help pick one after you remove the grout haze.

If it is a stone (marble, travertine, etc) and you want the "wet look" use an "enrich pro" sealer made by Dupont, that is what we use to make the "wet look" on stones, fairly easy to apply. Lowes use to carry that brand. Great sealer by the way, non slippery, but follow the instructions on the back of the container. ONLy if what you have is a stone product.

Does the haze go away when you clean it, and it only comes back after using the shower? If so, I find that using liquid soap creates less residue on sinks and showers than bar soap.

Hi there is a fluid called the navigator -its a cleaning agent and the perfect thing for stained concrete. it has bit of a wax in it. it will make ur floors look perfect in one use. good luck!

@Dulcibella:
I add water to make a paste with the Borax and baking soda. Then scrub with a big brush.

Thanks so much for all the advice!!
Problem is that it isn't soap scum. . we have barely even used the shower (4 times MAX!) . Its mostly just the stone picking up construction dust :(

I am going to go to Lowes and try the Enrich Pro Sealer- Thanks JennF! I will keep you posted!