Efflorescence: How to Recognize, Remove and Prevent it?
Have you ever noticed a thick white salt like powdery substance covering your tile and grout? No matter how much you scrub it, it does not leave the surface. This is nothing but efflorescence, which is the residue of calcium and mineral deposits originated due to masonry. Many people mistake efflorescence for mold, but unlike mold, it does not grow and also does not have any potential health hazards. Let us know more in-depth about it and methods for removing efflorescence.
What is Efflorescence?
These mineral deposits settle on the tile surface once the water evaporates, leaving a white residue. Sometimes, when showers are not installed correctly, the water is allowed to dwell underneath the tile. This water mixes with the minerals in the concrete mud bed, making these mineral deposits travel in the shower drain through the weep holes and eventually on your tile and grout. If not removed in due time, efflorescence can crack the tile and grout and can also clog the shower drain. A good quality product needs to be used for removing efflorescence and mineral deposits effectively.
How is it Formed?
There are three main reasons how efflorescence is formed:
- If there are calcium and mineral water-soluble salts present in the building materials such are concrete, etc, then there is a chance of efflorescence forming.
- If water is penetrating from somewhere in to the concrete bed mud, it dissolves these minerals and salts into a solution.
- This solution travels to the top of the surface, where the water evaporates and leaves the efflorescence behind as a byproduct.
- Efflorescence forms only on surfaces, which have been constructed with porous materials such as natural stone, brick or wood, which allow the penetration of water inside and allows water to travel out on the surface too.
Is Efflorescence a Problem?
Efflorescence in shower gives a very unsightly look to the tile and grout with its white powdery appearance. It is not harmful to the structure and nor does it convey that your building structure is corroding or deteriorating. Although not harmful to health or to the building structure, it does indicate that there is an accumulation of moisture somewhere in inside the floor tile or wall tile, which can lead to a bigger problem later on such as mold and mildew, which love to breed in damp areas. Efflorescence also travels to the outer surface where the water can evaporate. If in a good quantity, it might cover the drain and clog it, which will require you to go through expensive tile and grout repair services.
Does Efflorescence Go Away?
Removing efflorescence is not tough. There are two common methods for efflorescence removal — sandblasting and using chemical cleaners. While sandblasting does cause severe damage to the surface, cleaning efflorescence with chemical cleaners is much less of a hassle.
How to Remove Efflorescence from Tile and Grout?
Tile and grout efflorescence can be removed by using a high-quality chemical known as Zido chemical. This chemical manufactured by pFOkUS has revolutionized the way this powdery residue can be removed without leaving any harsh residue or chemicals behind.
D’Sapone offers a detailed procedure for cleaning efflorescence:
- We first remove the shower drain cover to clean out the drain.
- Next, we scrape off the bulk grout and tile efflorescence.
- We then use Zido chemical on the left over residue. Zido chemical attacks the calcium and salts on the surface and removes the efflorescence from the mud bed and also from under the tile.
How do you Prevent Efflorescence from any Tile Surface?
After efflorescence has been removed from floor, wall, shower, grout and pool surface, we ensure that it does not form again by preventing water and moisture from seeping into the surface again. D’Sapone tackles this issue by using a sealant. A good sealant prevents rain water and other moisture from seeping into the surface from outside and also disables the already present water in the brick or concrete from makings its way to the surface where it can evaporate. A sealant forms a waterproof layer on the surface. We use Sentura — a flexible resin/epoxy filler which can be used to repair the missing grout and also replace the caulk on the edges. We also use Caponi — a two part solvent titanium pigmented sealer to seal all the grout lines. Both these sealers give you a waterproofed shower. To waterproof natural stone surfaces, we use Celine — a natural look sealer which forms a hydrophobic layer, preventing the entry of liquids.
If you are looking for an efficient efflorescence removal service, then contact D’Sapone — one of the leading stone restoration companies in the USA. We use products manufactured by pFOkUS. We also offer a 5 year labor warranty on our services. Send pictures of your efflorescence to our experts and get your free estimate today.
