Most weeks I receive calls from people asking how to remove a sealer residue. Sealer residues occur when an impregnating sealer is incorrectly applied. Impregnating sealers (or penetrating sealers as they are sometimes known) are intended to be in or below the surface of the stone rather than ‘on’ it. So, the correct application involves applying the sealer to the surface, allowing a short time for penetration (this might be around 5 minutes, depending on both the sealer being used and the material being sealed) then any surplus sealer, remaining on the surface should be removed with something absorbent, ideally a white paper or cotton towel.All too often though, for various reasons this cleaning away of surplus, whilst still wet, does not take place. Reasons include not reading the instructions and my favourite: “I’ve been using sealers for years, always done it like this and never had a problem.”
A sealer residue can appear in a number of ways: as a dry, white powdery deposit; streaky marks or shiny spots; with some sealers, the residue can take the form of a wet or greasy coating. There are a number of ways in which the problem might be rectified, depending on the circumstances.
For example, if a solvent sealer was used, it is sometimes possible to use a little more of the actual sealer, the solvent carrier-fluid it contains can sometimes re-dissolve the residue allowing it to be wiped away with an absorbent cloth.
For other residues, we would recommend the use of a micro-abrasive cleaner like Microscrub. First apply a little water to the affected area, and then add a little Microscrub and scrub. Rinse well and dry down with paper towels. For really stubborn or thick residues that have been left for some time, a stripper may be required. In such situations, we would recommend a solvent based sealer stripper or remover, such as Strip_it applied neat and left on for a minimum of 30 minutes before scrubbing with a white nylon pad.
Apart from the last remedy (using a stripper) the others should not result in the need to re-apply more sealer afterwards. So, it need not be the end of the world if a sealer residue is left on the surface, but it is of course better to avoid the problem altogether, by applying the sealer correctly in the first place.
Copyright Ian Taylor and The Tile and Stone Blog.co.uk, 2013. See copyright notice above.
Sorry Missed this, if you still need help try calling Fila for their advice, there should be some kind of solvent that will help to remove the surplus, as that is what is causing the sticky residue – it is over application Im afraid they should have told you to remove excess while it was still wet if an impregnating sealer, or not to put too much down if it was a coating.
Hope this helps
Ian
can you please recommend a tripper to take off sealer
Hello there I have just sealed my Indian sand stone with resiblock colour enhancer and I regret it big time it looks horrible I liked it before and am gutted it does not look as nice I would really like it back to how it was do you have any ideas of a product or ways I can get it back to how it was
Hi there are plenty of proprietary sealer removers in your part of the world – you could look at Aqua Mix Sealer and Coating Remover for one but there are lots of others
Hope this helps
Ian
HI Mark,
OK, it can be very difficult to remove products like this – they are, after all designed to be around for a long time and cope with all manor of elemental weather and traffic. My suspicion is that you will not, totally remove the product, you may be able to reduce it’s impact, significantly even, and should be able to get some of the sealer residue if there is any off the surface, but I doubt you will be able to pull 100% of it out of the stone.
You may have to use either chemical or mechanical means, or most like a combination of both. My first action would be to contact the makers of Resiblock and seek their recommendation they should be able to suggest the best method/product/solvent etc to remove it.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi
I have recently had a new black limestone patio laid and was advised by my landscaper to treat the stone to avoid it marking / staining. Wish he’d have told me this before I purchased the slabs!
He recommended Weiss FT Plus Colour Enhancer / Sealer so I went ahead and purchased the product at significant cost.
I was reluctant to apply the product myself as it came with various warnings in relation to miss application causing issues however I have recently gone ahead with it and whilst the slabs look fantastic they appear slippy / greasy, is this normal?
I was sure when i applied the product (with a roller) there was no excess left on the slabs.
I have since used towels and wiped the slabs numerous times on hands and knees and they seem a little better. I am also conscious that the weather has been extremely hot which may also have something to do with the finish although I did the work late evening when temperature dropped.
Will the slippery surface change in time? Is there anything I can apply to remove the layer causing this finish without needing to reapply the treatment?
To be fair it says on the container that full treatment could take 2-4 days after application it’s been 2.
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks
Nick
Hi Nick,
OK I don’t know that product but it sounds ‘similar’ to other products of that type. I have trained people (including experienced tilers and stone installers) how to use this type of product and I always catch them out. Basically when you think you have got all the residue off, you most likely have not. You really have to buff the living daylights out of it. WE generally use a combination of handfulls of tissue paper/paper towels which go in the bin followed immediately by an old terry towel, often paper in one hand, terry towel in the other – as soon as you take your towel off the surface, turn it over, or to expose a fresh face, once it is saturated, it will not take any more off, so get another towel etc. When you think you have it spotless – do it again, with fresh towels./paper towels.
However that is when it is fresh – yours has now had some time to cure.
If you product can stand moisture, try a white nylon scrubbing pad/emulsifying pad and a small amount of water, scrub, then buff absolutely dry straight away
failing that you will have to call the Weiss tech services and ask their opinion
hope that helps
Ian
My contractor just laid beautiful ceramic tile with almost a matte finish resembling real stone. Then he put a grout sealer on it that left the tile shiny, it almost looks like it was varnished and I hate it. Is there anything I can do?
Hi
well if it is porcelain the good news is that it should not have penetrated the tile – it is just lying on top as a shiny coating.
Try using a white nylon abrasive pad (emulsifying pad) with an abrasive product if you are in Cali – look up Aqua Mix Nanoscrub – or similar – with a little water and scrub – this mey bring off the sealer from the tile. If this works then great, as it means it won’t actually remove it from the grout, which presumably you want.
If this does not work you may need to by a solvent based sealer stripper – this will remove some of the sealer from the grout also.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi, we have Black Limestone tiles recently just placed down on our back yard and the person who has done the garden has put down Resiblock Indian Sandstone Sealer Colour Enhancer and it has got white streaky residue on it. The builders merchant sold us this and said it would be fine for the tiles so not sure if it’s the product or the person who put the sealer down. Would you be able to suggest a solution for repairing this? Many thanks, Paul
I keep running into problems with tile setters using 511 impregnator by miracle sealants on glass tile, etched glass and normal glass tiles and it is destroying the surfaces is there any way short of acid etching the glass to separate the sealer from the glass. Miracle sealants people do not have any answers, any thoughts ?
HI Paul, apologies for the late reply. Resiblock is OK I think, has been around for a long time anyway. It is a type of product that may (need to check) react with moisture while still curing, this can turn it white/greyish . The streaks are simply over application. So, it is really incumbent on the installer/applicator to a) make sure that the conditions are ok for application (and that means the stone/tiles must be sufficiently dry before, during and for a period after application, which could be 24, 48 hours or longer). ‘Sufficiently dry’ also includes allowing enough time after installation and grouting/pointing for any construction/installation moisture to dissipate. And b) – to apply the product correctly leaving no surplus sealer on the surface (streaks).
So, my gut feeling here is that applicator error is the main issue.
How to fix it? – I am not sure how easy it is to remove this product. My first call would be to the makers of the Resiblock product and seek their advice, it may be that they can recommend a suitable solvent to strip off the streaky residue, and in doing so it may get rid of the white marks . This is because it might be the residue, which is actually surplus sealer, that may have gone white, if you are lucky this might be all. If not then you could find the sealer that is within the stone (where it is intended to be) may also have discoloured. Suggest to speak to the Resiblock folks first
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi Andrew,
OK, Well clearly they should not be applying any sealer to such materials. This happens though especially when it is being applied as a grout sealer but some gets left on the tile edges.
OK, Acid is not the answer, indeed many sealers are pretty good at resisting some acid cleaners.
You could try a mild abrasive – one that will not scratch the glass – I do not know if Miracle have one, but Aqua Mix do – Nanoscrub , and so do Mapei USA – from their Ultracare range they have Abrasive Surface Cleaner – they use a mild abrasive in a non aggressive chemical that can gently, with the help of a little water and a white nylon scrub pad, scour residues off the surface. The sealer should not have more than a slight hold on the surface as it will not have actually penetrated it. The other benefit of this type of product is that it ca get into texture – so may be good on the etched glass.
If this does not work then you will be looking at stronger cleaners, you can try a high ph / heavy duty alkaline – might work, but you are more likely to require some kind of solvent-based sealer stripper – Surprised that Miracle don’t have one to offer you? Their competitors all do – again look at Aqua Mix and Mapei Ultracare in the US. Combining the abrasive cleaner with a solvent may boost performance of both.
One other thing that can sometimes work, usually only immediately after application, is to apply more of the same sealer, the solvent in that sealer can often re emulsify the sealer, then while it is wet, make sure to buff it off completely with absorbent towels etc.
Hope this helps
Ian
My recently laid moleanos white limestone honed floor tiles have been sealed, grouted and sealed again using LTP Mattstone. Due to dirt from our building project etc I was advised to use LTP Grimex to deep clean the floors then seal again. After using Grimex the floors are very clean but when the light shines on to them, and at an angle, I can see some tile framing that is not on the surface but looks shiny. Is this an issue with the grouting, sealing or cleaning? I am nervous to seal the floors after cleaning in case I make the problem worse. Is there anything I can do?
HI Sarah,
OK hard to say without seeing it , but for sure, no point sealing again until you have it resolved. Personally if you have picture framing around the edges, this suggests to me that there is some residue from the grout. In most cases these days, grouts have an amount of polymer modification and these polymers can leave a residue which can get into the surface. This would have been present after grouting but you are only just noticing it now. The initial coat of sealer has not been enough to prevent it and then you have applied more sealer over it.
Conversely, I have seen situations where the framing is actually the ‘clean part’ – So, when grouting larger tiles, there is less need to spread the grout all over the face of the stone, so the contamination is left at the edges, however this causes the in staller to concentrate his/her cleaning efforts in those areas – so the edges can be almost polished. or at least, very well rubbed, and this can increase the shine already on the stone, if it is a fairly soft stone. OR, it is jus the this area, the edge of the tiles, becomes very clean, and the areas to the centre of each tile just gets a cursory wipe and in doing so some of the grout in the rinse water may be left behind – so you get a kind of reverse picture frame.
I would try a very mild abrasive scrubber – (white nylon pad) on both the ‘shiny’ part and the centre of a tile, use a little of the grimex dilute as a cleaning agent, rinse well and buff dry. See if there is any change (did the shiny part go, did the dull part in the centre get a little more shiny?).
If it is a residue of polymer modified grout at the edges you may need a solvent stripper to remove it
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi Ian thank you. The Grimex has made very little difference, other than highlighting the issue now the tile is clean. I have a picture if I can figure out how to send it to the blog. The reverse framing is interesting, it could possibly be that.
It feels like the initial seal wasn’t sufficient and that it is possibly grout sitting beneath the surface in other areas I have grout stuck in top of the tiles!
Grout 3000 was used, do you have a recommendation for a solvent stripper that might deal with this? LTP have Powerstripper in their range.
Really appreciate your help, thank you.
I will send you an email separately
Regards
Ian
I HAVE OUTDOOR STONE PAVERS THAT I SEALED LAST YEAR.. THE SEALANT BEGAN TO WEAR OFF IN SPOTS SO I DESIDED TO RESEAL WITH THOMPSON WATER SEALANT.. GREAT WHEN IT DRIED THERE WAS A STICKY RESIDUE. I CALLED THE COMPANY WAS TOLD TO APPLY MINERAL SPIRITS SCRUB AND POWER WASH. IT’S BETTER BUT STILL TACKY FELLING.FEEL LIKE PUTTING TALCUM POWDER DOWN. AT WITTS END. ANYONE HAVE AN ANSWER WITHOUT STRIPPING EVERYTHING OFF.
Hi Steve, You have got too much of the new sealer on the surface, Clearly there was still plenty of the original one in place, even with missing/worn spots, to resist the new one and keep it on the surface. With the mineral sprits and scrubbing etc, you have done a partial job of stripping. Suggest you repeat the process again, maybe even twice more until there is no sticky residue left.
Putting talc down will only make it worse, it will stick to the residue and just create a layer of dirt-attracting scum on the surface. You could try a scrubber with a white nylon pad and a bit of either a clay poultice, or a micro-abrasive cream cleaner – there are several available depending on where you are located – for example in Florida the HQ for Mapei USA is at Deerfield Beach they have both of these in their ultra care range. Gicv it a good scrub and power rinse after
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi, our new shower has dark gray porcelain tiles that were sealed with 511 impregnator by our tile guy. After the first cleaning the cleaning products stuck to the tile making an awful ugly white residue and streaking marks. Called the company of the product 511 impregnator and they offered me no help. I have used different strippers to strip the tile but each time I clean the shower the streaks reappear. Any specific product that you think I should use I am so disappointed in how my shower has turned out and it’s now a year old but looks like it’s been in this house for 10 years. Any advice would be so helpful.
Hi Kaylee,
Sorry to hear this. My first thoughts were that the 511 had been left on in streaks – hence your attempts to remove them. However if you have tried numerous solvent based strippers then it may not be the case. One thing you could try (sometimes works) is to use the same sealer again – if you have any left just try a little of the 511 – the thinking here is that the solvent in which the sealer is carried is sometimes capable of re-emulsifying the now dried sealer, then while it is wet, buff it dry – I am not convinced this will work now after all this time but worth a go. Also worth a go would be an abrasive cleaner (search for something like nanoscrub or microscrub). Use this with some water and/or a solvent stripper to add some non-scratching abrasive cleaning to the chemical clean.
The other thing that concerns me though is that some of these porcelain tiles (esp if they are polished) is that they can sometimes come with factory applied coatings that are sometimes intended to be removed but they are not easy to remove effectively (so they come off in a patchy and streaky away) or, they can be intended to remain but come off a little too easily with the same result. I wonder if you have this and that the various stripping attempts have somehow removed something fro the tile that should not have been removed. I hope this is not the case as there is really no remedy I can offer for it.
Good luck]
Ian
Ref my Outdoor Pizza Oven – on a terracotta tiled base
The terracotta tiles now show need of restoration as the surface is decidedly ‘tatty’ after 15 years of service.
My memory is a little hazy after such a long time but I believe the tiles were sealed with a propriety tile sealer. In some areas this has begun to peel away
I would like advice as to how I should proceed to restore the tiling which I estimate to be about 2 – 3 Sq m
I can forward photos if it would help
Hi Gerald,
OK, if it is peeling then it was a coating sealer. You are going to need either a high alkaline degreaser or maybe a sealer stripper. Try some high ph cleaner first, with the age of the tiles I doubt there is much of it left so a good deep clean with a degreaser may do it. If not try some acetone-based nail varnish remover on a test spot, if it helps bring the old sealer off then it is indicating that a solvent based sealer stripper is required. You may need both, for example, a deep clean with the alkaline cleaner then use the stripper to remover any remaining sealer. Rinse with a neutral soapy cleaner, then rinse again with water. Allow to dry. Then you can reapply a similar water-based coating-type sealer. Hope this helps
Ian
I applied miracle enhancer on my slate and it made it very dark. Is there any way to remove the enhancer to get the slate back to its original color
Hi Lisa,
OK, this is a little delicate as making stone darker is precisely what enhancing sealers are supposed to do. Most will say do a small test on a spare piece of stone or an inconspicuous area first to make sure that you are happy to proceed. The reason they make this clear is that most enhancers can be difficult (and some virtually impossible) to reverse.
However, I have not used this one myself so my first thought would be to call Miracle’s tech support and ask them if they have a remover that will work. If they have not they may be able to recommend a stronger solvent to try.
It may be possible to remove, or at least partially remove (and in doing so reduce the intensity of the darkening effect) as your stone is slate. If the slate is a good quality, low porosity one (like Welsh or North East American for example) then you may find that the enhancer has not really penetrated the stone properly, more it has adsorbed – so is kind of clinging to the texture in the surface. If this is the case then it may come off. You can try (again, TEST in an inconspicuous area) a small amount of acetone based clear nail varnish remover – dab a little onto the slate with a cotton pad, and rub it in and around, take a fresh piece of cotton (or a microfibre cloth) and buff it dry. Let it dry for a few minutes – see if it has worked. If it does then it is telling you that you should be successful with a solvent (you could even go purchase some acetone I guess) – but you have to test as it may not work, and worse, it may work only partially, bringing the risk of making the slate appear patchy and uneven.
Hope this helps
Ian
We just had Belvedere leather finish granite countertops installed in the kitchen. Fabricator applied some sealer, hope not enhancer, on them and totally ruined it. Instead nice matte and leathery finish now we have wet/ shiny and greasy looking countertops. He plans to come back and remove sealer with denatured alcohol. I hope it will solve the problem, but may that affect further durability of stone? May it cause any additional negative affect in long run?
And my worst fear, what if that doesn’t help. Any other remedy?
Thank you for your input
Hi Jolanta,
OK, IT sounds just like an over application of a sealer. Depending on the type of sealer used he should be able to remove it with no undue effect on the stone. You say it looks greasy, if it also feels greasy then it is not 100% cured/set. If this is an enhancer then that is good news but the sooner he comes back to remove it the better. Again depending on the sealer used he may even be able to get the residue off without the solvent, just using a fine white nylon (soft) pad and a little water, then buffing dry with paper towels or old terry towels. I would try that first as if a solvent is used on regular sealer it will pull the sealer from within the stone too. If it is an enhancer then the risk is that he only manages to get the residue off (so that is good, as not more shine/greasy surface) but he may also pull some , but not all the colour enhancing quality out leaving the stone looking patchy.
Hope this helps
Ian
you are correct we used 511 seal and enhance we misread instructions left it on for over a hour tried to wipe it of was white residue on towel put more seale per instructions used a green pad it is streaked and sticking and no shine tried paint thinner as advised by the representative of the sealer company still not correct I hope my granite isn’t damage please advise thank you
OK, Enhancers are strange/ tough beasts. They cure progressively, so the longer they are left the harder they are to remove. IF the reapplication of the sealer with a scrub pad, and then application of paint stripper did not work, then all I could suggest is go back to Miracle, and say it needs something stronger – sounds like you need a more powerful solvent.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi Ian,
We installed granite flamed in shower area. It’s grey colour and after speaking with lithofin MN stainstop it was marked. We cleaned it with lithofin power clean undiluted in spots only and then without finding it was sealed with lithofin MN stainstop stop again. Now there are smears and patches. What could have affect the surface?
Hi Martin,
If I understand you correctly. you sealed the stone, had some marks, removed them with power clean, then resealed? Streaks and smears usually mean over-application and sealer residue. These sealersare are impregnators, they are deisgined to soak in and sit under the surface, they are not supposed to be ‘on’ the surface. SO, the method to apply the is to put the sealer on, allow it a few minutes to soak in/ penetrate but then to buff it off BEFORE it dries. You must not simply put it on and walk away, it must not be allowed to dry on the surface – this is what makes it visible, as smears and treaks etc) It is not easy to buff it off a flamed surface but it can be donw with dry microfibre cloths or plenty of paper towels. It might be that yo now have to clean the streks off again – try doing this with a little more of the actual sealer – sometimes the solvent in the sealer can help remove the surplus/straks and of course if this works it means that you will not have to reseal again afterwards. Just be absoultely sure to buff it dry within a few minutes.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi Ian,
Thanks for your replay.
They did deal with stain stop. Then mark it with all kind of household dirt.
Also to help with cleaning. (All within one day) Then it was cleaned with power clean undiluted and diluted without rinsing with clean water and after this it was sealed with MN stain stop.
Out some films set look consolidation protector on red quart tiles and it has gone blotchy why can I do
Hi Ricky, my best guess at reading your question is that you have
‘put some ‘wet-look’ consolidation protection on red quarry tiles and it has gone blotchy’
if I am correct then ok you used some kind of product designed to consolidate dusty concrete – so it is possibly some kind of polymer/acrylic film / coating sealer.
They go blotchy if they are the type that are not completely stable in the presence of moisture. Some are fine with moisture, some are fine once they are set/cured, (but subject to whiting-out if they are subjected to moisture during the curing process) others are not stable even after curing.
The bottom line is that if your sealer has gone blotchy and white, then it is like that for good – so it will have to be stripped off – a solvent based stripper of some kind is usually the way to go.
Hope that helps
Ian
Hi Ian
I have been reading all of your very helpful answers, hope you have some advice.
2 weeks ago we have had a grey and white Perlino limestone tile laid. I chose it because it was beautiful and grey in colour and our house theme is grey. However after the tile was sealed with Lithofin Stain Stop Plus, and in the 2 weeks since, the tile has become beige in tone and Color. Significantly. It has completely changed the look of th stone ( now looks like a very light travertine which is exactly the look I was NOT going for) and our light grey paint looks awful and blue against it now.
Even though the product says it will enhance and protect it says nothing about changing the colour. Do you have any advice? I would love to know if there is a way of reducing the affect by stripping somehow, or buffing, or…?
I can send a photo to show you the affect. I have since done numerous half sealed tile tests and the stain product alters the colour significantly.
I am also planning on following up with the lithofin stain stop company. I note that one of your previous respondents a couple of years ago also seemed to have the same problem.
Thanks for any advice!
Maria
Hi Maria,
OK, I know that product. The flagship product for that company is called Stain Stop MN – which is a non-enhancing, natural look sealer – so no colour change (there can be some minor darkening on some stone). They make the Stain Stop PLUS version to do the opposite – it states on the information that it will enhance and protect – the protect part is the sealer part, the ‘enhance’ part is what tells us the product is designed to darken – enhanhcers as they are often called in the industry are all designed to ‘darken. bring out or deepen the natural colours, intensify, enrich or otherwise enhance the colour/look of the material being sealed – so the product is doing pretty much what it is designed to do. The only slightly odd thing from your description is that it is normally a pretty instant change, not one that increases over a week or two (if anything Enhancers can fade) – so I am wondering if you have anything else going on. For example some mineral discolouration from below?
It may also have been applied incorrectly, for example leaving too much on the surface. It may well be possible to reduce the effect with the correct solvent based stripper and scrubbing with a rotary scrubbing machine/brush. I would indeed contact the supplier as they may be able to suggest the most appropriate stripping product
Hope that helps
Ian
However
I’ve cleaned the stone week before sealed it with two coats days later it’s dryed white in places , what’s the problem and how do i put it right thanks
OK, Well,
What stone?
What is the situation? (inside or out?)
What did you use to clean it? – How did you clean it?
How long after cleaning did you seal it?
What did you seal it with? (what type of sealer?)
How did you apply the sealer
Could be a number of things but I’d be gussing withut the above info
Hope that helps
Ian
Hi all,
I have a problem where I used aqua mix stone enhancer to sandstone and it’s made the sandstone patchy! Can this sealer be removed or dulled down?
Ian, I have read through the previous comments hoping to run across my problem, sticky slate floor after enhancing. I see that many have had this problem. I used Dupont Stonetech Professional Rich Color Enhancer according to directions. “Apply product evenly and liberally…..allow to penetrate for 15-30 minutes”, so you see how I have sticky slate now. Since my product is a “water-based protector” how do I remove the sticky residue. Hopefully easily and without having to reapply the enhancer: )
Thanks for any suggestions that you have.
Gina
PS I have enhanced my slate twice before with Dupont Stonetech Professional Rich Color Enhancer Pro Sealer as per directions with no sticky residue. It is solvent based product.
Hi, Apologies I have been away and not responded to a few messages for a couple of weeks.
This is going to depend on which particular enhancer you have used. If it is their Enrich ‘N Seal then you may struggle. I would contact your regional distributor for support.
Hope this helps
Ian
Hi Gina,
OK, I have no personal experience with his product but:
You have used it successfully twice before with no sticky residue. So something was different this time.
I am assuming that the reason you wanted to reapply is that over time it loses its enhancing effect right? Well, that may be so however that does not mean the sealer is all gone, in other words, there may still be a lot of the sealer left in the stone, it is just being degraded a little through wear and tear and cleaning etc and so its effectiveness is less. So, when you come to apply this 3rd coat, the stone may be a lot less porous that it was on the previous two occasions, resulting in much more of the sealer being left at (and ‘on’) the surface So even leaving it to penetrate for 15 to 30 minutes, far less of it is going intot he tile, leaving much more to mop up on the surface, if it is allowed to dry or partially dry ON the surface you will get this sticky residue.
It seems to me that all you have is a surplus of sealer left on the top. Try rubbing it off with a little water and a white nylon emulsifying pad. If this does not work try another spot using more of the same sealer – (utilizing the sealer’s own solvent here as a cleaner) just rub a little of the sticky residue with some more sealer on a cloth or pad, if it loosens it, makes it seem ‘slacker’ then quickly buff that spot dry with absorbent paper towels. Let the test spot dry and evaluate. If this works then it confirms that there is an over-application residue to remove, the benefit of using the sealer to do it is that you will not damage or remove any sealer in the process of cleaning the floor. If it does not work then you may need to use something stronger, and that may well result in needing to reapply the sealer again afterward. Should that be the case I would refer to the manufacturer’s own tech support team
Hop this helps
Ian
Ian, Thank you so much for your quick and complete response!!! I spent the day removing the sticky coating and I am exhausted: ) I followed your advice of water and it did not completely remove the sticky residue so I added a household cleaner (409) and scrubbed with a white grout cleaning pad/scrubber. It worked!! (I had tried using the product itself the night before with no success.) It doesn’t look like it will have to reapply the enhancer either!!!!!
Thanks again for ALL of your advice! I will keep your response for the next time. It makes sense what you said about the slate only needing a little enhancer on top.
You really offer a great service to a DIY person like myself: )
Hi Gina, happy to help, glad you got it sorted, Looks like you had to go with something a little stronger, 409 would be a good choice as (as far as I am aware) it is a degreaser with a little solvent in it. If you were sparing with it and removed it quickly – and the floor now still looks enhanced, then I agree that you most likely do not need to top up the sealer.
Thanks for the feedback
Ian
Ian, this post has been a life-saver today. I over-applied some fila stone plus and so was left with a tacky mess the next day.
When I could finally get a response from Fila, they suggested using Fila no paint star which struck me as the nuclear option to deal with graffiti etc. It is also very expensive, I would have seen little change out of £200, and it is hard to source.
Instead I followed your suggestion to dissolve the excess product with a little more of the sealer and buff it off, which has worked.
So the floor has been sealed twice and I have learnt to read the instructions more carefully.
Thanks again for great post that saved the day.
Thanks Angus
It is nice when it works
Ian
Hi…please help! We had a beautiful hanstone quartz countertop put in last month. Today, another contractor came in to do our backsplash. He used “Dyna premium performing matte sealer” for the travertine backsplash. Here’s the problem….he spilled some on the quartz. What do we do? We have no idea how to get it off it without damaging the finish of the quartz!
HI Chris,
Not familiar with that sealer – and not sure what a solvent might do to the quarts. My guess is it should be ok – my first thought would be to call the tech services of the people who make the sealer product and seek their advice
Hope this helps
Ian
I am using Mapei Ultracare 5-Sides Sealer over new installed Red Ruby Flamed Granite
but after couple of hours a dry, white powdery streaks & patchy spots are appeared on the top
Kindly advise why it happened ; what are the reasons and how I can strip the sealer off
ALAN GULUZIAN
UAE
+971 50 423 0423
Hi Alan, Apologies for not responding this one seemed to slip past me. I hope you have sorted out the issue now but it seems to me like you have got some of the sealer left on the surface of the tiles. If this is intended to sealer the 4 sides and the back of the stone then the sealer on the face has got there accidentally, or perhaps stones were stacked on top of each other before they were dry. Either way, you have sealer residue. I would contact Mapei’s tech support people, they may have a suitable product to remove it.
Hope this helps,
Ian