The first step is always to test the product in another application other than your project. The purpose of doing this is to get over your natural reaction that something might be wrong with the product. This will aid in determining what is really happening and why.

If, after testing as described and reviewing the information on this page, you do not have an answer and do not know what to do - contact us for assistance as something is certainly different than you think.

Before emailing for assistance - do the following tests so you can give us the results in the your email. If you contact us before doing the testing and reviewing the information, there will be delays in assisting you because we must still ask you for these test results. We cannot be of assistance by guessing.

(It is important to do all 3 tests)

1. Apply a small amount to a piece of flat, clean glass per the label directions. The glass gives you a clear view of what the product looks like when dry. With sealers or coatings, this will show you the degree of toughness and adhesion. With cleaners and other products, this will show you the what it looks like when dry.

2. Apply a small amount to an uninstalled piece of the same surfacing per the label directions. The uninstalled piece of the same surfacing takes away anything that occurred during and after installation.

3. Apply a small amount per the label directions to a different type of surfacing with a similar absorption. This takes the surfacing itself out of the equation to show if there is something unusual about that particular batch of surfacing.

• Product does not seem to be working:
  Here are the things to look for:

  There should be noticable fizzing on contact with the grout:

  • If there is no fizzing reaction, then Grout Restoration is not contacting a cement grout. Test on a concrete sidewalk or slab somewhere else and you will see definite fizzing.  There might be a sealer present (possibly unknown to you) that is preventing direct contact with the surface.
  • The grout may have an additive to act as a waterproofer and that additive might not allow the reaction to take place.
  • If there is no fizzing reaction with mineral (hard water) deposits, the deposits are something else. See "Problem Solving" for information on other possible stain diagnosis and treatment.

• Product is darkening the grout or other surface:
  No, as you will see from the above testing, the product does not darken anything. What you might be seeing is that the treated area is darker because the product has removed the residue of cleaners, efflorescence (white stains), sealers, dirt, wax, or whatever has accumulated over time. The accumumlated residue may have lightened the surface gradually over years and you have not noticed. Now it is being removed and you are revealing the true, original color of the grout.

• Product is lightening the grout or other surface:
  The product will not lighten the color unless it is greatly overused at full strength. You might not be totally removing any residue from the cleaning process and you are seeing that residue. Just do the cleaning application again and thoroughly remove any residue before it drys.

• After cleaning you are seeing specs or particles?
  Grout is a mixture of cement, sand, and color. The surface of the grout has each sand particle coated with the fine paste of cement and color. Removing this fine paste coating with overly aggressive cleaning can reveal the sand particles. This is why you should dilute the Grout Restoration and test a small area first. Also, do not use a wire brush or other overly abrasive tool. Stay with a plastic fiber brush to aid the process with light scrubbing.

If this does not answer your situation - something is very different and unusual. You should be able to discover why by looking for the issue in  "Problem Solving"