Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

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Topic Author
worthit
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Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by worthit »

Dear BHs:

I hope some one here has a solution for this.

Our house cleaners used tilex to clean our porcelian tubs. Couple of the the tubs (in 2 different rooms) as a result are showing a lot of brownish stains. It appears that they may have left it to settle for 20-30 minutes. These are very obvious and look horrendous. I googled for solutions and one suggested using hydrogen peroxide. Tried that but of no avail.

Is there any thing else I can do to get rid of these streaks?

Thanks.
Last edited by worthit on Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
livesoft
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left streaks

Post by livesoft »

Maybe use tilex evenly everywhere. That is, one humongous continuous contiguous streak should not look noticeable?

Also filling up tub with warm water and dumping in a bunch of denture cleaner tablets with percarbonate, persulfate, and whatever and let soak overnight might work.
Last edited by livesoft on Sun Sep 19, 2021 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Topic Author
worthit
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left streaks

Post by worthit »

hmm interesting solution livesoft.

Not sure I can sell this to my wife though :(.
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Cheez-It Guy
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left streaks

Post by Cheez-It Guy »

Are the white streaks where the tubs are truly clean (reverted to original color), or are the white streaks discolorations from the original?

You might want to try a pumice stone to see if the streaks are uneven surface stains. A pumice stone gets things off that chemical solutions often won't.
Topic Author
worthit
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left streaks

Post by worthit »

Cheez-It Guy wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 10:36 am Are the white streaks where the tubs are truly clean (reverted to original color), or are the white streaks discolorations from the original?

You might want to try a pumice stone to see if the streaks are uneven surface stains. A pumice stone gets things off that chemical solutions often won't.
Thanks livesoft and Chee it guy.

The tubs were white as milk and no stains before the house cleaning. So there are all discolorations. Spots of clean/white areas interspersed with the discoloration.
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Kenkat
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left streaks

Post by Kenkat »

You could try a mix of 3 parts water, 1 part white vinegar. If that doesn’t work, try straight white vinegar on a small area to see how that works.
brandy
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left streaks

Post by brandy »

A paste of baking soda is much gentler than pumice, which will scratch. Mix a bit of BS with a few drops of H2O and rub it over the area. Good luck.
gobsmacked
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left streaks

Post by gobsmacked »

What color are the streaks? Are they brownish indicating tilex and a reaction with the porcelain used?
stan1
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left streaks

Post by stan1 »

The Tilex likely has chlorine bleach in it, so consider the possibility it is a bleach stain.

Above with baking soda (or Barkeepers Friend) are probably good first tries.

Handle carefully and test in a very small area but could try hydrogen peroxide if above do not work. I'd try diluting it before using full strength.

(Pro Tip: Do NOT mix bleach and hydrogen peroxide).
Topic Author
worthit
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left streaks

Post by worthit »

gobsmacked wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:11 pm What color are the streaks? Are they brownish indicating tilex and a reaction with the porcelain used?
gobsmacked -

Yes, brownish stains. I just took another look now and it appears as you indicate. Brownish stains interspersed among the original white color of the porcelian.

Thanks.
Teague
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by Teague »

Any chance the tub was originally brown and a previous owner had it refinished to white?
Semper Augustus
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worthit
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by worthit »

Teague wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:53 pm Any chance the tub was originally brown and a previous owner had it refinished to white?
Thanks for asking.

We are the first owners and this is a brand newly built house about 6 years young. The thing that upsets us is that both bathrooms/tubs have been used sparsely. Guest bathroom tubs.
EagertoLearnMore
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by EagertoLearnMore »

Since the tubs are white I would try a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water (2 to 1 ratio) and apply it with white paper towels leaving the paper towels over the spots for about an hour. Remove and rinse and see if that improves the appearance. If not enough, try again. You just don't want to rub with anything abrasive and scratch the surface.
HomeStretch
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by HomeStretch »

Sorry to hear about the finish on your tubs. You may also want to find out what your house cleaner is using to clean your fixtures in case they are using bleach spray or soft scrub or a bleach-soaked rag used on the tub on those too as it can harm the finish. I have unfortunately experienced this and had to replace fixtures as a result.
Teague
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by Teague »

I do not understand. I thought porcelain was a fired vitreous substance, essentially unreactive except to maybe HF or similar. I've used all manner of bleach, acids, bases, and mild-moderate abrasives on porcelain sinks, tubs, and toilets with no damage.
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worthit
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by worthit »

Teague wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 5:56 pm I do not understand. I thought porcelain was a fired vitreous substance, essentially unreactive except to maybe HF or similar. I've used all manner of bleach, acids, bases, and mild-moderate abrasives on porcelain sinks, tubs, and toilets with no damage.
Thank you all for responding.

Yes, that's what I thought as well Teague, until this happened. So very upset about this.

Still no luck and searching for a solution.
homebuyer6426
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by homebuyer6426 »

I use tilex and this happens to me too. The hydrogen peroxide will work, but you need to saturate a paper towel with it and leave it on the spot for at least 10 minutes.
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by homebuyer6426 »

By the way, I believe these stains come from the tilex reacting with soap or shampoo residue.
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Topic Author
worthit
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by worthit »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:47 am By the way, I believe these stains come from the tilex reacting with soap or shampoo residue.
Thank you homebuyer6426.

I will certainly try and will update if it works. Perhaps may help someone else in a similar situation.
Ramjet
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by Ramjet »

worthit wrote: Sun Sep 19, 2021 10:30 am Dear BHs:

I hope some one here has a solution for this.

Our house cleaners used tilex to clean our porcelian tubs. Couple of the the tubs (in 2 different rooms) as a result are showing a lot of brownish stains. It appears that they may have left it to settle for 20-30 minutes. These are very obvious and look horrendous. I googled for solutions and one suggested using hydrogen peroxide. Tried that but of no avail.

Is there any thing else I can do to get rid of these streaks?

Thanks.
Magic Eraser should remove these I would think
mpnret
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by mpnret »

Google "tilex causing brown stains on porcelain". Lots of people with the same issue. It's seems like Clorox 2 solves the problem. Best to get advice from those who had the same issue and solved it rather than someone suggesting what should work.
andypanda
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by andypanda »

Call Tilex.
UpperNwGuy
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by UpperNwGuy »

andypanda wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 6:15 am Call Tilex.
^^^ This.
Topic Author
worthit
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Re: Help - Tilex cleaning solution left brownish color stains

Post by worthit »

OP here.

Thanks all. Tried everything up thread. Unfortunately, no luck.

Will call "Tilex" as suggested by the recent posters. Let me see if they can help.
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