Always test first! Your grout should withstand the occasional use of diluted bleach. One cup of bleach, mixed with one gallon of clean water, is usually sufficient for disinfecting. Regular use can discolor and weaken grout over time. Bleach should only be used when absolutely necessary and should never be used for routine maintenance of stone, tile and grout. MAPEI recommends the following products for routine maintenance: UltraCare Everyday Stone & Grout Cleaner & Resealer; UltraCare Everyday Stone, Tile & Grout Cleaner; UltraCare Concentrated Tile & Grout Cleaner; and UltraCare Everyday Stone Clean & Polish.
Vinegar is acidic and can etch certain natural stone, such as marble, travertine and limestone. The occasional use of vinegar on porcelain or ceramic tile with cement-based grout should not cause damage. However, frequent or regular use can discolor and weaken grout and should not be used for routine maintenance. There are several professional-grade UltraCare acidic cleaners that are available when needed, including UltraCare Sulfamic Acid Crystals, UltraCare Cement Grout Haze Remover and UltraCare Acidic Tile & Grout Cleaner.
Yes, it can be used for sound reduction, crack isolation, waterproofing and vapor management. However, when using Mapesonic 2 for vapor management, do not use MAPEI SM Primer or MAPEI SM Primer Fast; instead, use MAPEI HM Primer. If there are seams, the use of Mapetape BB tape is also be necessary for waterproofing and vapor management.
Yes, with these limitations: Do not use on exterior floors with drainage of less than 1/4" per foot (6 mm per 30 cm). And do not use on shower floors or in submerged applications, or on floors subject to standing water.
No, the concrete must be prepared by mechanical means to receive a thin-set mortar. New concrete surfaces should be wood-floated or broom-finished. Mechanically prepare concrete substrates to a minimum International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) concrete surface profile (CSP) of #2 to #3 for setting mortars. Grinding with a diamond blade is sufficient in most installations.
Direct application of tile mortars over oriented strand board (OSB) panels is not recommended; first, an uncoupling membrane such as Mapeguard UM is needed as a substrate for proper adhesion of the mortar.
For more information, see the technical document “Surface Preparation Requirements.”
It is recommended to prime the surface of gypsum-based substrates with Primer T diluted at 2:1 (two parts water, one part primer) or ECO Prim Grip primer.
The type of stone, tile and grout that you have will determine if sealing is necessary. Glazed ceramic and porcelain tiles have almost no porosity and are highly resistant to staining; therefore, sealing is not required. However, it is beneficial to seal unglazed, polished porcelain floor tile. If either the tile or grout is considered porous, such as natural-stone tile, terra cotta, Saltillo, brick or cement-based grout, sealing is recommended.
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