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How to remove ink from tile cut mark?

Anyone ever experienced ink from a tile cut mark seeping through grout? Issue started within days of bathroom being retiled 2 years ago. Within a few days we noticed red/pink spots appearing in grout. Tiler came back a couple of times to fix the issue. He claimed it was from his Red Pen that he had used to mark the tile cuts! Fast forward to now and the issue got to the point we could no longer ignore. Today he regrouted...5hours later and some of the red ink has began to seep through...AGAIN! I'm assuming the wet grout has absorbed the ink the remained on the back/side of the tile (ceramic). He did say that some of it was possibly from certain shower products etc...? HOWEVER, we haven't used the shower yet due to the wet grout and its already starting to appear again😭 He mentioned today that IF the regrouting didn't solve the issue we would have to rip down the tile and start again!!! Anyone have any other possible solutions? He tried a white paint permanent marker when the issue first began but it didn't last. Anyone ever experience an issue like this? Any tilers know of this issue? Since its already starting to reappear I'm assuming it's not from any products we use etc. I'm unsure if I'd be up for the retiling costs?

Last 6 photos are from today AFTER regrouting....

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MitchellMc

An interesting situation @kj2801.

The marks are either bleeding out from the substrate or being deposited on the surface. Since you haven't used the shower yet, it appears they are bleeding out. The red pen marks seeping out would make sense on tiles that have been cut, but most of your images show the marks next to tiles that haven't been cut, so I see no reason why he would have marked those. This leads me to believe that something else is going on here, and it's not due to his pen. The fact that the marks continue to bleed through new grout means they are able to still migrate.

Did he just apply a thin layer of grout over the old marked grout or cut the old grout out and re-fill the joints? It would be my preference to cut the stained grout out entirely in those areas and re-grout, as this would minimise the chance of the mark bleeding through again. I'd certainly recommend that before you pull all the tiles off the wall.

It's important to continue to communicate with your tiler about the issue. Work together to find a solution, especially if it results from their initial work. Consider getting a second opinion from another professional tiler or a grout specialist to assess the situation and offer alternative solutions. They may have encountered similar issues and can provide guidance on resolving them without needing a costly retiling.

Applying a tile and grout sealant might help prevent the stain from seeping through in the future. Make sure the tiles are thoroughly cleaned and dried before applying the sealant. It might be that moisture, either in the new grout or from the shower, is penetrating the grout and helping the stain migrate out. Applying a sealer to the currently unaffected areas before using the shower could prevent the situation from getting worse. It would be best to try and resolve the issue before sealing the grout, and if it is a mark that's bleeding through, cutting out the sections of the grout would be best.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

kj2801

Thank you for your reply.

"An interesting situation " is definitely correct...and our luck with any job done for us 😏🙃

As far as im aware he removed the old grout. He did need to replace a tile that he accidentally cracked and so far the marks havent returned to the grout along side that one. He will be coming and replacing the tiles where the discolorations keep appearing. The grout that is discolouring is on the cut tiles, some where the cut is and some alongside the cut tile instead of at the cut...The grout is a super sandy one and I am just assuming that water maybe getting sucked in and then wetting the ink and as it dries the ink comes to the surface? We still haven't used the shower since he finished yesterday at 1/2pm and more has reappeared today as the grout has dried ot more. When he tiled it 2years ago he did have to put some sought of board on 2 of the shower walls as the tiles weren't laying laid flat on the existing wall. We have brick walls (WA). I did ask the tiler if there was something that was on the boards that could be seeping through and he said "definitely not". I thought maybe the Waterproof membrane but from memory that was blue or black not red or pink (I could be wrong about the colour). He didn't leave the broken tile from yesterday here so I couldn't look to see if there was pen marks. Today he said that he will replace the tiles where its still seeping as "it must be coming from the tile".

I appreciate your help and suggestions! I used a tile/grout sealer when he first done the tiling and will definitely redo again when/if the issue gets resolved.

Thank you 🙂

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