Frequently Asked Questions

OMNI Back-To-New Grout Cleaner is a great product for cleaning and restore dirty neglected grout. The combination of our amazing surfactant that helps breaks the bond contaminants may have to a surface and then the buffered acids helps dissolve them. But, since the Back-To-New formula includes buffered acids, it should not be used on acid sensitive surfaces. As you mentioned the mosaics may be marble, it is best to test a small area to determine if the mosaics tile is acid sensitive, as we would not want to create and etching issue while solving an old problem. If the mosaics tile are acid sensitive, your next best options would be OMNI Elite Cleaner or OMNI Deep Cleaner. Both have the amazing surfactant and are great non-acid cleaners. Elite Cleaner has nano sized (small) scrubbing particles that are very help for removing contaminants. Deep Cleaner is a RTU spray cleaner could also give the desired results. Finally, if they have some really hard to remove stains, OMNI Poultice Stain Remover mixed into a paste, covered with plastic and allowed to remain on surface for 24 to 48 hours...could also be helpful.

In regard to removing the old adhesive, it might be a bit of “trial & error” until they find the best option, as it is difficult to know exactly what might work best. The following products are listed in a somewhat least aggressive to most aggressive:

• OMNI Deep Cleaner
• OMNI Concentrated Cleaner
• OMNI Heavy Duty Cleaner
• OMNI Elite Cleaner
• OMNI Sealer Remover - This is a soy based solvent stripper that was formulated to be as effective as possible while still being “user friendly”.
• Denatured Alcohol
• Xylene
• Toulene

If they use any of the strippers, they need to do a test to be certain the mosaic tiles are not solvent sensitive. It is not likely an issue but testing a small area is always advisable for any problem-solving cleaning.

Yes, all 72 of our Grout Re-Coloring Sealers are formulated to be a “primary” color match to one four of the larger Grout Manufactures (Laticrete, Mapei, Custom Building Products & TEC). We test for a prefect color match by placing a drop of Grout Re-Coloring Sealer on the representative grout manufactures channel to dry. Once dry, the placement of the Grout Re-Coloring Sealer drop must be indistinguishable from the rest of the channel. As many grout colors are quite similar, our designer determined that 72 “primary” color matches are “secondary” (close) color match for at least another 125 grout colors. With this link you can access OMNI Grout Re-Coloring Cross Reference Chart that details the primary and secondary color matches.

The reason we do not recommend using OMNI High Gloss Sealer in an exterior application is because exterior surfaces tend to get dirty quicker and are cleaned less often than interior applications. When dirt or other contaminants accumulate on a surface that is sealed with a High Gloss Sealer, the shine can be reduced…until the surface is cleaned. So what may happen is if a customer does not clean their exterior surface that is sealed with High Gloss Sealer on a regular basis, they may believe the sealer has lost its gloss…when in fact, the gloss may have only been temporarily dulled by surface contamination. And even when customers understand that the reduced gloss may only be due to a maintenance issue, they may not be willing to clean as regularly as need…which could result in dissatisfaction with the High Gloss Sealer. The reason we recommend OMNI Low Gloss Sealer in exterior applications, is that even when the surface is not cleaned regularly, expectations for a low gloss more closely matches the results.

Note: Both High Gloss Sealer and Low Gloss Sealer are UV stable, meaning they will not yellow when exposed to the sun.

Yes, OMNI Elite Sealer is Water-Based.

The following commercially available strippers will effectively clean OMNI Enhancing Sealer from your paint brush: Denatured alcohol; Toluene; or Xylene

We certainly understand how one might assume fewer coats of OMNI High Gloss Sealer may provide a lower gloss finish and more coats might produce a higher gloss, but that was not the manner in which the product was formulated. As a matter of fact, we developed two different formulas to achieve the variety of gloss finishes: Low Gloss Sealer and High Gloss Sealer. While both sealers are formulated with similar raw materials, the OMNI Low Gloss Sealer version incorporates a different concentration of the polymers to achieve the desired lower gloss and sealing properties. All that said, it is highly recommended that when your customers want a low gloss finish, they use Low Gloss Sealer. And when they desire a high gloss finish, they use High Gloss Sealer…and apply both as the product instructions advise.

The first OMNI product option for your customer to clean construction dust from their grout is OMNI Back-To-New Grout Cleaner. This product is formulated with our amazing (proprietary) surfactant that will help “break the bond” the contaminants may have on the grout and buffered acids that attack the contaminations from above. But, as Back-To-New Grout Cleaner contains buffered acids, it should not be used in areas with acid sensitive (subject to etching) surfaces. Always test a small inconspicuous area to be sure. If the tile surrounding the grout is acid sensitive, OMNI Deep Cleaner or OMNI Elite Cleaner would be recommended. Once the grout is cleaned, it is advisable that your customer seal the grout joint with OMNI Grout Sealer (osg016_osg032-grout-sealer-tech-data-sheet.pdf) or OMNI Elite Sealer.

If the blotchy grout joint is the result of a grout installation issue, such as washed-out pigment, or construction dust embedded deeply in the body of the grout, rather than simply construction dust on the surface of the grout, Back-To-New Grout Cleaner may not solve the problem. However, OMNI Grout Re-Coloring Sealer, may be a viable solution for your customer. Grout Re-Coloring Sealer is a water-based epoxy sealer formulated to rejuvenate discolored grout and provide a beautiful uniform color. It is available in 72 different colors. With this link you can access OMNI Grout Re-Coloring Cross Reference Chart the details the primary and secondary color matches.

Every once in a while, we are asked about sealer with salt resistance in its name, but we do not specifically have a product names Salt Resistant Sealer. However, OMNI Elite Sealer provides more than adequate salt resistance and we feel there is no need to have another product in our offering to meet what we believe to be niche marketing issue.

Yes, OMNI manufactures several sealers that are ideal for Quartz countertops…depending on the desired look and expected wear-life. OMNI Elite Sealer is most often used on Quartz countertops as it provides up to 15 years of stain resistance and does not change the appearance of the Quartz countertop (natural look). OMNI Enhancing Sealer can also be used to provide stain resistance for up to 15 years, but is designed to enhance and darken Quartz Countertops. OMNI Penetrating Sealer can be used to seal Quartz countertops and it does not change the appearance of the countertop (natural appearance), but only provides up to 5 years of stain resistance. This link will provide more detailed information on Sealing Quartz (Engineered Quartz - Sealing Guide.pdf)

Finally, OMNI Quartz Cleaner & Polish is strongly recommended as a daily cleaning and maintenance product for Quartz countertops.

Thanks for asking for clarification as to the best way to remove soap scum / hard water / discoloration on grout in a shower, because it depends on a number of factors. Generally shower tiles are not acid sensitive (subject to etching) and if that is the case, we recommend OMNI Back-To-New Grout Cleaner, as our “go to cleaner.” It contains our amazing surfactant that helps breaks the bond the contaminants have to the grout and it has a combination of buffered acids to help dissolve the contaminants. If the tile or stone is acid sensitive (could etch), we recommend OMNI Elite Cleaner . It contains the same amazing proprietary surfactant, (that is in virtually all of our Cleaners and Problem Solvers), that breaks the bond contaminants may have and it contains nano-sized scrubbing particles that help remove (scrub) the contaminants from the grout…without any acid. Regular cleaning of the shower with OMNI Deep Cleaner, OMNI Concentrated Cleaner or OMNI Heavy Duty Cleaner can also help prevent the build-up of soap scum/hard water/discoloration

In regards to your question about on-going recommendation, you will find information on our free downloadable C&M App that not only has specific cleaning recommendations, but sealing and problem solving recommendation by specific substrates and products.

Not knowing for certain, sounds like the yellowing could possibly be from smoke. We have a couple of options for your client.

First option is OMNI Elite Cleaner. It has a combination of our amazing proprietary surfactant and nano-sized scrubbing particles. The surfactant breaks the bond the contaminant has to the marble. But it needs at least 5 minutes of dwell-time to be most effective. The nano-sized scrubbing particles will help scrub the yellow (smoke) from the surface. We designed Elite Cleaner to be very thick and viscous so it will “hang” on the back splash to allow time for the surfactant to work. Elite Cleaner will not harm the marble as it is pH neutral.

There are situations in which stain removal requires the use on OMNI Poultice Stain Remover. Your client would mix the dry Poultice powder into a paste…either with water or preferable OMNI Deep Cleaner. The paste is then applied over the “yellow” stain. The Poultice paste is then covered with plastic and taped down with a painter’s tape. As the Poultice paste dries under the plastic for 24 to 48 hours, it will draw the stain out of the stone. Sometimes this process requires a couple of times to remove the stain.

Once the stain is removed we recommend either OMNI Elite Sealer or OMNI Enhancing Sealer. Both sealers will provide up to 15 years of stain resistance. Elite Sealer does not change the appearance surface (natural appearance). Enhancing Sealer is designed to enhance and darken surface. For clarity, neither sealer will prevent your client’s backsplash from yellowing, but both will make on-going removal of the discoloration much, much easier.

Your client has a number of product options to remove OMNI Grout Re-Coloring Sealer. If they like, they can start with a “less aggressive” process and work their way up from there: OMNI Deep Cleaner; OMNI Heavy Duty Cleaner (Diluted 1 part Cleaner to 2 parts water); OMNI Elite Cleaner; OMNI Sealer Remover.

With all the product options, your customer should allow them to dwell at least 5 minutes on the surface. The Sealer Remover needs time to begin to dissolve the Grout Re-Coloring Sealer. All the other products need that time for the amazing proprietary surfactant in their formulas to break the bond the Grout Re-Coloring Sealer has to porcelain. They should use a scrub pad (white or blue). If there is a lot of Grout Re-Coloring Sealer and it is on a floor, your customer may want to use a floor buffing machine with a white pad (assuming the grout joints are recessed). Finally, they need to be a little cautious if they use Sealer Remover…so that it does not get on the actual grout joint for a long period of time, as it may begin to remove the Grout Re-Coloring Sealer. Pre-Wetting the joint with water will help prevent that issue.

Grout turning white is usually due to efflorescence, which is the movement of salt or minerals to the surface of porous material (such as your grout) and then the salts form a whitish coating. This can happen in a few different ways. The most common reason is moisture from the ground below the slab, but grout may also turn white from the rain in outdoor installations, or in rare cases from water used to clean the floor. Another possibility is that grout containing polymer was used and it may have been exposed to too much water before the polymers had a chance to cure. Grout mixed with too much water or cleaned too soon, or cleaned with excess water can cause the polymer to migrate to the surface. In many cases (but not all), these polymers are white in color. When the excess water evaporates, the white polymer is exposed. Finally, in less common cases, grout may turn white due to cleaning agents not being fully removed leaving a detergent residue that builds up over time. If your white grout is caused by efflorescence (natural water-soluble salts that occur when cement-based material cure) and the tile surrounding your grout is non-acid sensitive, such as ceramic or porcelain, we recommend OMNI Efflorescence Remover. This product is formulated with an amazing proprietary surfactant that helps break the bond the efflorescence has on your grout, while the blend of buffered acids help dissolve the efflorescence. It is important to note that efflorescence can return, as those naturally occurring salts are continually exposed to moisture. But, experience has shown that application steps detailed below can help inhibit or minimize the reoccurrence of efflorescence as the “double” application technique helps Efflorescence Remover reach the source of the efflorescence.

Efflorescence Remover Application Steps:

1. Sweep or vacuum surface to be cleaned to remove any loose contaminants.
2. Apply a small amount of water to the surface to be cleaned.
3. Apply Efflorescence Remover liberally using a SpongaUSA™ sponge, a mop, paint-pad applicator, paint roller, brush or low pressure pump sprayer.
4. Allow Efflorescence Remover to dwell for up to 10 minutes on surface.
5. Apply a second ”double” coat of Efflorescence Remover in same manner as step #3.
6. Allow second coat of Efflorescence Remover to dwell on surface for up to 10 minutes.
7. Agitate with a Primo Tools™ White Nylon Scrub Pad or other comparable non-marring scrubbing tool until efflorescence is removed from surface.
8. Thoroughly rinse surface with water. A wet/dry vacuum may also be used.
9. Some surfaces may require additional applications.
10. Expert Tip: High-pressure (1000 – 3000 psi) sprayers are highly effective at rinsing away efflorescence stains when used in conjunction with Efflorescence Remover.
11. Wipe surface completely dry using a clean, dry, white cotton or micro-fiber towel.
12. If surface is to be sealed, allow 24 hours drying time prior to applying a high quality OMNI Sealer.

If the tile surrounding your grout is acid sensitive, such as marble or limestone, we recommend OMNI Elite Cleaner;. This product is also formulated with an amazing proprietary surfactant that helps break the bond the efflorescence has on your grout and it has nano-size scrubbing particles that provide deep, below surface cleaning and mild surface abrasion to help remove efflorescence from your grout. Elite Cleaner is non-acid.

Elite Cleaner Application Steps:

1. Shake Well before each use.
2. Sweep or vacuum surface to be cleaned to remove any loose contaminants.
3. Apply Elite Cleaner liberally on surface to be cleaned directly from bottle or with a SpongaUSA™ sponge, or a brush or scrub machine.
4. Allow Elite Cleaner to dwell on surface for up to 5 minutes.
5. Agitate with a Primo Tools™ White Nylon Scrub Pad, or a brush or other comparable non-marring scrubbing tool until efflorescence is removed.
6. Thoroughly rinse surface with water. A wet/dry vacuum may also be used.
7. Some surfaces may require additional applications.
8. Expert Tip: High-pressure (1000–3000 psi) sprayers are highly effective at rinsing away contaminates and stains when used in conjunction with Elite Cleaner.
9. Wipe surface completely dry using a clean, dry, white cotton or micro-fiber towel.
10. If surface is to be sealed, allow 24 hours drying time prior to applying a high quality OMNI Sealer.

If your white grout is the result of polymer residue and the tile surrounding your grout is non-acid sensitive tile, such as ceramic or porcelain, we recommend OMNI Cement Grout Haze Remover. This product is formulated with our amazing proprietary surfactant that helps break the bond the polymer residue has on your grout and/or tile, while the blend of buffered acids help dissolve the polymer residue.

Cement Grout Haze Remover Application Steps:

1. Sweep or vacuum surface to be cleaned to remove any loose contaminants.
2. Apply a small amount of water to the surface to be cleaned.
3. Apply Cement Grout Haze Remover liberally on polymer residue using a SpongaUSA™ sponge, a mop, paint-pad applicator, paint roller or brush.
4. Allow Cement Grout Haze Remover to dwell for up to 10 minutes on surface.
5. Agitate with a Primo Tools™ White Nylon Scrub Pad or other comparable non-marring scrubbing tool until efflorescence is removed from surface.
6. Thoroughly rinse surface with water. A wet/dry vacuum may also be used.
7. Some surfaces may require additional applications.
• Expert Tip: High-pressure (1000 – 3000 psi) sprayers are highly effective at rinsing away polymer residue when used in conjunction with Cement Grout Haze Remover.
8. Wipe surface completely dry using a clean, dry, white cotton or micro-fiber towel.
9. If surface is to be sealed, allow 24 hours drying time prior to applying a high quality OMNI Sealer.

If the tile surrounding your grout is acid sensitive, such as marble or limestone, we recommend OMNI Elite Cleaner. The same application step details above for the removal of efflorescence should be followed for the removal of polymer residue with Elite Cleaner.

If your grout turned white due to detergent build-up we recommends OMNI Heavy Duty Cleaner. This highly versatile concentrated formulation can be diluted with water to match cleaning needs. It also contains our amazing proprietary surfactant that helps lift detergent residue.

Heavy Duty Cleaner Application Steps:

1. Sweep or vacuum surface to be cleaned to remove any loose contaminants.
2. Dilute 1 part Heavy Duty Cleaner with 1 to 2 parts water.
• Expert Tip: Warm water enhances Heavy Duty Cleaner’s performance.
3. Liberally apply cleaning solution to the surface to be cleaned with a SpongaUSA™ sponge, a mop or brush.
4. Allow cleaning solution to dwell on surface for up to 5 minutes.
5. Agitate with a Primo Tools™ White Nylon Scrub Pad, a mop, natural-bristle brush or other comparable non-marring scrubbing tool until surface is clean.
6. Mop up dirty solution. A wet/dry vacuum may also be used.
7. Thoroughly rinse surface with water, changing water at least every 250 sq. ft.
8. Wipe surface completely dry using a clean, dry, white cotton or micro-fiber towel.
9. If surface is to be sealed, allow 24 hours drying time prior to applying a high quality OMNI sealer.

Fortunately, the remedy is relatively easy, and you have several options to remove the excess sealer. While it may sound strange, adding additional OMNI Enhancing Sealer could resolve the residue issue, as the VOC Compliant solvent in the product will re-emulsify the excess sealer on the surface and allow you to wipe clean. The steps are as follows:

• Using a clean white cloth to apply more Enhancing Sealer to the areas with excess sealer on the surface.
• Allow the newly Enhancing Sealer time to begin to re-emulsify (liquify) the excess sealer.
• Thoroughly, wipe the sealer from the surface with a clean white cloth.
• Rinse the surface with water and dry with a clean white cloth to be certain all excess sealer is removed from the surface.

You could also use any one of the following three strippers (starting with the least aggressive to the most aggressive) in the same manner detailed above to remove the excess Enhancing Sealer from the surface:

• Denatured Alcohol
• Toluene
• Xylene

We believe your intended use of OMNI Buffered Acid Cleaner and OMNI Poultice Stain Remover are your best choices.

The Buffered Acid will attack what appears to be minerals leaching from the slate. But, as you may know, the Buffered Acid will likely etch the Travertine. As you indicated the Travertine was ground (honed), it may not be an issue, but we want be sure you are aware of the potential. Suggest you test a small area to determine effectiveness…and you may want to start by diluting the Buffered Acid with water, before using full strength. Allow the Buffered Acid to dwell on the travertine for 3 to 5 minutes before scrubbing with a stiff nylon brush or scrub pad. The dwell time will allow our amazing surfactant in the Buffered Acid to begin to break the bond the contaminate has on the surface of the Travertine. This process may require multiple applications.

In regard to the Poultice Stain Remover, it can certainly be added to the Buffered Acid for an additional cleaning/scrubbing boost. But Poultice can also be used in the follow manner:

• Mixed into a paste with water or Buffered Acid or OMNI Deep Cleaner
• Cover the stain with the Poultice paste
• Cover the Poultice paste with plastic
• Tape the plastic to the travertine with blue painters’ tape
• Allow Poultice paste to dry under plastic for 24 to 48 hours…in the drying process, the Poultice paste may “draw the stain out”

If you have any / limited success with Poultice paste, may need to do multiple applications

If the mold on the stone is below the OMNI Enhancing Sealer, that would make us think the source of the mold (if it is mold) is from below the surface of the stone. And that would indicate moisture is present as well as something for the mold to feed on…typically something organic such as dirt. Ultimately, the mold and the “food source” will need to be removed. But, if the mold is below the sealer, it is likely that your customer will need to first remove the sealer. Removing the Enhancing Sealer is going to be a bit of a task…as it has a very tenacious polymer, that can be difficult to remove. In order of increasing aggressiveness, the following three strippers could be used to remove Enhancing Sealer:

• Denatured Alcohol
• Toluene
• Xylene

Once the sealer is removed, OMNI Heavy Duty Cleaner should be effective at removing the stain. They can dilute Heavy Duty Cleaner with 1 to 2 parts water. Warm water has proven to enhance the performance of the product. Please have them let the product dwell on the surface for at least 5 minutes…that allows our amazing surfactant in the product to help break the bond the mold may have on the Travertine. It is likely they are going to need to use a scrub pad and / or brush to help remove the mold. A pressure washer may also be helpful when used in conjunction with the Heavy Duty Cleaner. For clarity, our product will not “kill” the mold, an FDA registered formulation is required by law to state “kill”, but our cleaner should “remove” the mold.

Not knowing how long the mold has been allowed to grow on the surface or if the mold has entered into the body of the Travertine to create a stain, they may actually be faced with two issues…remove the surface mold and remove the mold stain. As previously indicated, Heavy Duty Cleaner may help remove the stain, but they may need to also use OMNI Elite Cleaner. Elite Cleaner has the same amazing surfactant that is Heavy Duty Cleaner, but is also nano-sized scrubbing particles. This dual action cleaner is highly effective. Again, let the product dwell for at least 5 minutes then scrub with a pad or brush. Elite Cleaner is very thick and viscus, so thorough rinsing will be required. If neither Heavy Duty Cleaner nor Elite Cleaner remove below surfaces stains, your customer may want to try OMNI Poultice Stain Remover. Mix the Poultice powder into a thick paste and cover the stain with the paste (they can mix the Poultice with water, but we recommend using OMNI Deep Cleaner as it helps in the stain removal process). Cover the paste and stain with plastic, and tape down with a blue painter’s tape. Let the paste remain on the surface for 24 to 48 hours. As the Poultice dries, it should pull the stain out of the Travertine.

Once completely cleaned and dried, we highly recommend your customer reseal the Travertine.

Unfortunately, the answer is not as simple as you might have hoped, as it depends on your desired results. If you are looking for a sealer that maintains the natural look of your Travertine, then the answer is OMNI Elite Sealer. It provides maximum stain protection from both water-based and oil- based contaminants. Elite Sealer creates a highly durable, deep below surface stain barrier that will preserve the original look of your Travertine. If you are looking for a sealer that darkens, rejuvenates, highlights and enhances the beauty of your Travertine, then the answer is OMNI Enhancing Sealer. It also provides maximum stain protection from both water-based and oil- based contaminants. Enhancing Sealer provides superior no-gloss, fade resistant color enhancement. Finally, if you are looking for a sealer that adds a gloss finish to your Travertine, either High or Low…then the answer is either OMNI High Gloss Sealer or OMNI Low Gloss Sealer.