What causes this?

[NotSure]

Hi all,

I'm not sure if I posted this in the right area so forgive me.....

Could someone tell me what's likely to cause 'rust' to appear on my grout?
This began only in the corners where the shower cubicle meets the walls, but has now begun to appear in random spots all over the wet areas.
Initially I thought it was rust from a poor quality fitting, but can't be in the middle of a tiled wall! I can't imagine it's plaster either as it's tanked.
It wipes away without a problem and leaves no residue either.

And it's not the missus' hair dye :-)

A quick history & tech info:

Brick walls, prof plastered, tanked with Homelux matting, BAL SPF used, Ceramic tiles & anti fungus water resistant grout, with treatment to prevent discolouration.

I've attached a piccy, poor quality I'm afraid.

Thanks for any replies, much appreciated. I also need someone to do some work at my house, are we permitted to ask for this on here?

Cheers!

[faithhealer]

welcome to the forum, sorry cant explain your 'rust' but you are allowed to ask for a tiler. Post a thread here I'm Looking for a Wall and Floor Tiler

[peckers]

How long after you wipe it off is it before it comes back again? (To be honest i aint got a clue) everything has been installed correctly and you havent tiled strait onto ply as i was going to say ply leaching threw until i read all of your post.
its got to be something that is being used in the shower surely???

[Bri]

Sounds strange, but if you say it wipes off it can't be anything coming through from behind the tiles so must be a product thats being used in the shower.

[NotSure]

Hi, thanks for your replies, I did think the same, but after my somewhat steep learning curve (!!) with tiling I thought that my mechanic logic is probably best left in the toolbox and to get some proper advice!

I'll post a lil something about the work, if anyone's nr Heathrow then you know where to look later!

Thanks again everyone :-)

[whitebeam]

Hi and welcome

[Sir Ramic]

Looks like shower gel residue to me.

[aph257]

Looks like shower gel residue to me.

that's my thought too Neale.

[Sir Ramic]

How long ago was it tiled and grouted ?
What is the water like in your area ?
How soon does it come back after cleaning ?

[NotSure]

It was tiled & grouted at the end of last summer, and the marks return weekly, they literally wipe off with a sponge and shower cleaner?

[NotSure]

Oooo and it's a hard water area......

[Sir Ramic]

Personally I would say its from shower gel products. It could be hard water but the shower gel would be my 1st guess.
The only way to sort it out is to not use the shower for a week but run the shower as normal as if you were using it. If marks appear then its the water if not then its the shower gel/shampoo most probably.

[SandyFloor]

There's a orange brownish scale from the water in my area. It tends to cling to grout more probably due to it not being as smooth as the tiles. It appears to build up where there is the most water contact and wipes away quite easily. I would ask others in the same area as you to see if they get it.

[dilz000]

fake tan?

[Alberta Stone]

The grout wasn't sealed...was it?

[Scott]

^^ you could clean it and seal it?

[NotSure]

I did seal it,

thanks again for your replies, will keep you updated!!!