How can you remove very old mortor from subway tiles?
Related Discussions
How to clean a mirror without streaks?
Every time I clean my mirrors, they end up having tons of streaks and almost look worse than before I started. What could I use to clean them that won't leave streaks... See more
How to clean burns on stainless steel pans?
Help! I burned my pan. How do I clean stainless steel cookware that's been burned?
How to clean hardwood floors in the kitchen?
What is the best way to clean hardwood floors in the kitchen?
How to clean my kitchen cabinets from grease?
My kitchen cabinets are embarrassingly greasy. Please share your degreasing tips with me so I don't have to cringe every time I glance at my cabinets.
Muriatic acid should do the trick
Gently
Mortar is a mixture of sand and cement - with water that makes it pliable to work with and gives it strength. If the mortar is "very old" I'm guessing it is hard ... The only way to remove it is by chipping it away. You can normally use a chisel and a hammer - but you're going to have to work incredibly gently to avoid chipping the tiles. A flat scraper might be better - with no more than the force of your hand. I'm wondering though if this isn't grout that has dried on the surface of the tiles. It should come off more easily than hard, dry mortar. The moral of the story is to gently clean all surfaces to get rid of mortar or grout BEFORE it dries and hardens on the surface.