How to Remove Welding Burn Marks from Tiles

Co-authored by Art Fricke

Last Updated: October 26, 2021 References

Tiles around your home, garage, or workshop might accidentally get burned while you’re welding something. If this happens to you, don’t despair—you may be able to remove many minor and even more serious burn marks with the right supplies and a little elbow grease. Try scrubbing the burn mark out first, then move on to sanding it out with fine-grit sandpaper if it’s still there. If you’re unable to get rid of welding burn marks and can’t stand the sight of them, you can always remove and replace the damaged tiles.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Scrubbing Minor Burns with Baking Soda

1
Put about 1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda on top of the burn mark. Scoop approximately 1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda out of a box or bag of baking soda using a large spoon or a measuring spoon. Sprinkle the baking soda over the burn mark, overlapping it by about ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm), in an even layer.^{[1]
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- This method uses a gently abrasive whitening solution to scrub the burn mark out. Start by using this method to see if it removes the burn mark, before trying anything more abrasive.
- If the burn is particularly large and 1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda doesn’t cover it, add more baking soda in increments of 1 tbsp (14 g) until you cover it.
2
Add 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of cool water to the baking soda and mix it in. Use the same spoon you used to measure the baking soda with to pour about 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of cool water on top of the baking soda. Stir it in thoroughly until the water and baking soda form a paste that is about the consistency of peanut creamy butter.^{[2]
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- If you used more than 1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda to cover the burn, add an equal amount of additional water.
Tip: If the mixture becomes too watery, just sprinkle more baking soda in. Likewise, if the mixture is still too dry, just add more water. Adjust the solution as needed until it is an even, pasty consistency.

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3
Rub the paste into the mark using circular motions and a soft-bristled brush. Use a soft-bristled brush, like an old toothbrush or a dish scrubbing brush, to try and scrub out the burn mark. Apply medium pressure and move the brush in small circles for 2-3 minutes or until you notice the burn mark fading.^{[3]
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- You could also use a soft dish scrubbing pad or the scrubbing side of a kitchen sponge. Just try not to use anything too abrasive that might scratch the tiling.
4
Wipe the paste off with a wet cloth or sponge. Get a soft cloth or sponge wet under a running faucet and wring out the excess water into the sink. Use it to wipe up the paste with a scooping motion, so you can see whether the burn mark is totally gone or still there.^{[4]
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- Rinse out the cloth or sponge and make additional passes over the burn mark, if needed, until you clean off all the paste.
5
Repeat the process if the burn mark is fading, but still there. Cover the burn mark in equal parts baking soda and water, then stir them together into a paste. Scrub the paste into the burn mark using a soft-bristled brush, then wipe away the paste with a damp cloth or sponge.^{[5]
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- If you notice that the burn keeps fading, keep repeating this process until it is all gone. If you reach a point where you don’t seem to be making any more progress, try a different method.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Sanding out Tough Burn Marks

1
Rub 220-grit sandpaper in light circular motions over the burn to remove it. Fold up a piece of 220-grit sandpaper into a small square in your hand. Hold it with your thumb and fingers. Sand the burn mark by applying light pressure with your index and middle fingers and moving it in small, gentle circular motions until the burn disappears.^{[6]
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- If the sandpaper wears out, just flip it over or unfold it partially and use a fresh section of it.
- Keep in mind that this method will actually remove some of the material from the surface of the tile. Use this after you have tried scrubbing out the burn mark with a less abrasive method.
- Avoid using an electric sander because they are very abrasive and you will end up removing a lot of material from the tile.
2
Repeat the process with 400-grit sandpaper to smooth out the repaired area. Apply light pressure and rub the 400-grit sandpaper in small, gentle circular motions over the area you just sanded. Feel the sanded area with your fingertips as you go and try to blend the texture into the surrounding area.^{[7]
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- Apply gentle pressure while you’re smoothing out the repaired area and blending it into the surrounding tile, so you don’t end up scratching the finish on the rest of the surrounding tiling.
Tip: If the repaired area still feels rough after sanding it with 400-grit sandpaper, you can try either switching to an even finer-grit sandpaper, such as 600-grit sandpaper, or wet-sanding the tile by covering it in water and continuing to sand it with the 400-grit sandpaper.
3
Apply tile polish to the sanded area using a clean, soft cloth. Put a dab of tile polish that is meant for the specific type of tile you have on the corner of a clean, soft cloth, such as a microfiber cloth. Wipe or blow away the dust from sanding, then rub the polish all over the sanded area using circular motions until you completely cover the whole area.^{[8]
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- For example, if your tiles are ceramic, use a ceramic tile polish. If the tiles are natural stone, such as granite, use a polish formulated for granite.
- You could also use a powdered tile or stone polish, as long as it is meant for the material that your tiles are made out of.
4
Buff the tile polish using a clean piece of the cloth until it is all absorbed. Change the position of the cloth in your hand to expose a clean section. Rub the polish into the tile using smooth, circular motions while applying firm pressure until it is all absorbed and there are no streaks or residues remaining.^{[9]
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- If the repaired tile looks dull in comparison to the surrounding tiling, you can repeat the process to add another application of polish and blend it in more.
- If you were unable to remove the burn mark with this method or are unhappy with how the tile looks after the process, you can always replace individual tiles or call a professional tile restoration company to fix it for you.

Expert Q&A

Question

Can I call a professional to help me clean stains and burn marks out of tile?

Art Fricke
Home Renovation & Repair Specialist
Art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile.

Art Fricke

Home Renovation & Repair Specialist

Expert Answer

If your tile is stained with something that’s penetrated too far to be scrubbed off with something like oxyclean, then you can call in a tile and grout cleaning and refinishing expert. There are several options available in choosing companies that can help you with this problem.

Warnings

If you resort to sanding welding burn marks out of your tiles, be aware that you will be removing some of the original finish from the tiles. You might not be able to restore the sanded tiles to exactly how they were before.

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