Black Pad Archives - Somerset Tile Doctor

Newly Laid Micro-Porous Porcelain Turning Brown in Taunton Somerset

This client from Taunton had an expensive porcelain tiled floor installed in the hallway and WC, however after a month or two the tiles were literally turning brown and had become very difficult to keen clean. Unsure what the cause could be and having had little help from the supplier we were asked to come round and rectify the situation.

Micro-Porous Porcelain Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Taunton

I popped into survey the floor and quickly diagnosed that the tiles were of the micro-porous type and should have been sealed to keep the dirt out of the floor. Hallways see a lot of foot traffic and without a sealer the tiles had quickly become ingrained with dirt. I carried out a test clean by hand on a small part of the floor, and they came up a brilliant white. This small section really stood out against the rest of the floor and illustrated perfectly how much dirt had been absorbed into the tile in such a short period.

Micro-Porous Porcelain Tiled Floor Test Clean Taunton

Relieved to have found the solution I was asked to quote for cleaning and sealing the whole floor. The quote was accepted and a date set for the work to start.

Deep Cleaning a Micro-Porous Porcelain Tiled Hallway

The floor cleaning work started with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean left to soak in for ten minutes and then scrubbed in using a black pad. This made an impact however it quickly became apparent that more work was needed. For maximum impact I decided it had to be done by hand using more Pro-Clean and smaller six-inch black pads fitted to a hand buffer which we found gives a more thorough clean. During this process a wet vacuum was used to remove the soiling from the floor.

Once the tiles were clean attention turned to the grout lines which were scrubbed using more Pro-Clean and a stiff brush until it was as clean as possible. Once complete, the floor was looking better and given a rinse with water which was then extracted with the wet vacuum.

Next the floor was given and acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up, this further cleans the tiles, removes grout smears and neutralises the floor after the use of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline. Afterwards the floor was rinsed and extracted again followed by final water rinse and dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Micro-Porus Porcelain Tiled Hallway Floor

Once the floor was dry it was sealed using a single coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which was applied using a cotton cloth. Ultra-Seal is a premium impregnating sealer that doesn’t alter the appearance of the tile, it soaks into the tile occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from residing there. The sealer will ensure dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away using Neutral Tile Cleaner. It’s important to use a PH neutral cleaning product on a sealed floor as stronger products can reduce the life of the sealer.

Micro-Porous Porcelain Tiled Floor After Cleaning Taunton

Once complete the floor looked so much cleaner and whiter much to the relief of our client who left the following feedback:

Lucas was very professional, and they both worked really hard and did an amazing job on the tiles. We were so pleased at how the tiles came up. It exceeded our expectations. I would thoroughly recommend them. You will not be disappointed.

For aftercare cleaning I left the client with a complementary bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner.

Professional Restoration of a Porcelain Tiled Hallway in Somerset

Black Slate Tiled Conservatory Floor Renovation Clifton Bristol

Black Slate Tiled Conservatory Floor Renovated in Clifton

1 Comment / Bristol Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning / Lucas Beavon

The photos below are of a Black Slate floor that was installed in the Conservatory and Kitchen of a property in Clifton Bristol. Overall, the floor was not in a bad condition, however the grout had become loose, and was missing in areas. It had been several years since the floor had been sealed, and therefore our customer felt it would be best to tackle the grout, clean the floor and reseal it all together.

Black Slate Tiled Conservatory Floor Before Cleaning Clifton Bristol

I attended the property to conduct a survey and chose a small inconspicuous area to perform a test clean. I like to do a test clean as it determines which products have the most impact and shows the customer the result that can be achieved. I took measurements and worked out a detailed breakdown of the costs including grout replacement and grout colouring where required. This was gladly accepted, and we scheduled the dates.

Deep Cleaning a Natural Black Slate Tiled Conservatory Floor

Upon my arrival, all the furniture had been removed and the floor was clear so I was able to make a start on the loose grouting. This must be done carefully to avoid damaging the Slate tiles. With the grouting removed and cleared away I prepared the new grout which and applied it to the areas where it was required.

Once the grout has set attention moved to cleaning the floor with a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This was applied to the surface and left to soak in so it could get to work breaking down the dirt and old sealer. After about ten minutes the solution was scrubbed into the floor using a black pad fitted to a rotary buffer. The grout was then scrubbed using more Pro-Clean and a grout brush, then once done the soiling was extracted using a wet vac.

Black Slate Tiled Conservatory Floor During Cleaning Clifton Bristol

The customer wanted some shine to her floor, so I had suggested honing the stone with burnishing pads to add a deep polish. To do this three burnishing pads were run over the floor starting with a coarse 400-grit, then 800-grit and finishing with a 1500-grit. The pads are applied using the buffing machine using only water for lubrication. After each pad the floor is rinsed and the soiling extracted with the wet vacuum as before.

Once done the floor was inspected and after reviewing the grout lines it was decided that grout colouring would be needed to achieve a consistent appearance.

The floor was allowed to dry off overnight and word resumed the next day starting with sealing the Slate. To achieve the best result for the Slate two Tile Doctor sealers namely X-Tra Seal and Colour Grow were mixed together and applied to the floor. This combination wors well on Black Slate and really enhances the deep dark colouring in the stone. Two coats were applied left to soak into the stone and then the excess polished off by hand.

Once the sealer had dried, I set about applying the Grout Colourant using a Tile Doctor colourant in light grey. The colourant is basically painted onto the grout with a small brush and any excess wiped off the tile. This grout colourant gives the grout a uniform appearance and adds an impenetrable barrier over the grout sealing it in and keeping it safe from further staining.

Black Slate Tiled Conservatory Floor After Renovation Clifton Bristol

The customer was delighted with the results and said we had transformed their kitchen.

For aftercare cleaning I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle but effective cleaner that won’t harm the sealer. Many of the floor cleaning products you find in supermarkets etc are not for use on sealed stone, they contain strong chemicals such as bleach etc which will strip off the sealer prematurely so best avoided.

Professional Renovation of Black Slate Tiled Conservatory Floor in Bristol

Black Slate Tiled Conservatory Floor Renovated in Clifton Read More »