Grout Clean-Up Archives - Somerset Tile Doctor

Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Ilminster

Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Ilminster

We were asked to look at a multicoloured slate tiled kitchen floor at a property in Ilminster which had been installed 22 years prior and was now proving impossible to keep clean. This is a common issue with stone floors and usually tells me that the sealer had failed resulting in dirt becoming ingrained in the pores of the tile and grout.

Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Renovation Ilminster

I suggested resolving this with a deep clean and application of a fresh sealer; apparently some of the stone had also been flaking away so I had to wonder if they had been using a strong and unsuitable cleaning product to maintain the floor.

Having paid a visit to the property to survey the floor and take measurements I was able to reassure the owner that I would be able to restore the floors appearance and sort out the flaking stone.

A detailed quotation was sent over which was accepted and a date set.

Cleaning a Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen

To remove the ingrained dirt the floor was mopped with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to dwell for ten minutes. The floor was then scrubbed using black scrubbing pad attached to a Beton Ranger rotary machine. The grout lines were also scrubbed where needed using more Tile Doctor Pro-clean and a stiff hand brush.

Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Ilminster

This process removed the flaking stone and lifted the dirt and any remaining sealer out of the stone to the surface where it was extracted with a wet vacuum. The floor was then inspected and stubborn areas spot treated as needed.

The next stage was to give the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout-Clean Up worked into the tiles with a poly brush. Following this the floor was rinsed using water and the wet vacuum used to remove the waste and get the tiles as dry as possible.

Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Ilminster

Sealing a Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

The floor was left to dry off overnight and work resumed the next day starting with the taking of multiple moisture readings to confirm the stone was sufficiently dry. All was well so the floor was sealed using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow combined with Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. These two sealers work well on multicoloured Slate floors to bring out the colour, being impregnators, they work by soaking into the stone occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming stuck there.

Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Ilminster

The new sealer gave the slate a whole new appearance and will ensure that dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away going forward. On the subject of cleaning, I left the owner a bottle of our Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is designed for cleaning sealed tiles and won’t impact the stone or the sealer.

The owner really appreciated the work and left the following feedback:

“Lucas was efficient, friendly, knowledgeable and extremely helpful.”

Professional Restoration of a Multi Coloured Slate Tiled Flooring in Somerset

Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Ilminster Read More »

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Frome

Problematic Terracotta Kitchen Floor Tile Solved in Frome

1 Comment / Frome Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning / Lucas Beavon

Photographed below is a Terracotta tiled kitchen floor at a property in Frome that was installed six months prior and was already proving problematic. I was asked to pop over and discuss the floor as they had been struggling to keep the tiles clean. Apparently after installation the builders offered to seal the floor, however they did not use enough sealer, so marks and stains soon started to appear. To resolve this several layers of wax were then added but this only caused more issues.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Frome

Although traditionally used as a coating for Terracotta we are not keen on wax finishes as the wax is easily scratched leaving a nice crevice for dirt to become ingrained, wax is also difficult to remove. After surveying the floor, I recommended stripping off the wax and what was left of the previous sealer, deep cleaning the Terracotta and grout and then sealing with a modern product designed for use on Terracotta which is notoriously porous.

Happy with my plan I worked out a detailed quotation for the work which was accepted and a date set for the work to start which would take two days.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen

After taping up the kitchen units to protect them from splashing, work started with the application of neat Tile Doctor Remove and Go; this was allowed to dwell and soak into the floor and soften up the layers of wax. After 10 minutes the floor was scrubbed using a 240-Grit Carbide Brush attached to a rotary machine, the grout was also scrubbed at this point and on completion the floor was vacuumed.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Frome

The next step as to treat the Terracotta to an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up worked in with a poly brush. This treatment further cleans the terracotta and neutralises efflorescent salts which can be a problem with porous clay tiles like these. Again, once done the waste was extracted using a wet vacuum.

Removing some areas of wax build-up was a struggle and the cleaning process had to be repeated two to three times before we were happy the floor was clean and free of coatings. The floor was then given a final water rinse and left to dry with a couple of air movers left in place to aid drying of the floor.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen

We returned 3 days later to give the floor plenty of time to dry, several moisture readings were also taken on arrival to confirm the Terracotta was dry and ready to seal. Having previously discussed sealers it was clear the client wanted the floor to have a bit of shine and so I recommended Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. Terracotta is very porous, so it took six coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra before it was fully sealed.

You can see from the photographs how much lighter and cleaner the floor looked after the work was complete making a significant difference to the kitchen. For aftercare we left a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective product we recommend for cleaning sealed floors.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Frome

My client was very happy with the improvement and left the following feedback:

“Lucas was fantastic. Explained everything in detail, was patient with all the questions and has done an amazing job with the floor. Highly recommended.”

Professional Renovation of a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in Somerset

Problematic Terracotta Kitchen Floor Tile Solved in Frome Read More »

Micro-Porous Porcelain Tiled Floor Renovation Taunton

Newly Laid Micro-Porous Porcelain Turning Brown in Taunton Somerset

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Taunton Tile Cleaning / Lucas Beavon

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

Newly Laid Micro-Porous Porcelain Turning Brown in Taunton Somerset Read More »

Old Sandstone Kitchen Floor Rescued in Dunster

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Minehead Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning / Lucas Beavon

A homeowner from Dunster was in touch earlier this year regarding the Sandstone floor in the kitchen of the property they had just purchased. The property used to be a former Magistrates Courthouse and had been converted and having just moved in, they wanted something done to improve the appearance of the stone floor.

Sandstone Floor Before Cleaning Dunster

You can see from the photograph on this page that years of use had drained the colour out of the tiles leaving it looking dirty and featureless. They thought perhaps that the floor was beyond saving and needed to be fully replaced but wanted my advice first.

I attended the property to conduct a survey and performed a test clean on an inconspicuous area of flooring. I wanted to see which products would work best and give the clients and idea of what could be achieved. The test went well, and they were impressed. I took some measurements and provided a detailed breakdown of the costs. This was gladly accepted, and we scheduled the dates.

Cleaning and Restoring a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen

Upon my arrival, all the furniture had been removed so I was able to begin straightaway with the raking out of loose grout and replacing with new to ensure the floor was structurally sound before proceeding with the cleaning.

Once the grout had dried, a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was mopped onto the floor and left to soak in to the stone and grout. This gives the product time to breakdown the dirt in the stone. After about fifteen minutes the floor was scrubbed using a coarse silicon carbide brush fitted to a rotary machine. These pads work nicely on stone and get into the crevices of the stone and grout lines bringing the dirt to the surface and giving the floor a deep clean. The now dirty cleaning solution was then rinsed with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Sandstone Floor During Cleaning Dunster

Next step was to check the floor over and spot clean any stubborn areas that needed further attention.

Next a dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up was applied to the floor and scrubbed in using a poly brush. This product is acidic as works to neutralise the floor following the use of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline, it also further cleans the stone to remove any mineral deposits left from grout or alkaline salts which can be a problem with old floors. Once the floor had been scrubbed the solution was then extracted as before using the wet vacuum. The floor was left to dry overnight.

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen

The next day the floor was checked for moisture with a damp meter to ensure it was dry and ready for sealing. All was well so the first of two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow was applied to the floor. This product was chosen as it contains a colour enhancer that helps to bring out the natural colours in the stone, also it’s fully breathable which is an important consideration when choosing a sealer for an old floor that won’t had a damp proof membrane.

Sandstone Floor After Cleaning Dunster

The floor was transformed by the clean and seal and looked much cleaner and brighter. I’m please to say the client was delighted with the results and said we had transformed their kitchen. That was great to hear as they won’t be looking to replace the floor anytime soon and it felt like we had rescued the floor and given it a new lease of life.

For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, which is a gentle, yet effective tile cleaning product especially formulated for use on sealed floors.

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen in Somerset

Old Sandstone Kitchen Floor Rescued in Dunster Read More »