Author name: Daniel Connelly

Acid Stained Marble Floor Renovation Twickenham

Shine Restored to a Dull Marble Tiled Wet Room Floor in Twickenham

1 Comment / Work History /

I was asked to renovate a beautiful dark Marble tiled floor in the wet room of a property in Twickenham. My clients had the tiles installed ten years ago and had never had it professionally cleaned in that time, over the years they had maintained the stone poorly using general floor cleaning products.

Unfortunately, cleaning products with an acid base are not suitable for use on calcium-based stone like Marble, Limestone, Terrazzo and Travertine. The acid reduces the life of the sealer and can react with the calcium leaving stains and, in some cases, etching.

Acid Stained Marble Floor Before Renovation Twickenham

I was able to reassure the client that although the Marble looked beyond renovation it was not the case and that they could be restored to their original condition. They are not the only clients to have had this issue with polished stone and Tile Doctor has worked out a solution that can be used to restore their original polished appearance.

Relieved there was a solution I was asked to provide a quote which was accepted and a date for the work to start agreed.

Cleaning and Repairing a Marble Tiled Bathroom

To start we did a small test in the corner to be sure the renovation plan would be successful, although we have worked on many of these situations before, we still like to do a small verification test before starting any job.

All was well with the test, so the remedy was deployed to the whole floor. This begins with the application of a coarse 400-grit diamond burnishing pad to the floor worked in with water and a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This combination removes any remaining sealer and dirt from the marble as well as removing etching. A wet vacuum is then used to extract the slurry from the surface.

Acid Stained Marble Floor During Renovation Twickenham

Once satisfied the tile was ready for the next pad we then went to work with a medium 800-grit pad to deep clean and begin to hone the tile to restore its polished appearance using only water. After another rinse and extraction, we then moved onto the fine 1500-grit pad to bring the tile to a polished appearance again using water for lubrication.

The last pad is a super fine 3500-grit pad which is applied dry using only a small amount of water sprayed onto the tile to fully polish the marble. Our client didn’t want a high gloss, so we concentrated more on giving the tile a nice depth and low shine.

Sealing a Marble Tiled Bathroom

Once the Marble tiles had dried, they were sealed using Tile Doctor X-Tra seal, wiping small amounts into the tile at a time and then removing the excess with a clean cloth. This is especially important with oil-based sealers as too much oil left in the tile will make it sticky once dry and leave a light residue on the surface.

Acid Stained Marble Floor After Renovation Twickenham

X-Tra Seal is rated for external use which makes it a good choice for wet areas, it’s also an impregnator that soaks into the stone protecting it from within and ensuring contaminates remaining on the surface where they can be cleaned away.

Once complete the Marble had a very attractive low gloss finish that was protected and ready for anything they could throw at it…anything but acid-based cleaners! It’s important that if you do ever accidently use the wrong cleaner you immediately wash it away with plenty of clean water. This will neutralise the acid and hopefully save the floor. For a sealed and polished floor like this I recommend Tile Doctor Stone Soap which contains a patina enhancer.

Acid Stained Marble Floor After Renovation Twickenham

 

Professional Renovation of Marble Flooring in a South London Bathroom

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Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Brentford

Renovating a 27-year-old Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in Brentford

1 Comment / Brentford Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning /

This job is a terracotta tiled kitchen floor at a property in Brentford that was laid 27 years ago and then sealed using wax. Since then, it hasn’t been properly maintained the entire time they have been down and was looking dark and permanently dirty.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Brentford Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Brentford

Sometimes I can quote for renovating a floor from photos, however, in this case I made sure to book a survey as I could see that the tiles were heavily soiled, as you would expect from 27 years of use with no cleaning. On inspection of the tiles, I could see there was a lot of stripping that needed to happen to remove what was left of the wax.

I explained to the clients the process and the limitations and discovered their expectations for the floor. What the client was looking for was for the tiles to be as clean as possible with a good gloss on the top for easier mopping and maintenance. Once I had this information, I worked out a price and booked the work in.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen

Once everything was protected, I carried out a damp proof reading on the tiles, noted it down and then applied Tile Doctor Remove and Go stripper to the top of the tiles. I mopped this around for 5 minutes and then agitated with a brush. Once happy it was taking effect, I used coarse carbide brush to scrub the solution in and remove the old sealer. Once complete and the resultant soiling rinsed away and extracted, I was able to inspect the floor and confirm the sealer had been removed.

Happy with stage 1, work progressed to the next step which involved covering the entire floor in a thick layer of Tile Doctor Acid Gel and allowed it to sit for 15 minutes. I did this to prevent too much penetration from the water during the next cleaning phase, but clay tiles like Terracotta react very well to acid during cleaning aiding the whole process. The next step was to use the rotary machine fitted with a black pad and give the tiles a good deep clean. I worked methodically ensuring not to flood the entire floor and again working in sections to allow me to vacuum off the surface water to avoid too much penetration into the tile.

Once happy with this I took a wire brush and cleaned the grout, although it had already mostly been cleaned by the carbide brush on the handheld it allows me to get down and close to the floor so that I can easily spot areas that may have been missed. I then said my goodbyes to the client and went away for 2 days, leaving a fan behind that they moved around to different sections of the floor each day until dry.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen

I stayed in contact with the client leading up to the sealing day and we determined the floor was ready to go. On arrival I took a damp meter reading and after comparing it to the one I took earlier was happy with the result.

Sealing the floor began with the application of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra and a paint pad. Four coats of sealer were applied. This is a fully breathable modern acrylic sealer that performs well on Terracotta improving its appearance and adding long lasting protection.

The following day the client called to say that the floor looked a bit dull in places, so I immediately booked them in for the bank holiday Monday and made my way back. On arrival I could see that not all areas of the floor had taken the sealer as well as I thought so I proceeded to apply another 6 coats. Terracotta is a very porous clay-based material and so this is not unusual.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Brentford

The floor looked even better after this so I’m glad they requested a call back, visiting Terracotta floors more than once can happen, the most important thing is getting the correct results in the end with the least amount of disruption possible.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Brentford

For aftercare cleaning I recommended the client use Tile Doctor Ph Neutral Cleaner. It’s a mild yet effective floor cleaner that’s safe to use on sealed tiles.

 

Professional Restoration of a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen in South London

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Terrazzo Tile Grout Haze Removal Barnes

Grout-Stained Terrazzo Hallway Floor Renovated in Barnes

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Richmond Tile Cleaning, Terrazzo Floor Cleaning /

The pictures below come from a property in Barnes near Richmond upon Thames where a hallway floor had been laid with Terrazzo tiles. The tiles had been laid well but unfortunately the tiler had spread grout all over the tiles and not cleaned it off properly.

This is not uncommon when tiling a floor and is known in the trade as Grout Haze or Grout Smearing, the results in a haze over the tiles which detracts from their appearance. To make things even worse however, the tiler had then applied a sealer over the Terrazzo with the grout still on there. This locked in the hazy finish and left the tiles looking dull.

Terrazzo Floor Grout Haze Before Cleaning Barnes

Since that time the sealer had worn down and the floor had collected lots of ingrained dirt, leaving it darker and discoloured and subdued.

I was called in to renovate the floor and having surveyed the tiles I recommended burnishing the tiles with a set of Tile Doctor Burnishing Pads which are made from different grades of industrial diamonds. They clean the floor, removing staining such as the grout haze and build an attractive sheen on the Terrazzo. Once done I would re-seal the floor with a natural look sealer.

I worked out a quote which was accepted, and a date set for the work to start.

Cleaning a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway

Work started with the application of the first burnishing pad which is a coarse 400-grit and this is attached to a floor buffing machine that had an extra 55kg of weight added. The pad is run over each tile several times using only water for lubrication. The water turns black with the dirt released from the floor and after completing the whole floor it is rinsed away and extracted with a wet vacuum.

This process is then repeated with the finer pads of 800 and 1500 grit which start to build a polish onto the tile. After each pad is run over the floor the slurry is rinsed off and extracted as before. The last burnishing pad is a super fine 3500-grit, and this is applied dry with just a little water sprayed onto the tile to really bring up the shine.

Terrazzo Floor Grout Haze During Burnishing Barnes

Sealing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway

The floor was left to dry off overnight and the next day I returned to seal it with Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is a natural look almost invisible sealer that doesn’t alter the appearance of the tiles. It is an impregnating sealer that soaks into the tile, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from residing there, thus keeping the dirt on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Regarding cleaning, I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Stone Soap, it is a gentle but effective tile cleaner made to a special formula that helps maintain the patina on the tile. It’s important to use a product like this for cleaning a sealed floor as many of the products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong and will damage the sealer.

Terrazzo Floor Grout Haze After Renovation Barnes

The Terrazzo responded well to the burnishing and my client was very happy with the floor which had never looked like it should. As it turns out he is also the owner of three large independent cinemas in London with over 1000m2 Terrazzo spread across them and because of this job I’ve now been asked to go and do the same there too.

 

Professional Renovation of a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in Southwest London

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Severe Mould Stained Marble Tiled Bathroom Restoration Twickenham

Mould-stained Marble Tiled Bathroom Restoration in Twickenham

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Marble Tile Cleaning, Twickenham Tile Cleaning /

As you can see from the photographs below this Marble tiled bathroom at a property in Twickenham had a very bad case severe case of mould staining. The client was trying to decide if the tiles were too far gone for restoration after letting a property for the past 4 years, the tenants unfortunately didn’t let him know the state of things.

Severe Mould Stained Marble Tiled Bathroom Before Cleaning Twickenham

Keen to have the problem resolved quickly I managed to move some things around called into the property the following day. I was confident that the mould could be removed however you do need to be careful with Marble as its acid sensitive, also I could see the tiles had a factory seal so proceeded with caution and was able to demonstrate that the problems could be rectified.

Severe Mould Stained Marble Tiled Bathroom Before Cleaning Twickenham

Happy with the proposed solution and keen to get the property back on the rental market I was immediately booked to return the following week.

Cleaning Mould from Marble Bathroom Tiles

Day one for this job was to remove all mould from the tiles. To do this I lightly rubbed Tile Doctor Acid-Gel into small sections of the tiles until I could see the clean surface and then immediately washed off with clean water, making sure I got every part of the tiles to avoid any runoff.

Work proceeded in this manner until all the tiles free of mould and dirt. With the mould staining removed I noticed some of the tiles were effected by grout haze which happens when the tiler fails to polish off all the grout during installation. It wasn’t part of the initial quote however I felt obliged to deal with it so more Acid Gel and elbow grease was applied until that was removed allowing the details of the Marble tiling to come through.

Next step was to treat the grout lines using a similar process with Acid Gel but for this I used a wire brush to remove surface staining leaving the grout clean and returning the grout lines to their original colour.

To bring up the appearance of the Marble tiling a six-inch 1500-grit burnishing pad fitted to a handheld machine was run over each tile several times using only water for lubrication. This was then followed with a very fine 3500-grit pad to bring up the polish.

Once I was happy that the finish on the Marble tiles was as good as it could get, I then re-inspected the grout and decided to replace some areas of grouting that had suffered deep staining. I used a coloured grout to match what was originally there.

Last step before leaving for the day was to strip out all the silicone sealant from the wall verticals and along the bath and allowed the joints to dry overnight.

Applying a Grout Colourant to Marble Bathroom Tiles

The next day I returned the next day to finish the project off starting with an inspection to ensure nothing had been missed. At this point I felt the grout could still be improve so all grout lines were coloured with a Tile Doctor Grout Colourant to ensure a consistent appearance. I was hoping to avoid this but I felt it was the best solution to bring the bathroom to an “as new” appearance. The colourant also acts as a barrier over the grout making it much easier to keep clean.

Last step was to apply new mould resistant silicone sealant to the verticals and along the bath which finished off the project nicely. They still had some work to do including painting the ceiling but from my point of view I was very happy with the way the Marble tile and grout had responded to the treatment.

Severe Mould Stained Marble Tiled Bathroom After Cleaning Twickenham

My work was done so I called the client who was keen to come over and look. To say they were shocked is an understatement, they were considering ripping all the tiles out and replacing but luckily, we saved them a small fortune. For aftercare I advised increasing the ventilation and using a mild cleaning product such as Tile Doctor Aqua Pro.

Severe Mould Stained Marble Tiled Bathroom After Cleaning Twickenham

 

Professional Restoration of a Marble Tiled Bathroom in Southwest London

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Professional Restoration of Kitchen Quarry Tiles in Twickenham

Neglected Quarry Tile and Grout Professionally Cleaned in Twickenham Kitchen

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Twickenham Tile Cleaning /

This Quarry tiled floor was installed in the kitchen of a property in Twickenham thirty-eight years prior. The tiles had never been professionally cleaned or sealed since installation and as you can see from the photograph both the tile and grout were in need of restoration.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Professional Tile Cleaning Twickenham

Having visited the property to inspect the floor I recommended giving the tile and grout a deep clean to remove the years of ingrained dirt and then sealing with a breathable sealant that would improve the appearance of the tiles. The main function of the sealer is to prevent dirt from becoming lodged in the porous clay tile, this keeps it on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away. Whilst at the property I also discussed potentially colouring the grout as it was badly stained and may not respond as hoped.

I worked out a quote for the restoration which was accepted and a date agreed for the work to start.

Deep Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

The first part of this job was the restoration of the tiles themselves; stained with years of ingrained dirt they needed a deep clean with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. For the best results this is sprayed onto the tile and grout and then left to soak in for ten minutes before scrubbing with the black pad fitted to a buffing machine.

The grout was also hand scrubbed at this point with a wire brush and more Pro-Clean, I find the pads can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout line, so this ensures a better clean. Once done the soiled cleaning solution was then extracted using a wet vacuum.

Next the floor was given an acid rinse with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which was mopped onto the floor and then brushed in. This further cleans up the tiles and removes old grout smears, it also neutralises the floor following the use of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline.

The floor was then given a thorough rinse to remove any trace of product and dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum. Once done the floor was left to dry out for a few days.

Upon my return I noticed that as the floor dried several areas of efflorescence (White salts) had appeared, probably due to the amount of water needed during cleaning. This will have pushed salts up to the surface as the moisture in the tiles evaporated. To resolve this, I gave the floor a further clean with a weak solution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which being an acidic dissolved the salts.

Applying White Grout Colourant to a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

The floor was then inspected, and it was agreed that although the grout lines were much cleaner than before they were still stained in places, and this was bringing down the overall appearance of the tiles. So, it was decided to implement my contingency plan and colour the grout using a Tile Doctor Grout Colourant in White.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor During Grout Colouring Twickenham

The colourant is painted onto the grout any excess is wiped off the adjacent tile as you progress. It doesn’t take long to apply however there were a lot of grout lines to cover due to the small size of the tiles.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

With the cleaning complete and the grout issues resolved it was time to move onto the final part of the floor restoration by sealing the tiles. Having discussed the required finish earlier the customer had chosen Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra for this. This product provides a lovely low sheen finish and due to the porosity of the clay Quarry tiles it took seven coats before the floor was fully sealed.

Once complete the work really lifted the appearance of the quarry tiles which were more colourful and brighter. Also, the new sealer along with the protection provided by the Grout Colourant will make maintenance cleaning much easier.

Overall, the floor came out well and my client was very happy, leaving positive feedback and more work booked in for a later date.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor After Professional Tile Cleaning Twickenham

Before leaving I recommended, they use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for cleaning going forward, this product is safe to use on sealed tiles and won’t harm the sealer.

 

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Kitchen in Southwest London

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Black Slate Kitchen Floor Renovation Richmond London

Cleaning and Sealing a Black Slate Kitchen Floor in Richmond KT2

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Richmond Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning /

This is a black slate floor in Richmond that had been stripped of its natural oils and sealer due to the client using a steam mop repeatedly over the years. The floor also had missing grout that needed replacing before cleaning could commence.

Black Slate Floor Before Cleaning Richmond KT2

The flat wasn’t on the ground floor so there was a concern that the missing grout may result in water getting under the tile causing damage to the floor and not to mention the ceiling of the property below.

Repairing Grout and Cleaning a Black Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

The first thing I did was to protect all the Kitchen units by covering them in a drop cloth. Once that was done work started on the grout lines which involved raking out the loose grout and replacing with a fast-setting grout in matching grey.

Once the grout had set attention moved onto to cleaning the Black Slate tiles which without the protection of a sealer contained a lot of ingrained dirt. To clean the tiles a medium strength dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was sprayed onto the floor and left to soak in for ten minutes. The floor was then scrubbed with a carbide brush fitted to a handheld De Walt polishing machine, I then used a Hyundai wet vacuum to hoover up the water and sediment that had come up during cleaning.

Next, I scrubbed the grout with a mixture of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, water and a wire brush. To finish I gave the tiles a light acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up diluted with water. I vacuumed this off, washed the tiles down with water and gave it a final vacuum to get it as dry as possible.

Black Slate Floor After Cleaning Richmond KT2

The floor was then left to dry out, leaving a floor dryer with the client to run for a few hours more before turning off and leaving the floor overnight.

Sealing a Black Slate Tiled Kitchen in Richmond-Upon-Thames

On my return, after establishing the stone had completely dried out, I applied two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. The sealer was worked into the floor with a cloth using small amounts at a time polishing off the excess as I went along. It’s important to do this with this sealer otherwise it can get slightly tacky if too much is left on the surface.

Tile Doctor Xtra Seal was chosen for this floor as it’s an oil-based sealer and that add structure to the stone and works well to bring out its features and colour. It’s also extremely durable and leaves a nice low satin finish.

Black Slate Floor After Renovation Richmond KT2

The floor was transformed by the work and my client was extremely pleased with the result. For aftercare I recommended the use if Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, it has a pH neutral formula that won’t impact the newly applied sealer. Typical household cleaning products tend to be bleach based and will strip off the sealer protecting the stone from ingrained dirt and so best avoided.

 

Professional Renovation of a Black Slate Tiled Kitchen in South London

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Bathroom Floor Tile Grout Renovation Lampton

Grout Recolouring of a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom Floor in Lampton

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Feltham Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning /

This client from Lampton near Hounslow was unhappy with the appearance of the grout in their Ceramic tiled bathroom floor and wondered if anything could be done to improve it. The grout was originally white to match the wall tiles and over the years it had darkened. This is quite a common problem with grout, especially in conjunction with glazed ceramic tiles; the glaze makes the tile impervious to water resulting in dirt being washed into the grout lines during cleaning. The rough cementitious surface of the grout traps the dirt eventually causing it to darken.

Bathroom Floor Before Grout Colouring Lampton

I asked for some photographs, and we discussed the various options over the phone. I’m not a fan of replacing grout as it takes a long time, generates a lot of dust and you risk chipping the tiles in the process, also there is every chance the problem will come back. I therefore recommended cleaning the grout and then applying a Tile Doctor Grout Colourant in White.

Grout Colouring is much quicker than re-grouting and you have the additional advantage of the colourant forming a waterproof barrier over the grout thereby making it much easier to keep clean and protecting the grout underneath. The Tile Doctor range of grout colourants come in eleven different colours with White being the most popular.

I asked for some dimensions and the size of the tile. From that I was able to work out an accurate quote for doing the work including the replacement of mastic sealant where needed. Happy with my quote we agreed a date for the work to start which should take less than a day to complete.

Cleaning the grout in a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom

Work started by stripping out the silicone between the floor and wall tile, then cleaning up the grout with Tile Doctor Grout Colourant Pre-Treat cleaner. This is an acidic cleaning solution that is sprayed onto the grout and then scrubbed in. This cleans the grout joints, and the acidic nature of the cleaner helps prepare the grout to achieve a better bond with the colourant. Once done the grout was wiped with a wet sponge to remove the dirt and then dried ready for the colourant.

Sealing the grout in a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom

Once the grout was dry a White grout colourant was painted onto the grout using a small colourant applicator that screws onto the top of the bottle, wiping off any excess from the tile as I went.

With the grout colouring complete I ran a bead of fresh White silicone sealant around the perimeter of the floor and the job was complete. A fairly simple process but very effective and in this case, it transformed the appearance of the bathroom making it far more inviting.

Bathroom Floor After Grout Colouring Lampton

 

Professional Restoration of Grout in a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom in Southwest London

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Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Worcester Park

Renovating a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor in Worcester Park

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Surbiton Tile Cleaning /

I was asked to renovate a Quarry tiled floor in the Kitchen of an older property in the South London suburb of Worcester Park . I was informed the Quarry tiled floor was in fact 130 years old Quarry floor and had not been professionally cleaned for 45 years.

I went over to the property to survey the tiles and could see the tile and grouting had experienced a lot of staining over the years. The floor had layers of old sealer, which I suspect was a wax-based product, as well as paint, adhesives and cement. All of which would need to be removed

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Renovation Worcester Park

I worked out a quote that would involve stripping the floor, deep cleaning the tiles and then re-sealing with a modern sealer. The client was happy with my quote, and so we scheduled a date for the work to start.

Deep Cleaning and Restoring a Quarry and Quarry Tiled Floor

To strip the floor of old sealers etc. I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and left it to soak into the Quarry tiles for a good ten to fifteen minutes. The solution was then worked in with a Carbide Brush fitted to a weighted rotary floor buffer. The resultant slurry was rinsed away and then extracted with a wet vacuum. The floor was then inspected and repeated with stubborn areas spot treated with hand tools until I was happy all the old sealer was gone.

The grout lines also need attention so these were scrubbing by hand using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a wire brush. I find this is the best way to clean grout as pads can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout. Some of the grout was badly stained however so short of replacing it the best I could do was to get it as clean as possible. Once done I rinsed the floor with water again and extracted the soiling with a wet vacuum as before.

Last step in the cleaning process was to treat the floor to an acid rinse using a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Grout-Clean-up. This is an acidic product that will dissolve old grout smears, efflorescence and other mineral deposits left of the tiles, it also neutralises the pH level of the floor following the use of Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline. The product is brushed into the tiles and then removed as before with more water and a wet vacuum.

After a final rinse the floor was dried as much as possible using the wet vacuum and left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Barn Conversion Floor

Returning the next I started by taking several readings with a damp meter. It’s not a good idea to apply a sealer to a damp floor as the results can be inconsistent so I always like to check. The readings were within tolerance so I was able to apply the first of what would be six coats of Tile Doctor’s Seal and Go Extra which I felt was the best choice for sealing this floor. The floor looked patchy for a while and I was slightly concerned however the sealer eventually filled the tiles up and was left with a nice finish.

I chose Seal and Go Extra because it’s a fully breathable sealer that adds a nice subtle sheen to the tiles which matches the customers’ expectations. It was important to choose a breathable sealer as these old floors don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane and any moisture under the floor will be able to rise through the tile and evaporate at the surface un-hindered.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Worcester Park

Once completed, the floor looked fantastic, not only was the Quarry Tile and Grout looking so much cleaner the sealer had enhanced the orange colour in the Quarry tiles. Needless to say, my customer was very happy with the result.

For aftercare I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is designed for the safe and effective cleaning of sealed floors without impacting the sealer.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Worcester Park

 

Professional Cleaning of a Quarry Tiled Floor in South London

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Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Richmond

Deep Cleaning a Filthy Terracotta Tiled floor in Richmond

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Richmond Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning /

This Orange and Red Terracotta tiled floor at property near Richmond was absolutely filthy and proved to be a real challenge to get clean. It clearly hadn’t been professionally cleaned for some time and when I went to do the survey, I could see a build-up of grease and old sealer throughout.

Due to its porosity Terracotta is particularly vulnerable and to keep its appearance the sealer needs to be maintained correctly as it will wear in the busiest areas with use. In this case I was able to re-assure the homeowner that I would be able to strip off all the old layers of sealer, deep clean the tiles and re-seal to leave it looking like a new floor.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Richmond

Happy with my quote I got the go-ahead and we agreed a date to start the work which should take two days, one to strip and clean and the other to seal.

Removing Sealer and Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

To strip the sealer off the Terracotta floor I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a powerful alkaline coatings remover that’s safe to use on Tile and Stone. The solution was sprayed on to the kitchen floor and then left to soak in for fifteen minutes to give it time to break down the sealer and soils.

I then inspected the floor and could see a lot more work would be needed to get it completely free of old sealer and dirt. As a result, there was nothing for it but to get down on my knees scrapping everything off the tiles with more Remove and Go. I found most of the old sealer and grease just flaked off but some areas were difficult. I had some assistance from a DeWalt handheld buffing machine fitted with a stiff brush but it was still very hard work, especially around the edges of the kitchen as my hands barely fit underneath the units.

After about six hours I was satisfied everything was removed and I could turn my attention to the grout. For this I hand scrubbed the grout lines using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean rinsing and extracting as I went.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor During Renovation Richmond

Last step in the cleaning process was to treat the tiles to an acid wash which will further clean the tiles and equalise the floors pH level after the use of alkaline cleaners earlier. I used Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up for this which was first scrubbed in, then rinsed with water and extracted as before. The floor was rinsed down again two more times with water to remove any trace of product. I used the wet vacuum used to extract as much moisture from the floor as possible so it can have a better chance of drying out overnight.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

When I called back seal the Terracotta, I first checked the moisture readings in several areas with a damp meter to verify the floor was nice and dry. All was well so several coats of a Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra were applied to the floor allowing forty minutes drying time between coats.

The new sealer left the now clean Terracotta tiles with an attractive mid satin finish and
looked fantastic and was doubly improved by the grout cleaning which had responded well to the Pro-Clean. The customer was very pleased with the transformation in their floor which now looked clean and bright.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Richmond

Before leaving we left the customer with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral cleaner for aftercare. To get the best from their Terracotta tiles it’s important that customers use the correct product for regular maintenance cleaning from the start, stronger products will reduce the life of the sealer.

 

Professional Clean and Seal of a Mexican Terracotta Tiled Kitchen in South London

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Dull Marble Kitchen Countertop Polishing Surbiton

Restoring the Polish to a Marble Kitchen Countertop in Surbiton

1 Comment / Marble Tile Cleaning, Surbiton Tile Cleaning /

Whilst I was working on a stone floor at a property in Surbiton I was asked if I could do anything about the Marble Countertops in the Kitchen. The Marble had almost completely lost its shine and the owner was keen to have those re-polished to finish the kitchen renovation.

Dull Marble Kitchen Countertop Before Polishing Surbiton

Fortunately, the methods and products we use to renovate stone floors can also be used to restore stone worktops as well. The only difference being we can’t use 17” floor buffers on worktops and countertops so for those we source smaller 6” pads.

The countertop had been worked on before by a different company previously but they had done a horrible job. Bu the time I was asked to look at it the Marble was very dull and covered in different marks, staining from acidic food and lots of etching.

Dull Marble Kitchen Countertop Before Polishing Surbiton

Polishing a Marble Kitchen Countertop

First thing we did was to cover the kitchen in drop cloth and grey blankets to stop the slurry that’s generated during polishing dripping onto the stone floor below.

I then worked through a set of Diamond encrusted Burnishing pads fitted to a handheld DeWalt machine. The pads are applied to the Marble in sequence from 400 to 1500 grit using water for lubrication and then the waste is extracted after each pad using a small Numatic wet vacuum. I inspected the stone after the first pass through the pads and decided it could be better so started again working my way back up through the pads. You can see from the photographs there was a lot of Marble worktop to cover so this did take some time.

Sealing a Marble Countertop

I then left the stone to dry overnight and returned the following day to finish the job starting with a damp test on an electronic moisture meter which showed the Marble was dry.

To bring up a deep shine on the Marble the countertop was given a final polish with a very fine 3000 grit pad using a little water sprayed onto the surface. This final pad adds a nice deep shine to the stone and although it leaves the surface dry, I left an air blower running for a while to make sure.

Later that day I applied a few very fine coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal and gave the surface another buff with a microfiber cloth. This sealer is an impregnator that soaks into the pores of the Marble preventing contaminants from becoming ingrained there and ensuring they remain on the surface where they can easily be cleaned away. Being an oil-based sealer, it really helped to bring out the beauty and colour of the Marble.

Dull Marble Kitchen Countertop After Polishing Surbiton

For the aftercare of stone worktops, we recommend the use of Stone Patina Spray which is a spray-and-buff cleaner that is designed to enhance the natural beauty and lustre of polished stone as it cleans.

Dull Marble Kitchen Countertop After Polishing Surbiton

 

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