Work by Category Archives - South West London Tile Doctor

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Richmond

Deep Cleaning a Filthy Terracotta Tiled floor in Richmond

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 Cumbria

Deep Cleaning a Filthy Terracotta Tiled floor in Richmond Read More »

Dull Marble Kitchen Countertop Polishing Surbiton

Restoring the Polish to a Marble Kitchen Countertop in Surbiton

1 Comment / Marble Tile Cleaning, Surbiton Tile Cleaning / Daniel Connelly

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

Professional Restoration of a Marble Kitchen Worktop in South London

Restoring the Polish to a Marble Kitchen Countertop in Surbiton Read More »

Large Limestone Floor Cleaned, Polished and Sealed in Surbiton

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Surbiton Tile Cleaning / Daniel Connelly

This large Limestone tiled floor at a property in Surbiton had been recently maintained by a cleaning company who didn’t do a thorough job. They hadn’t done anything to improve the polish on the Limestone and unfortunately stripped off the original sealer during cleaning leaving it vulnerable to ingrained dirt.

Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Surbiton

The stone floor now looked very flat and lifeless and I was asked to do the job properly, including deep cleaning the grout, polishing the stone and finally replacing the sealer.

Stripping and Polishing Tumbled Limestone Tiles

I started work by focusing on the grout which had become darkened with dirt. For this I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean along the grout lines, left it to soak in for a few minutes and then worked it in with a wire brush. This process turned the grout from Black back to White and the dirt was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Limestone Floor During Cleaning Surbiton

Limestone Floor During Grout Cleaning Surbiton

The next step was to burnish the stone using a set of Diamond encrusted pads of increasing grits that range from a coarse 400-grit to a very fine 3000-grit. The pads are fitted to the rotary machine and are run across the whole floor lubricating with water which darkens as the dirt is lifted out of the stone. Each pad is moved slowly across the floor with the machine leaving small rings on each pass. The floor is then rinsed and all the slurry with a wet vacuum after each pad.

It was a large floor that extended from the hallway into the Kitchen so it took some time to cover every section thoroughly. I stopped one the 1500-grit pad had been applied and after another rinse and extraction left the floor to dry off overnight.

Sealing Limestone Tiles

I returned the next morning and set about sealing the floor with Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is an impregnating natural look sealer that soaks into the pores of the Limestone protecting it from within. The sealer will ensure any dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

I left the sealer to dry for an hour before polishing the floor with the last in the set of burnishing pads which is a 3000-grit pad. I covered every angle of light to make sure I’d left no smudges anywhere. This pad is applied with only a little water sprayed on to the stone as its run over the surface, this technique is known as a spray burnish and leaves the floor dry.

Limestone Floor After Polishing Surbiton

Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare cleaning which for polished stone floors, I recommend Tile Doctor Stone Soap which not only cleans but also help maintain the patina on polished stone.

Limestone Floor After Polishing Surbiton

Professional Renovation of a Large Polished Limestone Floor in South London

Large Limestone Floor Cleaned, Polished and Sealed in Surbiton Read More »

Bathroom Floor Grout Restoration in Tooting SW17

Bathroom Floor Tile Grout Restoration in Tooting SW17

Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning / Daniel Connelly

A client was renovating a house in Tooting and wanted to see what could be done to improve the Ceramic floor tiles in the bathroom without the expense of a major overhaul. Having discussed the floor over the phone I was confident it could be improved and agreed a date to come over and survey the tiles and provided a quote for their renovation.

Bathroom Floor Grout Before Restoration in Tooting SW17

Except for one cracked tile, the tiles were in good condition and I could see it was really the grout that was bringing the bathroom down. The grout was generally discoloured and some had cracked and become loose. This cracking issue is indicative of using an inflexible grout when tiling on a wooden floor as these floors tend to have a bit of movement in them.

I discussed my renovation plan with the customer and provided a quote for carrying out the work which was accepted.

Renovating Bathroom Floor Grout

On the first day I set about raking out the cracked grout and stripping out the silicone between the tile and the bath. Silicone seems to attract mould and although it can be cleaned to some extent, I usually find its more effective to simply replace it. I then tidied up the bathroom to remove the waste grout and silicone, so the area was ready for grouting. I used a flexible White grout for this in order to match the original, although most of that was no longer White due to the staining.

I left the grout to set overnight and returned the next day to complete the job starting with the re-application of the silicone sealant, again in White but this time using an anti-mould variety. My attention then turned to the floor tile grouting which of course was now a mixture of fresh new grout and stained grout. I had realised this would be the result, so I had come prepared and was ready to apply Tile Doctor Grout Colourant in white to make everything uniform.

Before applying the colourant, I prepped the grout joint with Tile Doctor Pre-treat cleaner that 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. The grout was then wiped with a wet sponge to remove the dirt and then dried ready for the colourant. Although the cleaner had helped to clean the grout and remove surface dirt it can’t do anything about deep seated staining, so colouring was still necessary.

Once the grout was dry the White grout colourant was painted onto the grout using a small brush wiping off any excess from the tile as I went. The Tile Doctor range of Grout Colourants come in eleven different colours and form an epoxy barrier over the grout preventing dirt from reaching the grout line and making it much easier to keep clean.

Bathroom Floor Grout After Restoration in Tooting SW17

Once the colourant had dried, I gave the floor a quick clean with Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to get the ceramic tiles clean and the job was complete. The refreshed grout now has a consistent white appearance, and it really lifted the appearance of the bathroom.

Professional Restoration of a Bathroom Floor Grout in South London

Bathroom Floor Tile Grout Restoration in Tooting SW17 Read More »

Porcelain Tile Bathroom Grout Cleaning Wandsworth

Porcelain Tiled Bathroom Grout Renovation in Wandsworth

Grout Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning / Daniel Connelly

This is a great example of how easy it is to improve the appearance of a tiled bathroom. In this case the property was in Wandsworth and the tiles were Porcelain. My client had originally asked if I could re-grout their bathroom tiles which included the shower, wall and floor tiles in a room that was around 5sqm.

Porcelain Bathroom Tile Before Grout Renovation Wandsworth

We discussed the bathroom, and I pointed out that if we re-grout the tiles it would only get grubby again at some point. The problem is that the grout is cementitious which leaves it rough and attracts dirt easily. I recommended cleaning up the grout and then applying a grout colourant which would seal the grout in making it much easier to clean. I also offered to remove the silicone sealant between the edges of the bath and tiles. Unfortunately, once mould gets into the silicone, you’re fighting a losing battle, and it is best to just replace it.

Re grouting a Porcelain Tiled Bathroom Floor

Before colouring the grout, it needs to be prepared with an acidic cleaner that will not only remove any dirt but also etch the surface of the grout to improve the bond. Tile Doctor Pre-Treat Cleaner is the product we use for this purpose, but I decided in this case to go with a different product as the floor tiles had some old silicone on them which had been left to dry out. To resolve this, I used a different product in the range called Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which is primarily designed for removing grout haze.

Porcelain Bathroom Tile During Grout Renovation Wandsworth

It was only a small area, so I worked the Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up into the tiles and grout by hand and then rinsed it off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. The grout was then dried, and I started applying the Tile Doctor Grout Colourant in white with a small brush wiping off the excess as I went. The colourant is available in a range of eleven colours so there is usually a match for most situations. The colourant adds an epoxy barrier over the grout; this then prevents dirt from going into the grout line and means the floor is much easier to keep clean.

The last step in the renovation involved carefully stripping out the old silicone and replacing it with a new anti-mould variety. This last step really finished off the bathroom giving the impression it was a new installation.

My clients were very happy with the result, the bathroom was transformed, and they were relieved that the problem was solved so easily.

Porcelain Bathroom Tile After Grout Renovation Wandsworth

For aftercare cleaning I recommended regular use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective tile and grout cleaning product that would help keep the bathroom looking good going forward.

Professional Restoration of a Porcelain Tiled Bathroom Grout in South London

Porcelain Tiled Bathroom Grout Renovation in Wandsworth Read More »

Acid Damaged Marble Tabletop Renovated in Putney

Restoring the Appearance of a Marble Coffee Tabletop in Putney

Marble Tile Cleaning / Daniel Connelly

The photographs below are from a client in Putney, and show what will happen to a Polished Marble tabletop if you try and clean it with Viakal. Marble is made from calcium and magnesium carbonate which makes it acid sensitive, Viakal on the other hand is an acid cleaner blended from Formic and Citric acids resulting in a pH level of 2.2. This product uses the acid to dissolve the calcium and magnesium deposits in Limescale.

Acid Etched Polished Marble Table Before Renovation Putney

To be fair to Viakal the label does state not to use it on natural stone, but who reads the label, certainly my clients cleaner hadn’t. The result was the acid had etched the lovely, polished Marble surface and it appeared to be ruined.

I was happy to re-assure my client that the etching could be removed, however, to do this the table would need to be burnished with a set of diamond pads of different grades. This process cuts into the stone with a coarse pad to remove the etching and then slowly builds back the polished appearance using finer grades of pad. The table was very heavy however so the work would need to be done on-site.

Polishing a Marble Tabletop

Due to the weight of the stone table, it couldn’t really be moved so my first job was to relocate nearby furniture, roll up the rug and cover everything in blankets and a drop cloth. The last thing I wanted was any other possessions getting splashed during the burnishing process.

When polishing Marble floor tiles, I would normally use large 17-inch diamond pads fitted to a rotary floor buffer, however that simply wouldn’t work on a table, so I ordered a set of 6-inch burnishing pads from Tile Doctor instead. These smaller pads fit nicely on a hand-held buffer that would be perfect for this situation.

The burnishing process involves working through the pads in sequence. I started with the coarse 100, 200 and then 400-grit pads applied with a little water, these coarse pads were able to remove the etching and ingrained dirt. The table was rinsed down and then the 800-grit medium pad was applied which is the first step in the polishing process. Again, this pad is applied with water to lubricate, and the table was rinsed down afterwards.

Acid Etched Polished Marble Table During Renovation Putney

The process was repeated with the 1500-grit fine pad and then the 3000-grit very fine pad to bring up a really nice shine to the Marble table, I should mention the last pad is applied dry with only a tiny amount of water sprayed onto the surface.

Sealing a Marble Table

The last step was to seal the stone to protect it going forward. I used Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal for this, it’s an oil-based impregnator and I figured the oil in the sealer would mask any marks that I wouldn’t be able to remove, however I actually ended up removing all the etching so the sealer just gave the stone a really nice colour and gloss.

Acid Etched Polished Marble Table After Renovation Putney

My customer was very pleased with the work and said that the table looked better than it ever had before. NB. For the aftercare cleaning of a polished Marble coffee table like this I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Stone Patina Spray which has been especially formulated for the regular cleaning of stone worktops.

Professional Restoration of a Marble Tabletop in South London

Restoring the Appearance of a Marble Coffee Tabletop in Putney Read More »

Black Slate Kitchen Floor Renovation Tooting

Black Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Tooting

Grout Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning / Daniel Connelly

The photos below are of a Black Slate Kitchen floor at a property in Tooting SW17, which as you can see had lost all its colour and character. I went over to survey the floor and discussed a renovation plan with the owner.

One of the problems was the grout which like the tile hadn’t faired very well over the years and being in the Kitchen was subject to staining. I explained that like all stone floors the Slate needed to be sealed in order to keep the dirt out of its pores and keep it looking its best. Sealers however wear down with use and in this case the floor hadn’t been deep cleaned and sealed for some time.

I costed out a renovation plan which included deep cleaning the Slate tile removing any remaining sealer in the process, renovating the grout, and then re-sealing the whole floor to bring back the appearance of the stone and protect it going forward. Happy with the quote we agreed a date to start the work.

Deep Cleaning a Natural Black Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

Normally I would use a Tile Doctor product called Remove and Go to remove the sealer, however in this case testing had shown that what was left of the sealer could be removed with Pro-Clean which is also our go to Tile and Grout Cleaner.

I used a strong dilution of Pro-Clean to do this, spraying it onto the floor and leaving it to soak in for ten minutes and break down the dirt etc. Then using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a heavy rotary buffer machine it was worked into the Slate to release the dirt and old sealer. The floor was then rinsed with water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

The pads can struggle to get into the corners and edges of the floor and the recesses of the grout line. So, to complete the cleaning a handheld scrubbing brush was used and a wire brush run along the grout lines, again with more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. After another rinse and extraction with the wet vacuum the floor was left to dry aided with a couple of floor blowers.

Grout Colouring and Sealing Black Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

Once dry the grout was coloured with a Black Tile Doctor grout colourant which 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. Keeping grout clean in a kitchen is always a problem so the colourant will protect it and make it very easy to clean.

Black Slate During Cleaning Grout Colouring Tooting

The last step was to seal the Slate for which I used Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. This was chosen because it’s an impregnating oil-based sealer that will restore the beautiful dark colour in the stone. Impregnators work by occupying the tiny pores in the stone thereby forcing dirt to remain on the surface where they can easily be cleaned away.

Black Slate During Sealing Tooting

In the subject of maintenance 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.

Black Slate After Renovation Tooting

Professional Renovation of Black Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor in South London

Black Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Tooting Read More »

Small Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Purley

30-Year-Old Laminate Floor Removed to Reveal Heavily Stained Quarry Tiles

Quarry Tile Cleaning / Daniel Connelly

The photos below are of a Quarry tiled floor situated in a small kitchen at a house in Purley. The quarry tiles were previously covered in laminate for about 30 years which had recently been removed. This left the floor in quite a state as you can see from the photograph below. The floor was stained with numerous deposits including paint and adhesive and some sort of wax covering which was all over the surface.

Small Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Renovation Purley

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

Before cleaning I covered the entire kitchen in a drop cloth to protect the units from splashing, I normally remove the kick boards as part of this process however, in this case the bottom of the units were already siliconed to the tiles. This is good practice as otherwise the boards which are usually made of MDF can soak up the water used during cleaning and warp the boards.

Next, I tackled the staining, surface paint, adhesive and wax using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go combined with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to make a double strength stripper and cleaner. This was applied to the tiles and grout, and then left to soak in for ten minutes. I used a floor scraper to dislodge the glue which had been softened by the solution and then removed using a wet vacuum. The next step was to scrub the floor with a carbide brush and a coarse 200-grit diamond pad using only water to lubricate the process.

Once this was done, I rinsed the floor with water and extracted the slurry with the wet vacuum and allowed it to dry.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

Once the floor was dry, I returned to protect the tiles by applying Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer. This is an impregnating sealer that works by soaking into the pores of the quarry tiles occupying the spaces within and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained and making it much easier to clean. Tile Doctor Colour Grow also contains a colour enhancer that works well on Quarry tiles as it brings out the red colours in the tiles. Two coats of the sealer were applied allowing thirty minutes between coats.

I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for ongoing maintenance. This is a pH neutral product which is mild enough to use every day, gentle on the floor and will ensure the newly applied sealer will stay in place and the floor will continue to look great.

Small Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Purley

The result was transformational, and it certainly impressed my customer who left the following 5 star feedback.

“Daniel and his team were amazing! Extremely professional, thorough, and undeniably delivered an excellent end result for my old and tired tiles. So impressed! I would most certainly use this service again. By Sarah, Purley, 12 June 2023”

Professional Renovation of a Quarry Tiled Kitchen in South London

30-Year-Old Laminate Floor Removed to Reveal Heavily Stained Quarry Tiles Read More »

=================================

Ashford Tile Cleaning, Brentford Tile Cleaning, Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning, Feltham Tile Cleaning, Fireplace Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Kingston Upon Thames Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Marble Tile Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Richmond Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Staines Tile Cleaning, Staines-upon-Thames Tile Cleaning, Stanwell Tile Cleaning, Surbiton Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Terrazzo Floor Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Twickenham Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Vinyl Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Daniel Connelly

South West London Tile Doctor

================================= Read More »