Porcelain Tile Cleaning

We were recently called to restore an anti-slip porcelain floor tiling in a communal area in Kingston upon Thames that had become heavily soiled over time. Despite regular cleaning, dirt had become deeply embedded within the textured surface and normal cleaning methods were no longer achieving the results needed.

Anti-slip porcelain is commonly used in areas where additional slip resistance is required, particularly in wet or potentially wet environments. However, the textured surface that provides this extra grip can also make the floor much more difficult to keep clean.

The main challenge with heavily textured anti-slip porcelain is that dirt can become trapped within the profile of the tile. In this case, the floor had been cleaned regularly, but the available cleaning methods were not effective enough to reach into the texture and remove the ingrained dirt. Over time, this had left the floor looking increasingly dark, dirty and neglected.

Rather than simply carrying out another routine clean, the floor required a more intensive restoration process. I worked out a quote for this which was accepted and a date scheduled.

Deep Cleaning Anti-Slip Porcelain Floor Tiles

With it being a communal area that residents still needed to access throughout the day, we had to work carefully in sections, allowing residents to continue walking in and out of the building safely while the cleaning was carried out.

Work began by applying Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to break down the accumulated dirt and general soiling. The solution was then worked into the textured surface and grout using a Carbide Brush fitted to a rotary machine; this loosens deeply ingrained dirt trapped within the anti-slip profile.

For the more stubborn areas, Tile Doctor Acid Gel was also used to help tackle the deposits that had become particularly difficult to remove. Being a gel it’s much easier to control and ideal for spot cleaning.

The floor was then mechanically scrubbed using a black pad, helping to further loosen and lift the dirt from the surface. A wet vacuum was used to remove the dirty water and loosened contamination from the floor, helping to prevent the dirt from settling back into the textured surface.

The combination of the cleaning products, carbon brush, black pad and wet vacuum gradually removed the trapped contamination and produced a significant improvement in the appearance of the floor.

Once the deep cleaning process was complete, the floor was thoroughly rinsed and extracted again before leaving to dry and moving onto the next section.

Sealing Anti-Slip Porcelain Floor Tiles

Last step in the restoration was to apply a protective sealer to provide protection and help make future maintenance easier. For this a coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal was applied which is an impregnating sealer that’s almost invisible and so doesn’t change the look of the tile.

It is important to remember that sealing is not a one-off maintenance solution. In a busy communal area like this, the sealer will naturally wear over time due to regular foot traffic and cleaning. We would recommend checking the condition of the sealer at least once a year and topping it up with the appropriate sealer when required. This helps maintain the protective properties of the treatment and can help prevent the floor from becoming difficult to clean again.

The transformation was clear, with the heavily soiled porcelain restored to a much cleaner and brighter condition. Regular professional maintenance will help keep the dirt under control and prevent another heavy build-up.

Maintaining a busy Anti-Slip Porcelain Tiled Floor

A busy floor like this needs the right equipment and maintenance regime to prevent dirt becoming trapped in the textured surface. Ideally, a professional scrubber-dryer would be used, but the site does not have this equipment, which contributed to the build-up of ingrained dirt.

With this in mind, we recommended taking advantage of our maintenance program which involves our return a professional deep clean approximately every six months, depending on traffic and soiling. During these maintenance visits, we can also check the sealer and top it up when required. We also recommended using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for regular cleaning which being ph neutral won’t impact the sealer.

 

Anti-Slip Porcelain Tile Cleaning and Maintenance in South London