South London Archives - South West London Tile Doctor

Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Surbiton

Multicoloured Slate Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Surbiton

I was asked to visit a property in Surbiton to resolve a sealer issue with a Multicoloured Slate tiled floor that was laid in the Kitchen and adjacent dining area. The floor had been sealed professionally two years earlier and was showing signs of wear so the client decided to top up the sealer with three further coats. Unfortunately, the sealer went cloudy and the floor now looked awful.

I visited the property to work out a solution and it occurred to me the only guaranteed way to resolve the problem would be to strip the floor of sealer and re-apply. I worked out a detailed quote for the work which was accepted and a date set for the work to start.

Multicoloured Slate Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Surbiton

Cleaning and Stripping a Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

To strip off the sealer the floor was sprayed with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go and this was then left to soak into the Slate for ten minutes. Allowing the product to dwell gives it time to break down the sealer and contaminates. The floor was then scrubbed with a Victor Trojan floor buffer fitted with a black pad and an extra 65kg of weight to increase traction with the stone.

I brought along a colleague to work on this floor and worked backwards so as I scrubbed the floor with the Trojan he followed along with a Hyundai wet vacuum to remove the soiling. Removing the waste like these speeds up the operation allowing areas that need further attention to be dealt with quickly.

Multicoloured Slate Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Surbiton

Once the sealer was removed attention turned to the Grout which was cleaned with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean scrubbed in by hand with a wire brush. The floor was then washed twice with clean water and a black pad to neutralise the floor and remove any trace of product. The wet vacuum was used again here to remove the dirty water.

Multicoloured Slate Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Surbiton

After a final mop the floor was dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum and then left to dry of naturally overnight.

Sealing a Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen in Surbiton-Upon-Thames

The next day work started by verifying the Slate was dry using a damp meter which confirmed the floor had dried out. With that confirmation the floor was sealed with Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal buffing off the excess with a white buffing pad afterwards.

Tile Doctor X-Tra 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 an attractive satin finish.

Multicoloured Slate Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Surbiton

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 can strip off the sealer protecting the stone from ingrained dirt and so best avoided.

Multicoloured Slate Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Surbiton

Professional Renovation of a Multicoloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor in South London

Multicoloured Slate Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Surbiton Read More »

Ceramic Tile and Grout Renovation Richmond

Colour Restored to Black Grout on a Ceramic Tiled Floor in Richmond

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Richmond Tile Cleaning / Daniel Connelly

This customer from Richmond called Tile Doctor due to see what could be done to improve the Grout on their Ceramic tiled floor which had been installed throughout the ground floor. Having previously called in a cleaning company to deep clean the tile and grout it now needed remedial work to restore the appearance of the grout. The grout had originally been painted black and this had been badly scrapped by the cleaning company leaving it in a bad state, also he felt the tiles could had not been cleaned properly either.

Having visited the property to survey the floor I was able to reassure the customer that the Grout could be restored and discussed the benefits of the Tile Doctor Grout Colourants. These colourants are made from epoxy and are much more hard wearing than the paint-based product which we usually only recommend for touching up.

Ceramic Tile and Grout Floor Before Cleaning Richmond

Ceramic Tile and Grout Bathroom Floor Before Cleaning Richmond

I worked out a quote for deep cleaning the tiles and colouring the grout with a black colourant to restore the appearance of the floor. After reviewing and answering any questions they quote was accepted and a date scheduled.

Deep Cleaning a Ceramic Floor Tiles

I started off by checking the whole floor for missing grout and then raking out the problem areas and re-filling using a fast-drying black grout.

Attention then turned to deep cleaning the Ceramic floor tiles starting with the application of a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This was left mopped onto the floor and then left for ten minutes before being worked into the tiles using a Victor Trojan floor buffer fitted with a Black scrubbing pad. The pad is run over each tile several times moving slowly with small circles to ensure the floor was getting a good scrub and I was getting everything off.

Ceramic Tile and Grout Floor During Cleaning Richmond

There was also a small toilet area to be done which was too small for the Victor machine so and I did this using the same process but with a handheld Dewalt polisher fitted with with a 6-inch black scrubbing pad. Once an area had been scrubbed it was rinsed with water and then all the liquids extracted using an industrial wet vacuum.

Once the floor was cleaned work started on epoxy sealing the grout using Tile Doctor Black epoxy grout colourant, this not only seals the grout but also gives everything a uniformed colour the whole way through. I didn’t need to wire brush and clean the grout on this occasion as the grout had already been cleaned earlier.

In total It took three coats of Black grout colourant to achieve the desired effect and nine hours of hard work on my hands and knees.

Ceramic Tile and Grout Bathroom Floor After Renovation Richmond

Ceramic Tile and Grout Floor After Cleaning Richmond

When finished the Ceramic tiled floor was cleaner, the black grout had been restored and my customer was very happy and requested I return to renovate two bathrooms. For aftercare cleaning I recommended they use Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is a mild yet effective product.

Ceramic Tile and Grout Colour Restoration in South London

Colour Restored to Black Grout on a Ceramic Tiled Floor in Richmond Read More »

Acid Stained Marble Floor Renovation Twickenham

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

1 Comment / Work History / Daniel Connelly

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

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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 / Daniel Connelly

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

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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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 / Daniel Connelly

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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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 / Daniel Connelly

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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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

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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.

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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

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Shower Tile and Grout Cleaned and Renovated in Battersea Shower Cubicle

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Refreshed in Battersea

Work History / Daniel Connelly

I was contacted by a customer in Battersea who was concerned about the state of their Ceramic Tiled shower cubicle. Ceramic tiles are glazed so usually very easy to keep clean however grout has a rough surface and attracts dirt easily. Where this happens it best to keep on top of the problem with regular cleaning as once you get a deep-seated stain on grout it’s very difficult to get it clean again.

The photograph below shows the worst of the problem where dirt had collected behind a wire basket that was fixed to the wall. The basket allowed dirt to build-up behind it and had deposited rust on the tile and grout.

Ceramic Shower Before Tile Cleaning Battersea

Maintaining grout is a large part of the work Tile Doctor does and we have several tried and tested products and processes for doing this. Having spoken to the client over the phone and having been sent photographs via email I created a quote for the work which should only take a few hours. My customer was happy with the quote and we agreed a date to do the work.

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

To begin, I cleaned the grout lines using our acidic cleaning product, Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. The product is decanted into a spray bottle and sprayed onto the tile and grout where it was left to dwell for ten minutes before being scrubbed in with a handheld scrubbing brush. Spraying the solution onto the wall mixes it with air to make it lighter and more able to stick to the wall.

Being a concentrated phosphoric acid cleaner, Grout Clean-Up effectively removes mineral deposits including rust and old grout smears from the tile surface to leaving it looking much fresher, it also prepares the grout for a superior bond with the grout colourant that was to be added later.

Following this, I rinsed down the tile and grout with water to remove the dislodged dirt. The next step was to remove all the existing silicone mastic with a sharp knife; the mastic sealant stained with mould and much in need of replacement. Once all the rubbish was swept out, I dried any remaining dampness from the grout and tiles with a heat gun.

I then moved onto to recolouring the grout using a Tile Doctor Grout Colourant which is simply painted onto the grout lines using a small brush and any excess wiped of the tile before it dries. There are eleven colours available in the Tile Doctor colourant range and in this case, we chose a colour to match the tiles.

Ceramic Shower After Tile Cleaning Battersea

The application of Grout Colourant not only colours the grout joints – it also seals the grout in so dirt can’t become stuck in its rough surface, this also makes it very easy to clean going forward.

Once the restoration was finished, I resealed the shower base with fresh mould resistant silicone mastic to match the tile and grout. Tile Doctor don’t sell this but there are many makes available from local DIY stores.

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Cleaning and Grout Recolouring in South London

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