Grout Cleaning

Travertine Kitchen Floor Renovation Wilmslow

Dull Travertine Floor Cleaned, Polished and Sealed in Wilmslow

This client from Wilmslow contacted me regarding their Travertine floor tiles, requesting a deep clean and seal with particular focus on the grout which was very dirty. Sometimes it’s possible to give a quote over the phone with the pictures emailed over but in most cases I’m in the local area anyway so it’s not a problem to pop in, survey the floor and work out an accurate quote.

Travertine Floor Before Clean Polish and Seal in Wilmslow

They had explained on the phone the grout was the biggest problem and I could see it had darkened a lot. The top layer of cementous grout is will trap dirt unless sealed along with the tiles, in fact what tends to happen is the dirt from the tiles is washed into the grout lines during cleaning. The Travertine tiles had lost a lot of their character and generally looked flat and in need of a good clean and polish.

Travertine Floor Before Clean Polish and Seal in Wilmslow

Having taken a good look at the floor I was confident I could achieve a good finish, so I carried out a quick test clean on a small part of the floor to show what was possible. They were delighted with the test result and could now see the potential of the floor. Happy with the quote which included Grout cleaning and stone polishing a date was agreed for my return.

Cleaning and Polishing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

To start I focused on cleaning the grout lines using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean scrubbed into the grout recess by hand to ensure it was as clean as could be. I couldn’t guarantee the grout would come up as well as it did, especially in the kitchen where it can be exposed to deep seated staining, so I had given the client the additional option of using a Grout Colourant. Fortunately, this wasn’t needed and after rinsing off the soil I could see it had responded well to treatment.

To renovate the large Travertine floor, I used a set of Tile Doctor Diamond Encrusted Burnishing Pads. I used the same process on a marble floor I renovated previously in Prestbury. Basically, the pads are applied to the floor using a rotary buffer in sequence from coarse 400-grit through to a fine 1500-grit.

Travertine Floor During Clean Polish and Seal in Wilmslow

The pads are fitted to a rotary machine and run over the floor until each tile has been burnished using only water to help lubricate. The first pad cleans up the stone and removes old sealers, this is then followed with the finer 800-grit, 1500-grit and finally a 3000-grit pad. Apart from the 3000-grit, each pad is applied with water and the floor is rinsed and the soil extracted afterwards with a wet vacuum. By now the floors appearance was already looking so much cleaner.

Travertine Floor During Clean Polish and Seal in Wilmslow

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

The Travertine and grout need to be dry before the next stage of sealing so once I was done polishing, I left the floor to dry off overnight with assistance from a couple of floor fans.

Travertine Floor During Clean Polish and Seal in Wilmslow

I came back the next day to seal the floor using Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal but before starting the tiles were checked for moisture using a damp meter. The readings were fine, so I started applying the first of two coats of sealer leaving the first to dry before applying the next. Ultra-Seal is natural look impregnating sealant that protects the floor by soaking into the stone and grout occupying the pores and preventing dirt from residing there. The floor came up a treat, with a lovely sheen and really transformed the kitchen.

Travertine Floor After Clean Polish and Seal in Wilmslow

My client was equally happy with their now clean and polished Travertine floor and even commented that they thought it “looked like new floor”.

Travertine Floor After Clean Polish and Seal in Wilmslow

For aftercare cleaning I left them with a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Stone Soap which will help keep the floor clean whilst maintaining the polished patina. Maintenance is key to keeping the floor looking this good.

Travertine Floor After Clean Polish and Seal in Wilmslow

 

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Marble Tiled Floor Renovation Macclesfield

Polishing a Dull Marble Kitchen Floor in Prestbury near Macclesfield

The photographs below are of a Marble tiled floor at a property in the pretty East Cheshire village of Prestbury near Macclesfield. The Marble tiles ran through much of the ground floor including the hallway and kitchen. The Marble had lost its shine and the once cream grout was going black with dirt, additionally there were a couple of deep-seated stains which I suspect was from a spillage of some sort.

Marble Floor Before Polishing Prestbury Macclesfield Marble Floor Before Polishing Prestbury Macclesfield

Interestingly before contacting me my client hadn’t realised, it was expensive Marble tiled floor, and thought it would need replacing. Fortunately, I recognised it straight away and was able to advise that it just needed polishing and the grout cleaning.

I quoted for cleaning the Marble tiles, restoring the polished appearance using a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads, cleaning the grout, spot treating the stains and sealing the floor to protect it. My client has happy with the quote which was considerably cheaper than replacement and a date scheduled for the work to begin.

Marble Floor Before Polishing Prestbury Macclesfield

Cleaning/Renovating a Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor

To restore the polished appearance of the Marble I used a set of four burnishing pads which are applied to the floor in sequence from coarse 400-grit through to a fine 3000-grit. The pads are fitted to a rotary machine and run over the floor until each tile has been burnished using only water to help lubricate. The first pad cleans up the stone and removes old sealers. this is then followed with the finer 800-grit, 1500-grit and finally a 3000-grit pad. Except for the 3000-grit, each pad is applied with water and the floor is rinsed and the soil extracted afterwards with the wet vacuum.

Marble Floor During Polishing Prestbury Macclesfield

There was a lot of area to cover so I did this work in sections and during the rinsing and extraction process gave the Grout lines a good clean using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean tile and grout cleaner and a handheld scrubbing brush. Fortunately, the Marble tiles were large format so there were less grout lines to clean. The Pro-Clean really gets to into deep seated dirt and grease which tends to accumulate in the grout.

Marble Floor Before Polishing Prestbury Macclesfield Marble Floor Before Polishing Prestbury Macclesfield

To take out the deep staining I sprayed on a product called Tile Doctor Reduxa, it doesn’t dissolve the stain like most cleaning products it seems to attach itself to the contaminates which can then be lifted out by evaporating with heat from a heat gun. It takes a little time to do but it’s very effective and innovative.

After a final rinse with water and extraction with a wet vacuum, the floor was then left to dry off overnight assisted by the under-floor heating.

Sealing a Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned on the second day and started by checking the floor was dry by taking several moisture readings with a damp meter. The readings were good, so I proceeded to seal the floor using a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Ultra-Seal.

Marble Floor After Polishing Prestbury Macclesfield Marble Floor After Polishing Prestbury Macclesfield

Ultra-Seal is an ideal sealer for Marble as it seeps into the stone and occupies the tiny pores within thereby preventing dirt from accumulating there. Additionally Ultra-Seal is almost invisible and won’t change the natural colour of the stone which was perfect for my client who was happy with the colour of the beautiful Cream Marble as it was.

Marble Floor After Polishing Prestbury Macclesfield

Once done the floor looked transformed and for aftercare, I left a bottle of Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is designed for the regular cleaning of polished stone and helps maintain the patina. I’ve also offered to pop back once a year to do a maintenance clean which involves giving the tiles a quick polish with a 3000-grit pad and top up the sealer.

 

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Travertine Kitchen Floor Before and After Cleaning Nantwich

Renovating a large Travertine Kitchen Floor in Nantwich

This client from Nantwich had a beautiful Travertine tiled floor installed in their very large kitchen and utility area. Realising that their tiles didn’t look as good as when they were installed, they got in touch to ask if I could clean and re-seal the tiles and grouting.

Travertine Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Nantwich

I went over to survey the floor and could see the grout had darkened (it was originally white) and the travertine was trapping dirt in the natural pits of the stone. I conducted a test clean on the grout and Travertine which responded well, the client was impressed, and I was asked to do the whole floor. Happy with my quote for restoring the tile and grout we scheduled a date to do the work.

Travertine Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Nantwich

Nantwich is a medieval market town in Cheshire, well known for its Tudor and Georgian architecture. It has one of the highest concentrations of listed buildings in England and many of these properties have very old floors.

Deep Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

We scheduled in a date for the work, and I began by cleaning the floor with a strong solution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go worked into the grout and pitting with hand brushes. I then used a wire brush on the grout to get it really clean. The soiled solution was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Travertine Kitchen Floor During Grout Cleaning Nantwich

Once done the Travertine was burnished using a series of Tile Doctor burnishing pads from 400 through to 1500-grit attached to the rotary machine, rinsing with water in between to remove the soiling. The pads are encrusted with diamond and after being worked over each pad three times do an amazing job of removing ingrained dirt and bringing up the polish on the stone.

The floor needs to be dry before I can apply the sealer so once the burnishing was done, I gave it a final finish and extracted as much moisture as possible with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

The Travertine was left to dry off overnight and I returned the next day to apply a sealer, first checking the floor was dry with a damp meter. The readings were acceptable, so I was able to get on with the sealing. My client had requested a natural finish, so I had recommended Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is almost invisible sealer that provides protection but doesn’t change the look of the stone. Only a couple of coats are required and being an impregnating sealer, it works by soaking into stone and occupying the pores so dirt can’t become ingrained there.

Travertine Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Nantwich

Once the sealer had dried the floor looked so much cleaner and I had a very happy customer who left the following feedback:

“Kamilla has totally transformed our tumbled travertine kitchen floor. It looks like new again, we are so pleased. Kamilla explained the whole process and was a pleasure to deal with. We are delighted with the end result, Kamilla worked so hard, would highly recommend.”

Travertine Kitchen Floor After Renovation Nantwich

For aftercare cleaning and maintenance, I recommended they use Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is pH neutral and mild enough to use every day. You must be careful when choosing a cleaner for sealed floors as many products are too strong and will reduce the lifespan of the sealer.

 

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Mouldy Ensuite Shower Tile Grout Before After Renovation Chelford

Removing Mould from a Ceramic Tiled Ensuite Shower Cubicle in Chelford

I was asked by a Chelford homeowner (near Alderley Edge) to renovate their Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle which had an unsightly mould problem. They say pictures speak louder than words, so I’ve added some photos on this page which show how the grout and silicone sealant had become discoloured with mould over the ten years since it was installed.

Mouldy Ceramic Tiled Ensuite Shower Cubicle Before Renovation Chelford Mouldy Ceramic Tiled Ensuite Shower Cubicle Before Renovation Chelford

Mould likes damp warm areas and shower cubicles make a perfect habitat for it, grout especially can be a problem due to its cementitious rough surface that mould can get a grip on. In this case the ventilation in the ensuite was inadequate and ideally there should have been an extraction vent over the cubicle itself. My advice in these situations is to leave doors and windows open after showering and to run the cold water afterwards.

Mouldy Ceramic Tiled Ensuite Shower Cubicle Before Renovation Chelford Mouldy Ceramic Tiled Ensuite Shower Cubicle Before Renovation Chelford

Removing Mould from a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

To renovate the Tile and Grout I sprayed on Tile Doctor Duo-Clean which was left to soak into the grout line for ten minutes before being scrubbed in by hand. The Ceramic tiles cleaned quite easily but the grout had to be scrubbed hard and needed several applications before I was satisfied.

The whole shower needed treating in this fashion and once rinsed and dried I set about stripping out all the old silicone sealant that had also been badly affected by mould. This is done carefully using a sharp knife. I removed the debris and moved onto applying a fresh mould resistant silicone sealant.

Sealing a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

Last step before leaving was to spray the Ceramic tile and especially the Grout and Silicone with a can of Tile Doctor Aerosol Grout Sealer. This doesn’t last as long as other sealants in the Tile Doctor range but its quick to apply, especially on wall tiles. The sealer ensures water will run straight off the walls into the shower tray and it also makes the shower easier to clean later.

Mouldy Ceramic Tiled Ensuite Shower Cubicle After Renovation Chelford Mouldy Ceramic Tiled Ensuite Shower Cubicle After Renovation Chelford

The shower looked like a new installation by the time I had finished, and my client was delighted with the transformation. He was also thankful that I had replaced the silicone, this was something he had considered doing himself but applying it does take practice and you can get yourself into a mess.

 

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Ceramic Floor Tile Grout Before After Cleaning Wilmslow

Restoring White Grout on a Ceramic Tiled Floor in Wilmslow

I was contacted by a lady in Wilmslow who had a ceramic tiled floor that had been installed around eight years ago with white grout. Any tiler will tell you that white floor grout gets dirty very quickly and most advise against it. You can seal the grout which will protect it for longer however even sealers wear down over time, especially on a busy floor. Cleaning is also an option but unless done frequently it will start to darken. This was the case with this floor and now eight years later the Ceramic Tiles which are protected by a glaze still looked good but were being let down by the grout which had indeed become black.

Ceramic Floor Tile Grout Before Cleaning Wilmslow Ceramic Floor Tile Grout Before Cleaning Wilmslow

My customer had been cleaning the floor on a regular basis but was now unhappy with the appearance of the tiles due to the dark grout and wanted the colour restored. Grout cleaning is not an issue and I was happy to do that however it will only improve by 75-80% of how it was when new and I cannot guarantee the removal of deep-seated staining. The only way to get it 100% and looking like new was to apply our Tile Doctor White Grout Colourant which is a hard-wearing epoxy covering that adheres to the grout, restoring the colour whilst protecting it. Keeping that as an option my customer asked for the grout cleaning and sealing service that we offer. This involves deep cleaning the grout and then sealing it to prevent the dirt from becoming ingrained again. We agreed we could always look at recolouring the grout later if necessary.

Cleaning the Grout on a Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor

Ceramic Floor Tile Grout During Steam Cleaning Wilmslow Ceramic Floor Tile Grout During Cleaning Wilmslow

To deep clean the grout I applied Tile Doctor Remove and Go across the floor, I left it to soak into the grout for ten to twenty minutes and then scrubbed it in with a stiff hand brush and followed up with a high pressure steam cleaner. The slurry was vacuumed off the floor using a wet/dry vacuum and the process reapplied where needed. This process really got a lot of the dirt out of the grout and returned the white colour transforming the appearance of the floor.

Ceramic Floor Tile Grout During Cleaning Wilmslow

Sealing Grout on a Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor

The grout was left to dry for a few hours and then sealed using Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is carefully applied onto the grout line using a pipette. Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal is a natural look sealer that is almost invisible, as a result it does not darken the look of the grout. Sealing the grout in will protect it from staining and ensure it keeps its white appearance for much longer.

Ceramic Floor Tile Grout After Cleaning Wilmslow Ceramic Floor Tile Grout After Cleaning Wilmslow

My customer was very happy to see her white grout restored and so didn’t require the application of a Grout Colourant this time. She did say she would recommend us to friends and neighbours which is always a bonus!

 

Professional Restoration of the Grout on a Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor in East Cheshire

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Travertine Tiled Shower Cubicle Before After Renovation Hale Barns

Bleach Disaster Resolved in Hale Barns Travertine Tiled Shower Cubicle

The pictures shown are from a Travertine tiled shower cubicle that was installed at a property in Hale Barns twenty years prior. The Travertine tiles were in desperate need of renovation and being stone they needed a specialist to sort it out.

20 Year Old Travertine Shower Cubicle Before Renovation Hale Barns 20 Year Old Travertine Shower Cubicle Before Renovation Hale Barns

In an attempt to clean the stone a cleaner ended up making it worse when she used a strong bleach cleaner all over the tiles which actually etched the stone due to the acidic nature of the product. We find this is quite a common problem, especially in areas with limescale, in fact Tile Doctor now offer a training course for commercial cleaning companies because of it. I discussed with the client the process I would use to restore the appearance of the Travertine and with our quote accepted we agreed a date to complete the work.

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Shower Cubicle

To begin with I applied a set of six-inch diamond burnishing pads fitted to a hand buffer to slowly remove the etching and gradually build the polished appearance of the stone. The pads are applied in sequence from 400-grit which resurfaces the stone through to 3,000 grit which builds up the polished appearance of the stone.

The Grout was then given a clean using Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel which was left to soak into the grout line for ten minutes before being scrubbed in by hand. Being a gel, it sticks better to vertical surfaces resulting in longer dwell time and therefore better cleaning results.

The combination of the two processes really got to grips with the ingrained dirt and the heavy limescale. The tiles were thoroughly rinsed which is nice and easy in a shower situation, and then left to dry for a few hours, prior to the seal being applied. During this time, I turn my attention to other bathroom areas for which I use a wet vacuum to extract the water and soiling.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Shower Cubicle

We sealed the Travertine and Grout later that afternoon using a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This is a impregnating sealer which soaks into the pores to provide durable protection, it also enhances the natural colours in the stone to bring the best features out in the Travertine. The stone had been installed all the way up to the high ceiling, so I needed to climb up a ladder to reach all areas.

The customer was beyond happy with results and left the following feedback:

“Kamila turned a bleach disaster in a travertine shower into a just installed look, also clearing mould stains at the same time – in a long day. Fantastic service, great price: don’t hesitate to book her. Steve D, Hale, 10 February 2020”

20 Year Old Travertine Shower Cubicle After Renovation Hale Barns 20 Year Old Travertine Shower Cubicle After Renovation Hale Barns

For everyday aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Aqua Pro which is designed for cleaning bathrooms where a sealer has been applied. This will keep the shower cubicle looking in great condition moving forward. It will also help to keep the dreaded limescale and mould under control and with regular use it will also ensure the newly applied sealant stays in place for longer.

If you’re a commercial cleaner reading this then do take a look at Tile Doctor’s Agency Tile Cleaning training course. It will fill the knowledge gap many cleaners have when it comes to cleaning stone tiling and ensure you avoid being in a similar situation.

 

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Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before and After Polishing Wilmslow

Polishing a Dull Travertine Kitchen Floor in Wilmslow

This is a Travertine tiled floor installed at a property in the popular Cheshire town of Wilmslow around 16 years prior. It had previously been maintained by a Tile Doctor colleague about three years ago and the owner was hoping the floor could be given a simple maintenance clean and seal. This is a service we provide as part of an annual maintenance plan, unfortunately after surveying the floor it was clear they had left it far too long, the floor had lost its shine and it would now need to be resurfaced with a set of diamond burnishing pads and then resealed.

Travertine Floor Before Polishing Wilmslow Travertine Floor Before Polishing Wilmslow

Naturally burnishing the floor costs more than a simple seal and polish but if you are going to opt for the quicker maintenance plan route it does need to be done at least annually and possibly more frequently if it’s a floor in frequent use such as a kitchen. We agreed a price for the work, and I arranged a time with them to return and renovate the floor.

Travertine Floor Before Polishing Wilmslow

Cleaning/Renovating a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

To restore the polished appearance of the Travertine I used a set of four burnishing pads which are applied to the floor with a rotary machine. You start with a coarse 400-grit pad using water to lubricate and running it over each tile at least three times. This first pad cleans up the stone and removes old sealers. This is then followed with the finer 800-grit, 1500-grit and finally a 3000-grit pad. Except for the 3000-grit, each pad is applied with water and the floor is rinsed and the soil extracted afterwards with the wet vacuum.

The Grout lines were also deep cleaned with a scrubbing brush and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean tile and grout cleaner. The product really gets to into deep seated dirt and grease which tends to accumulate in the grout. After a final rinse and extraction, the floor was then left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned on the second day and started by checking the floor was dry by taking several moisture readings with a damp meter. The readings were good, so I proceeded to seal the floor using a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. Colour Grow is an ideal sealer for Travertine as it seeps into the pores of the stone enhancing the natural brown colours in the process. It also offers great protection going forward.

Whilst I was there I had noticed that one of the doors had scratched the floor, fortunately the polishing process had got the scratches out of the stone but to prevent future scratching I helped them remove the door so a carpenter could shave off a few mm’s from the bottom.

Travertine Floor After Polishing Wilmslow Travertine Floor After Polishing Wilmslow

My customer left the following feedback:

“Second time had Travertine floor restored, cleaned & sealed, the first time was 3 years ago. Great job done then by Simon Bywater. This time Kamila did a really professional job on the kitchen limestone floor. A bit more expensive this time, but a good job was done. Have left instructions for her to contact me in 12 months time for annual maintenance on the same floor, hopefully to prevent restoration being required! Highly recommend the service.”

The floor looked great and they should now be able to maintain it in between the maintenance visits, with day to day cleaning using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner.

Travertine Floor After Polishing Wilmslow

 

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Quarry Tile Grout Hearth Before and After Renovation Wilmslow

Renovating a Quarry Tiled Hearth in Lindow End

We received an inquiry from a client in Lindow End near Wilmslow Golf Club in the Cheshire stockbroker belt. They were restoring their home and were unhappy with the state of the Quarry tiled hearth under their log burning stove. We arranged a site visit to survey the tile and grout and provide a quote for restoring the appearance. The village is situated in what’s known as the ‘Cheshire Golden Triangle’ which is one of the most sought-after places to live in the UK after London. As a result, we often find ourselves in this area working on some very nice properties, so it wasn’t long before we were able to call in and survey the tiles.

Quarry Tiled Hearth Before Grout Colouring Lindow End

As you can see from the pictures the hearth was quite dirty and the grouting had discoloured from years of use of the wood burner. The work here was a minor part of their restoration which had included significant building work. We agreed a price to carry out the work, which should only take a day and were able to return the following week.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Hearth

Our first job was to cover the newly sanded and sealed wooden floors with dust sheets, so we didn’t mark them as we came in the front door to the lounge. We always try and make as little mess as possible and we are always as careful as possible.

We then sprayed Tile Doctor Pro-Clean on the fire hearth tiles. This is a multi-purpose tile and grout cleaner which would make light work of the dirty tiles. The product was left to soak into the Quarry tile and grout for about twenty minutes before being scrubbed in. The hearth was a small area, so this was done by hand and then washed down with clean water.

The dirty residue was removed using a wet vacuum then the tiles where wiped down with a clean micro fibre cloth. We then dried off the tiles using a little encouragement with a heat gun to speed up the drying process. Speed drying the tile and grout in this manor would allow us to complete the work in one visit.

Applying Sandstone Grout Colourant

Once the tiles and grout lines were dry it was clear that years of dirt and soiling had stained the grout, so although no much cleaner it was clear more work would be needed to give the grout a fresh and consistent appearance.

To address this issue with the grout we selected to apply a Sandstone Tile Doctor Grout Colourant. This is applied with a small brush and brushed it into the grout lines. It is quite a precise job but any colourant that goes onto the tiles is removed with a baby wipe before it dries. This process really transformed the look of the grout, the colourant also forms a barrier over the grout which will protect it going forward and make it easier to clean.

Sealing Quarry Tiles

The Quarry tiles were then given a coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating colour enhancing sealer. This brings out the best in the quarry tiles and adds protection against future staining which will be needed given its location.

Quarry Tiled Hearth After Grout Colouring Lindow End

The client was very happy with the finish, in fact the hearth looked like it had been newly tiled, the impact of the recoloured grout was that striking. Sometimes the smallest jobs can be the most rewarding.

 

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Terracotta Tiled Floor Before and After Cleaning Knutsford Cheshire

Large Terracotta Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Knutsford

We were asked if we could restore the appearance of a large Terracotta tiled floor in a kitchen/dinner that had not been cleaned for many years. The sealer had mostly worn off in the high traffic areas but was still fairly thick under the table.

Terracotta tiles are made from soft clay making it very porous and likely to absorb anything that lands on it; as a result, it’s important to maintain the sealer to stop this happening. Now with the sealer worn off completely in the busy parts of the floor anything that landed on the floor was very quickly absorbed into it.

Terracotta Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Knutsford Terracotta Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Knutsford

The house was in Knutsford on the East side of Cheshire which was named as Best Place to Live in the North West” by the Sunday Times in 2017; being close to the Peak District and within easy reach of Liverpool and Manchester its easy to see why.

Deep Cleaning a Spanish Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

My first task would be to completely remove the old sealer so the whole floor could be given a deep clean before resealing. It’s not a good idea to add a new sealer on top of another especially if you don’t know what was used before, it can also lead to a build of sealers on the tile which will darken their appearance.

To do this I soaked the tiles in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a powerful stripping and cleaning solution that’s designed to removes old coatings on tiles and draw out ingrained staining. After twenty to thirty minutes the solution was worked into the tiles using a black buffing pad fitted to a rotary buffer machine. I also used a wire hand brush along the grout lines to make sure they were cleaned as the scrubbing pad can fail to reach into the recess. It wasn’t long before the old sealer and dirt was released from the Terracotta which was then washed off the floor using water and a wet vacuum.

Terracotta Tiled Floor During Cleaning Knutsford Terracotta Tiled Floor During Cleaning Knutsford

I inspected the floor at this stage and retreated any stubborn areas using the same process. I did have a few problems removing some greasy marks however I managed to get rid of these by applying Tile Doctor Wax Away worked in by hand with a scrubbing brush. Once I was happy that the floor was clean and free of old sealers it was given a final rinse to remove any trace of cleaning product, dried with the wet vacuum and left to dry out fully overnight.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

On my return the next morning I took a few damp readings to check the floor was dry before starting with the next step of sealing the tiles. All was well so began to add the first of multiple coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is a water-based sealer that works really well on Terracotta and leaves a nice subtle sheen to the tile. Being was based it has the added advantage of not leaving a solvent smell as it dries.

Terracotta Tiled Floor After Cleaning Knutsford Terracotta Tiled Floor After Cleaning Knutsford

The Terracotta took some time to seal completely, in fact ten coats of sealer were required to fully seal the tile. You can always tell when a tile is sealed by adding a small drop of water to the surface, if it forms into a bubble then its’ fully sealed.

Terracotta Tiled Floor After Cleaning Knutsford Terracotta Tiled Floor After Cleaning Knutsford

I’m not sure you can appreciate the difference from my photographs but hopefully you can see that Terracotta tiles now look much fresher and the grout cleaner and lighter in colour.
 
 

Renovating a Large Terracotta Tiled Floor in Cheshire

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Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Before and After Cleaning Sale

Multiple Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicles Refreshed in Sale

The photographs below are from one of three shower cubicles we were asked to clean and restore at a modernised Victorian property in SALE Cheshire. Ceramic tiles are glazed so very easy to keep clean, grout and silicone however are not and if you let mould build-up untreated it can very difficult to remove.

Mould likes a warm damp environment which can be reduced by improving the ventilation in the shower room, other steps you can take to reduce mould include always leaving the door open after a shower to improve cross ventilation and rinsing the shower down with cold water after a shower. Tile Doctor also have a product called Oxy-Pro that you can spray on your tiles after use.

Shower Cubicle Before Cleaning in Sale Shower Cubicle Before Cleaning in Sale

Sale is a town in Trafford, Greater Manchester but is historically part of Cheshire and dates to before the Middle Ages. A survey commissioned by the Royal Mail in 2017 highlighted Sale as the 4th most desirable town in England to live in and being so close to the city of Manchester makes it a popular choice for commuters.

Cleaning Ceramic Bathroom Tile and Grout

To get the grout clean Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was decanted into a spay bottle diluted with water and the solution was sprayed onto the grout lines. Pro-Clean in a strong and effective grout cleaner and after leaving it in place for about five minutes it was scrubbed in by hand using a stiff brush along the grout lines. I also gave the tile and cubicle glass a clean with Tile Doctor Oxy-Pro which comes in a ready to use spray bottle.

The next step was to carefully remove the old silicone sealant from around the edges of the shower cubicle using a sharp knife, so it could be replaced with new.

At this stage I took a step back to review the results of the cleaning, I wanted the best possible outcome for my customer and if more work was needed to get the shower looking it’s best now was the time. I concluded that the grout was much improved by unfortunately the mould staining was still visible in areas and that the best way to proceed would be to colour the grout.

Colouring Shower Tile Grout

Tile Doctor have a Grout Colourant product that’s available in ten different colours including White which I felt would be the best colour for the cubicle. Other colours include three shades of Grey, two shades of Brown and two shades of Beige as well as Black. The Grout Colourant is painted onto the grout lines using a small brush and I find a toothbrush works well for this purpose. Excess colourant needs to be removed from the tile before it sets, and I often find baby wipes work well for this purpose.

The grout colourant adds an epoxy barrier over the grout that is resistant to staining and much easier to clean than the grout itself. With this in place the grout will stay protected and the cubicle should keep its appearance for some time to come.

While the Grout Colourant was drying I replaced the silicone around the base of the shower cubicle using a premium mould resistant silicone that should be more resistant to staining.

Once the colourant and silicone had dried I gave the cubicle a final inspection and buffed up the ceramic tiles with a six-inch white pad fitted to a handheld buffer. As I mentioned before there were three shower cubicles to complete so as one was drying I was able to move onto another and as a result managed to complete all three in one day.

Shower Cubicle After Cleaning in Sale Shower Cubicle After Cleaning in Sale

 
 

Professional Shower Tile and Grout Cleaning in Cheshire

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