middlesex

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Feltham

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Feltham

This Travertine stone floor had been installed in a property in Feltham eight years ago and hadn’t been professionally cleaned since. The appearance of the stone had slowly degraded during that time with dirt and stains building up in the pores of the stone and especially the grout which had darkened. My client had found it impossible to get it clean and restore the nice original finish. They had tried multiply household cleaners and had finally given in and contacted Tile Doctor.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Feltham Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Feltham

I visited the property and after surveying the tile and grout formulated a plan for its recovery. It was clear to me that the sealer that would protect the stone had long since worn off and now dirt was filling the pores making it impossible to clean. Without the use of some specialist products and equipment they were never going to be able to improve that on their own.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Feltham

I discussed with them the process for deep cleaning and renovating the floor and they agreed to go ahead with my quote. We agreed a date for my return to do the work which would take a couple of days.

Deep Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor and Grout

I returned the following month and started work by taping up the wooden skirting boards, kitchen plinths and architrave to protect them from splashing during cleaning. To deep clean the stone and grout I set about applying a combination of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted with water to break up the soils and greases from the kitchen floor. This was left to soak in for ten minutes before being scrubbed in with a heavy-duty machine scrubber, alongside hand scrubbing the grout lines and deeper cracks.

After this, we low pressure washed and vacuumed the floor, flushing all the cleaning products and soils away. The process was repeated again to deal with a couple of areas that were particularly stubborn. Once this was complete the floor was left to dry out overnight, so it would be ready to receive a sealer the following day.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

The next morning I checked the floor for moisture using a damp meter and confirmed the tile and grout had dried out and was now ready for sealing. For this I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer allowing time to dry between each coat. Colour Grow is a versatile impregnating sealer that soaks into the pores protecting the stone and grout from within, its colour enhancing formula also helps to bring out the Brown shades in Travertine to improve the overall appearance. Additionally, this sealer leaves a matt finish rather than anything too shiny which the client was keen to avoid.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Feltham

Once complete the floor looked clean and the different shades of Travertine tile really contrasted well together. My client had forgotten how beautiful their stone tiles are and were very happy with its improvement. The new sealer will provide a durable barrier from soils and spillages in the future allowing the floor to maintain its appearance for many years to come.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Feltham

For ongoing maintenance, I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Stone Soap, this product is pH neutral and is suitable for sealed stone floors. Its effective yet mild enough to use daily if needed and goes a long way once diluted. You must be careful when selected a cleaning product for a sealed floor as many stronger products you find in supermarkets can degrade the sealer prematurely.

 

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen in South Middlesex

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Feltham Read More »

Travertine Tiled Floor Renovated Staines

Travertine Tiles Cleaned and Sealed in a Staines Kitchen

This client in Staines was unhappy with the appearance of their Travertine tiled kitchen floor and I was asked to pop round and see what could be done to improve their appearance.

After surveying the floor, I could see the grout had become badly stained and the natural pits in the Travertine had trapped a lot of dirt which had accumulated and formed black spots. Kitchen floors are the most hard-working in any house and with a build-up of cooking oils and other soils ingrained into the pores of the Travertine it was clear any sealer that had once protected the stone was no longer effective.

Travertine Stone Floor Before Cleaning Staines-upon-Thames

My proposed solution was to deep clean the floor with a particular focus on the grout and pitting and then replace the sealer to protect it going forward. I presented my quote, and they were happy to go ahead.

Travertine Stone Floor Before Cleaning Staines-upon-Thames

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

To get the tile and grout clean I started with the application of a mixture of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean combined with Tile Doctor Remove and Go. Remove and Go is basically a stripper that is very good at breaking down grease and oil, alongside removing old sealer from the stone whilst Pro-Clean is an excellent grout cleaner. This combination makes a powerful cleaning cocktail and was scrubbed into the stone with a Black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. The scrubbing action gets the cleaning fluid into the pores of the stone and thoroughly flushes out the soiling which is then removed using a low-pressure machine that rinses and extracts using a vacuum.

Once done the floor was inspected and then the process repeated in a couple of stubborn areas, again thoroughly rinsing, and extracting afterwards. All traces of the cleaning products need to be removed as they would undermine the sealer which follows. At this point the floor was looking so much better and I was able to leave it to dry out overnight.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

The following day, work started by testing the moisture levels in the floor with the damp meter. You can’t seal a damp floor so I like to make sure its dry first. The floor was sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer which is an impregnating sealer that works by occupying the small pores in the stone thereby ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can easily be removed. This product also contains an enhancer that lifts the natural colours and contrasts in the Travertine whilst adding excellent protection against soiling and spillages. The perfect choice for this floor.

Travertine Stone Floor After Cleaning Staines-upon-Thames Travertine Stone Floor After Cleaning Staines-upon-Thames

As you can see from the pictures the floor was much improved, the modern kitchen looked new again, it had given the room a new lease of life. You must be careful what you use to clean a sealed floor as many household products are simply too strong and will break down the sealer. So, for aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild pH neutral cleaner that can be used regularly and will not compromise the newly applied sealant

Travertine Stone Floor After Cleaning Staines-upon-Thames

 

Professional Renovation of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen in Middlesex

Travertine Tiles Cleaned and Sealed in a Staines Kitchen Read More »

Victorian Hallway Floor Tile Cleaned Sealed Hampton South Middlesex

Victorian Hallway Tiles uncovered in Hampton

This lovely Victorian tiled hallway floor in Hampton had been covered with carpet for over 30 years. Having removed the carpet, the owner was keen to restore the floor back to its original appearance. As you can see from the pictures the tiles had some lovely traditional colours which have been hidden away. During that time the tiles had absorbed a lot of soil and were stained by rubber from the underlay causing the colours to fade.

Victorian Hallway Tiles Before Cleaning Hampton Victorian Hallway Tiles Before Cleaning Hampton

Fortunately, the gripper rods had only been lightly glued onto the tiles and not held down with nails, sometimes with older floors the rods are hammered in place right through the tile causing them to shatter, which makes for a much larger restoration job. I gave them a price for the work which they were happy with, and we arranged a time to return.

Victorian Hallway Tiles Before Cleaning Hampton

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

To remove the traces of rubber backing, adhesive and years of stubborn soiling from the tiles the whole floor was soaked in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go. After a short dwell time we then machine scrubbed with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to restore the tiles to a very clean condition.

The soiling and products were pressure rinsed and vacuumed away, leaving the Victorian tiles much cleaner. I found the best method was to work in large sections of flooring at a time which allowed for the tiles to dry whilst I worked on another section. I was then able to go back and review my work and spot clean stubborn areas until I was satisfied with the result. The wet vacuum removes a lot of the moisture but it needs to be dry before sealing so the floor was then left to dry off overnight.

Victorian Hallway Tiles During Cleaning Hampton

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The following day we returned and using the damp meter tested the tiles were dry and ready to be sealed. For this we selected to use seven coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go, these were applied leaving each coat to dry before the next one was administered. This left a nice sheen finish on the floor and does a lovely job of enhancing the colours making the tiles look vibrant again. The floor looks great and the hallway is now very inviting.

Victorian Hallway Tiles After Cleaning Hampton

Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare with the owner and recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner. Fact is most supermarket products are for cleaning Vinyl or Ceramic tiles contain bleach and are simply too strong for use on sealed surfaces such as this floor, using them can prematurely erode the sealer and once that’s gone the floor will have no protection and begin to accumulate dirt.

Victorian Hallway Tiles After Cleaning Hampton

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in South Middlesex

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Yorkstone Paved Patio Before After Cleaning Shepperton

Yorkstone Patio Renovation in Shepperton

This Yorkstone patio renovation was completed earlier this year in Shepperton. The hot summer had kept me busy with requests for patio cleaning and this example was probably the worst one I had worked on and makes a good example of what can be achieved.

Yorkstone Patio Before Cleaning Shepperton Yorkstone Patio During Cleaning Shepperton

This stone patio had not been touched for a few years and due to the surrounding trees and other vegetation it was badly stained with what appeared to be mould deep in the stone. It was clearly going to be a challenging project and I set my customers’ expectations accordingly. Keen to have the patio restored into working order I got the go ahead to do the work which compared with cost of replacing it made a lot of sense and would extend the life of the patio.

Cleaning and Restoring Yorkstone Patio in Shepperton

I pre-treated the entire area with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and left it to dwell for about 15 minutes, so it could get a start on breaking down the soil. This is a highly concentrated multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner which is great on heavily soiled areas, breaking down the dirt and the lichen. This was then scrubbed in using a rotary machine and stiff buffing brush.

Yorkstone Patio During Cleaning Shepperton

This was followed by pressure washing and rinsing the entire area with water, removing the soiled waste with a wet vacuum. It is always a little easier carrying out this type of messy job as we are outside. This process took much of the day to complete and got the Yorkstone slabs so much cleaner. The warm beige colour of the stone was mostly restored and quite a transformation from the original.

Yorkstone Patio After Cleaning Shepperton Yorkstone Patio After Cleaning Shepperton

At this point I would normally consider sealing the stone to protect it, in fact Tile Doctor has a new sealer called X-Tra seal available which is brilliant for external stone. In this case the owner was considering having the whole thing replaced the following year so decided not to bother.

Yorkstone Patio After Cleaning Shepperton

 

Clean and Restoration of an Yorkstone Patio in Middlesex

Yorkstone Patio Renovation in Shepperton Read More »

Travertine Tiled Floor Renovation Twickenham

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation in Twickenham

I recently visited a property in Twickenham to survey their Travertine tiled. kitchen floor. The tiles were installed six years ago but the floor had not been professionally cleaned or sealed since. The kitchen was the busiest room in the house and experienced foot traffic from the garden as well as the hallway. The sealer had worn down over the years and now dirt was becoming ingrained into the pores of the stone and there were stains from cooking oils in the floor around the main cooking area.

Travertine Floor Renovation Before Renovation Twickenham

The stone and grout had darkened with the dirt it now carried so I carried out a small cleaning test to confirm my suspicions. The test went well and gave the stone and grout a much lighter and cleaner appearance and contrasted well against its neighbour.

Travertine Floor Renovation Before Renovation Twickenham

The homeowner could clearly see just how dirty the floor had become and satisfied that I would be able to do a good job on the floor give me the go ahead to clean the whole floor and then seal it afterwards.

Cleaning and Restoring a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

The Travertine was really dirty so to give the cleaning process a boost I created a potent mix of two strong Tile Doctor cleaning products called Pro-Clean and Remove and Go and left it to dwell on the floor to allow time to start breaking down the dirt. I chose these two as Pro-Clean has a great reputation for cleaning grout and Remove and Go for removing old sealers and coatings.

After fifteen minutes I set about scrubbing the tiles with a rotary floor buffer fitted with a black pad to break up the inground dirt. The pad can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout line, so this was followed by hand scrubbing the grout lines. Once done the now soiled and dark cleaning solution was extracted using a wet vacuum. The floor was then inspected, and the process completed until I was satisfied and followed up with spot cleaning a few areas with stubborn stains.

Travertine Floor Renovation During Renovation Twickenham

As you can see from the pictures, the difference made it well worth doing. After a final rinse with water and extraction with the wet vacuum the floor was then left overnight to dry out.

Travertine Floor Renovation During Renovation Twickenham

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

The following day the floor was tested with the damp meter to check its moisture levels and ensure the floor was ready to accept a sealer. The tiles had dried out nicely and so the first of what would be two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer were applied to the floor. This is a premium colour enhancing sealer that works from within by occupying the tiny pores in the stone where dirt would otherwise reside. The sealer will ensure dirt remains on the surface of the tile and grout where it can be easily removed and help protect the stone from spillages.

Travertine Floor Renovation After Renovation Twickenham

For aftercare cleaning I like to recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This is a gentle neutral pH cleaner that can be used frequently. It has a nice fresh fragrance, and as its concentrated a small amount goes a long way. It will also help to protect the newly applied sealant. This is important and most supermarket floor cleaning products are simply too strong for use on a sealed floor and can prematurely degrade the sealer.

The client was delighted with the work we had carried out, the kitchen had been transformed and were now confident they could maintain it. If you would like a no obligation quotation to clean your natural stone or ceramic tiled floor, please get in touch.

Travertine Floor Renovation After Renovation Twickenham

 

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen in South Middlesex

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation in Twickenham Read More »

Victorian Hallway Floor Cleaned Sealed Twickenham Middlesex

Clean and Seal of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Twickenham

This Victorian tiled hallway floor at a property in Twickenham was in great physical condition considering its age but just hadn’t been cleaned or sealed in quite a few years. Over the years the protective sealer has worn away and dirt tracked in from outside had sunk deep into the pores of the tile. The floor looked dull, and my customer was finding it hard to clean and maintain effectively.

Victorian Hallway Before Restoration Twickenham

Cleaning Victorian Tiles

To remove the ground in dirt from within the pores of the tile I needed to apply a strong cleaning product that would breakdown the dirt and deal with any remaining sealer left on the floor. Usually, I find the sealer down the center of the hallway is worn away with use, but you still find traces towards the wall. To do the renovation effectively I would need to remove all the sealer during cleaning otherwise you risk an uneven appearance.

The best sealer stripper and cleaner for the job is a product called Tile Doctor Remove and Go so I mopped a strong dilution onto the floor and then left it to soak in for around fifteen minutes. To get the best from this product it’s advised to give it a long dwell time thereby allowing it to break down old sealer and dissolve the dirt and contaminants.

The floor was then scrubbed with a rotary floor machine to work the product into the pores of the tile and release the trapped dirt. After the first pass the floor was rinsed with a little water and the soil extracted using a machine. After inspecting the floor some areas were re-treated using the same process to ensure all the sealer and dirt had been removed.

After a final inspection I left the tiles to dry off overnight.

Sealing Victorian Tiles

The following day I returned and started by taking moisture readings from different parts of the floor. Its not a good idea to apply a sealer to a damp tile and damp areas should be dried out with a heat gun first.

My client was keen to have a classic shiny appearance, so I chose Tile Doctor Seal and Go to add protection to the tiles. The sealer will prevent dirt becoming ingrained in the tile and protect the floor from staining caused by spillages whilst making it very easy for our customer to maintain in the future. As you can see from the pictures, it also gives a nice sheen finish to add lustre to the floor as requested by my customer.

Victorian Hallway After Restoration Twickenham

Before leaving we had a quick chat about maintaining the floor and a warning about the use of strong floor cleaning products which can be over strong and prematurely strip the sealer away over time. For this floor I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral cleaner which is an effective cleaner but as its name suggests is pH neutral and mild enough not to harm the sealer.

Victorian Hallway After Restoration Twickenham

 

Professional Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration in Middlesex

Clean and Seal of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Twickenham Read More »

Renovating Victorian Hallway Floor Twickenham Middlesex

Dirty Victorian Floor Tiles Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Twickenham

This Victorian floor in Twickenham, Middlesex was in good physical condition for its age but needed a good deep clean. Our customer had informed us that they had never cleaned or sealed the floor in the sixteen years that they had lived there so it was well overdue.

I went over to survey the floor and completed a test clean on a small section of tiling to see which products/techniques would work best. I like to do this as it demonstrates to the client what can be done, and it allows me to come up with an accurate price for doing the work.

Dirty Victorian Floor Before Cleaning Twickenham

As you can see from the pictures, there was quite a difference in the test patch compared to the rest of the floor. Years of foot traffic from the street had taken its’ toll and the floor was very dirty. Luckily, the floor was in very good condition and had not worn too badly.

Once they had seen the test patch, they were confident that it would be worth go ahead with my quote. It would ensure that the period feature was retained for many years to come. The colours on the floor were quite faded so it would be nice to get it restored.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I started the cleaning process by first taping up the surrounding skirting boards and doors to ensure they were protected from potential splashing. Cleaning involved spraying the Victorian tiles with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a dedicated Tile and Grout cleaning product. This was left to soak in for about ten minutes and then scrubbed in using a black pad fitted to a heavy-duty rotary scrubber.

This gives the floor a good mechanical scrub and works wonders releasing the ground-in dirt and soil from the tiles. The strong dilution of Pro-Clean will also remove any remaining sealers from the tile, however after sixteen years I doubted there would much trace of sealer left. Once done the floor was rinsed with water and all the soils removed with a wet vacuum.

Following the initial clean the colours were already much stronger. Next step however was to improve on that by giving the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. This removes mineral deposits and generally brightens up the appearance of the tile. After another round of scrubbing the floor was rinsed with our high-pressure washer and then vacuumed, extracting all of the dirty water and dirt away in one go. The floor was looking a lot better and was left to dry overnight.

Dirty Victorian Floor During Cleaning Twickenham

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

After allowing the floor to dry overnight, we returned the next day to seal the floor. First, checking the floor was dry using the damp meter. Floors of this age can take a little longer to dry as there is no damp-proof membrane so it’s always worth checking as applying a sealer to damp tiles is not a good idea.

Dirty Victorian Floor After Cleaning Twickenham

Once I was satisfied it was dry eight coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go sheen finish sealer were applied. This takes a while to do as each coat needs to dry before applying the next. The sealer will protect the Victorian tiles for dirt and stains, it also enhanced the colours in the tile and will make it easier to keep the floor clean going forward.

My client was very pleased with the floor and mentioned that they should have called me in sooner! For aftercare cleaning I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Clean which is an effective cleaner with a neutral pH, its designed for cleaning tiles without degrading the sealer.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in South Middlesex

Dirty Victorian Floor Tiles Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Twickenham Read More »

Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor Before After Cleaning Shepperton

Porcelain Tile & Grout Floor Renovation in a Shepperton Kitchen

Our client had decided their Porcelain kitchen tiles were ready for a clean after having extensive work carried out at their home in Shepperton. Everything was now looking new except for the floor which resembled Travertine and was looking rather sorry for itself.

Normally with Porcelain tiles I find it’s mainly the grout that needs attention but, in this case, it was clear the sealer had worn down on the tile and that was also attracting dirt. Most Porcelain tiles won’t accept a sealer, but these were micro-porous which can trap dirt in the pores of the tile and so does need sealing to protect against that.

Porcelain Tile  Floor Before Cleaning Shepperton Porcelain Tile  Floor Before Cleaning Shepperton

To resolve the floor would need to be stripped of all remaining sealer, tile and grout cleaned and then resealed. The process is straightforward, so I didn’t anticipate any problems.

Cleaning a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor

I started by spraying the floor with a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and then left it to soak in for ten minutes. The tiles were then scrubbed using a floor buffing machine fitted with a black pad going over each tile at least three times.

More Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was then applied to the grout lines which were a lot dirtier. These were hand scrubbed to get the grout nice and clean. Pads struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout lines so I find this is the most effective way to do it. The now soiled cleaning solution was then then rinsed away with water and extracted with an industrial wet vacuum. Immediately the floor looked a whole lot cleaner.

Sealing a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor

To protect the now clean Porcelain tile and grout from future staining (especially in a busy Kitchen) the next step was to apply a sealer however the floor would need to be dry first. Fortunately, it was a hot day and after testing with a moisture meter I found the tiles were fully dry in four hours, which was good news as it meant we could seal on the same day as cleaning.

To seal I applied a single coat of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is a natural look sealer that doesn’t darken the appearance of the tile. It’s a fine impregnating sealer that works by occupying the minute pores in the porcelain blocking any dirt from becoming ingrained there and subsequently making the floor much easier to clean.

Porcelain Tile  Floor After Cleaning Sealing Shepperton Porcelain Tile  Floor After Cleaning Sealing Shepperton

The floor now looks great and the client was very happy that all the kitchen renovation work was 100% complete. For day to day cleaning I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner as this will keep the floor maintained but without prematurely degrading the sealer. This is a common problem with many household cleaners which are simply too strong for use on a sealed tile.

 

Professional Cleaning of a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor in Middlesex

Porcelain Tile & Grout Floor Renovation in a Shepperton Kitchen Read More »

Encaustic Cement Floor Tile Grout Before After Renovation Twickenham

Encaustic Tiled Bathroom Floor Renovated Twickenham

The pictures below are of an Encaustic Cement tiled floor that had been installed in the bathroom of a property in Twickenham. At the time the tiles were installed, they did not seal them and had since accumulated dirt, especially in the grout lines.

Encaustic Cement Bathroom Floor Tiles Before Cleaning Twickenham

Encaustic cement tiles have become extremely popular in the last few years with many beautiful artistic often geometric patterns available to choose from. The very nature of the cement-based tile however does make it slightly porous, and if left unsealed dirt will become ingrained in the tile making it difficult to remove and keep clean. Like grout they do therefore need to be sealed in order to keep them looking at their best for longer.

Encaustic Cement Bathroom Floor Tiles Before Cleaning Twickenham Encaustic Cement Bathroom Floor Tiles Before Cleaning Twickenham

Cleaning Encaustic Cement Tile and Grout

Now we normally recommend using diamond encrusted burnishing pads when renovating Encaustic Cement tiles however in this case the face of the tiles were not too bad and it was really the grout that needed the most attention. So, to cut the cost for customer, I advised a straightforward alkaline scrub clean and seal.

To clean the tile and grout I sprayed the floor with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and left it to soak into the dirt for ten minutes. Space in the bathroom was quite tight so instead of using a mechanical floor scrubber I scrubbed the tile and grout by hand working the alkaline cleaning solution into the pores to release the grout in dirt.

After scrubbing the floor was rinsed with a little water and the soil removed with a wet vacuum. Afterwards the floor was inspected, and any stubborn areas retreated with repeat of the process. After a final rinse, the floor was dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum.

Sealing Encaustic Cement Tiles

Fortunately, the weather has been amazing of late and so it did not take long for the floor to dry, being a small space and a little encouragement from a heat gun always helps. Removing excess moisture before sealing is essential as even a small amount can cloud the sealer resulting in an uneven appearance.

Once satisfied that the floor was dry, I proceeded to seal it by applying a couple two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow across the Encaustic tile and grout. As an impregnating sealer Colour Grow penetrates the pores of the cement occupying the space and thus prevent any dirt from becoming ingrained there. Colour Grow’s colour intensifying properties also helped to deepen the black colour of the tile enhancing the contrast between the tiles and grout.

Encaustic Cement Bathroom Floor Tiles After Cleaning Twickenham Encaustic Cement Bathroom Floor Tiles After Cleaning Twickenham

Now the floor has been properly sealed it will be far easier for the customer to keep them clean in future. For maximum longevity of the sealer I recommend maintenance cleaning with Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner. Don’t be tempted to use supermarket cleaning products without reading the label first, many are simply too strong for cleaning sealed surfaces and will strip off the sealer prematurely leaving the tiles unprotected.

 

Professional Cleaning and Sealing of Encaustic Cement Tile and Grout in Middlesex

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Wood Effect Porcelain Tiled Floor Before and After Grout Removal Hampton

Post Installation Clean of Wood Effect Porcelain Tiles in Middlesex Hampton

This kitchen floor at a property in Hampton may look like it is made from wood but is in-fact Porcelain tile in a very convincing wood effect. The tiled floor had been laid well but had not been cleaned off properly afterwards by the tilers. This is a common problem with tile installations and what should happen is the excess grout is polished off the tiles before it sets hard on the surface, a problem we call Grout Haze. This is especially important where the tile has a textured finish which can trap the grout much more easily and this was the case with these wooden plank effect Porcelain tiles. The grout also increased the textured nature of the surface, so it attracted dirt more easily and after a while the customer was finding it impossible to get the floor looking clean.

Wood Effect Porcelain Floor Before Deep Cleaning Hampton Wood Effect Porcelain Floor Before Deep Cleaning Hampton

The kitchen had been newly installed, and the state of the tiles were dragging down the overall appearance of the room. Naturally, the owner was not happy and called us in to rectify the situation. The property is in Hampton which is a suburban area on the north bank of the River Thames, it is situated in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which includes the historic Hampton Court Palace, once the home of Henry VIII.

Removing Grout Haze from a Wood Effect Porcelain Tiled Floor

This work actually took place earlier in the year and after visiting the property to survey the floor it wasn’t long before I was able to return and give the floor a deep clean. I got to work preparing the area first by taping the plinths and woodwork to prevent any damage to them.

Next, I tackled the grout haze by giving the floor a wash and scrub in Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. This product is designed for removing grout haze or grout smears as its sometimes referred to. The kitchen area was a little tight for a rotary floor scrubbing machine, so I decided to tackle the problem by scrubbing each tile by hand. The method I used was to apply a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up to the tiles and leave it for about ten minutes before scrubbing it in. Once done the floor was rinsed with water and the now released grout haze and dirt is extracted using a wet vacuum. Whilst this was a more time-consuming method than using the rotary machine the overall result was the same.

With the grout haze removed the kitchen now looks stunning as was intended and our client should find the floor much easier to maintain going forward. Most Porcelain tiles are glazed at the factory and so in this case there was no need to apply a sealant to protect them and so the job was completed in a day.

Wood Effect Porcelain Floor After Deep Cleaning Hampton Wood Effect Porcelain Floor After Deep Cleaning Hampton

For aftercare I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to ensure the floor was kept in great condition. It won’t leave any residue like some household cleaners and will ensure the Porcelain tiles are maintained and continue to look this great.

 

Wood Effect Porcelain Tile Cleaning in Middlesex

Post Installation Clean of Wood Effect Porcelain Tiles in Middlesex Hampton Read More »

Slate Tiled Patio Before After Renovation Brentford

Renovation of Slate Tiled Patio in Brentford

This Slate patio that had been installed at a property in Brentford one year prior to our visit last year. It had not been sealed after installation and as you can see from the pictures it was now looking very tired after a very short period. Additionally, the pointing had not been cleaned off the slate entirely leaving a haze over the stone which detracted from its appearance.

Slate Patio Before Renovation Brentford

I explained the process to tackle the grout haze, clean the Slate then finally seal it. I worked out a quote which was accepted, and a date scheduled for my return to complete the work which would take a couple of days.

Cleaning a Slate Tiled Patio in Brentford

My first task was to sweep up all the detritus that typically builds up on a patio, especially grit and small stones which can get caught in the cleaning pads and scratch the surface of the stone.

Once that was done it was time to tackle the grout haze. This was done by applying Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up to the slate and scrubbing it in with a heavy-duty scrubbing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. This product is specifically designed to remove excess grout and cement from the surface of tile and contains concentrated phosphoric acid. You need to be very careful with the use of acids on stone as it can cause surface etching if left on too long. In addition, I wouldn’t recommend the use of the brick acid products you typically find in DIY stores which are stronger and are likely to cause damage.

Once satisfied all the soil and haze had been released from the stone the patio was rinsed off with water and the soil extracted away with a wet vacuum.

Slate Patio During Renovation Brentford

The next step was to seal the stone however it would need to be dry before that could happen. Fortunately, I had managed to find a couple of days where the weather was unseasonably warm and for once it hadn’t rained for a while. So, the next day I was able to return and apply a sealer to help protect the patio.

Sealing a Slate Tiled Patio Floor

I used Tile Doctor Colour Grow for this, it’s an impregnating sealer that works by occupying the pores in the stone which would otherwise become occupied by dirt. Tile Doctor Colour Grow is also rated for external as well as internal use and enhances the dark tones in the Slate. Additionally, It should cope well with the weather in this part of the UK as long as we don’t see a really severe drop in temperatures over the winter.

Two coats of Colour Grow were applied to the slate which restored the floor to a nice dark charcoal colour. The client was extremely pleased with the outcome and were keen to recommend us to their friends.

Slate Patio After Renovation Brentford

For aftercare the Patio should be regularly hosed down to keep the grit and debris from accumulating and for cleaning I recommended using Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a pH neutral product which is safe to use on sealed Stone.

 

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Travertine Tile Grout Before After Cleaning Sunbury-on-Thames

Professional clean of a Travertine Tiled floor in Sunbury-on-Thames

This client got in touch about cleaning their Travertine Tiled floor which they were struggling to get clean. They had been using all the usual household floor cleaners, but nothing was having the desired effect. The property was in the lovely village of Sunbury On Thames within the borough of Spelthorne. I’m based in nearby Shepperton and so it wasn’t long before I was able to pop over and take a look at the problematic floor.

Travertine Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Sunbury-on-Thames

It turns out the Travertine floor which was installed throughout the hallway and kitchen had not been professionally cleaned since its’ installation twelve years prior. As you can see from the pictures, the old sealer that was protecting the Travertine had long since worn off and this in turn had allowed soils and spillages to penetrate deep into the pores of the stone and grout. The sealers demise may have been accelerated with the use of overly strong cleaning products but given it not been professionally cleaned for twelve years it was well overdue a deep clean and reseal.

I discussed with the client what we could do to clean the floor and demonstrated my proposed cleaning process on part of the floor. They were very satisfied with the demonstration and were happy to go ahead with my quote. The work would take two days to complete, one day for cleaning and a second day for sealing.

Travertine Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Sunbury-on-Thames

Deep Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Floor in Sunbury-on-Thames

Working in sections I started by spraying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean on the floor and left if to soak in while I set up a floor buffing machine with a black scrubbing pad. After about ten minutes I ran the buffing machine over the working area, the machine was set to run at slow speed to reduce splashing. This action broke down the soils and helped lift the marks and stains out of the stone.

Tile Doctor Pro-Clean is a concentrated, multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner, stripper and degreaser. The strong dilution of one-part cleaner to two parts water would ensure it would clean the floor and strip off any old sealers present on the tiles. Once the Travertine had been cleaned in this way, I ran a narrow brush along the grout lines to ensure they were also scrubbed clean.

Travertine Tiled Floor During Cleaning Sunbury-on-Thames

After scrubbing a low-pressure rinsing machine was used to rinse the floor with water and extract all the dirt and cleaning products off the floor. After a final inspection the floor was then left to dry out overnight to leave the stone ready to receive a new seal the following day.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor in Sunbury-on-Thames

I returned the next morning and tested the floor with a moisture meter to ensure the Travertine was dry. The results were good, so we set about applying two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing sealer that soaks into the pores of the stone thus preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. The sealer really brought put the contrast back into the stone by enhancing the colour whilst giving it the protection it needed to prevent future spillages staining the tiles.

Travertine Tiled Floor After Cleaning Sunbury-on-Thames

The client was very happy with the result, the finished floor looked much lighter and 100% cleaner, the beauty of the natural stone was really apparent, and the grout which was once dark and was now white again.

For aftercare I recommended they avoid purchasing supermarket floor cleaners, the majority of which are too strong for sealed stone and let them with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This is a pH neutral solution that will not prematurely erode the sealer and is highly concentrated, so a small bottle lasts a long time.

Travertine Tiled Floor After Cleaning Sunbury-on-Thames

 

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Victorian Encaustic Cement Floor Tiles Before After Renovation Twickenham

Neglected Victorian Encaustic Cement Hallway Renovated in Twickenham

This Encaustic Cement tiled floor dates to the Victorian period and was found under hallway carpet at a property in Twickenham. The tiles had been covered up for years with carpet and other floor coverings and although structurally intact their appearance had suffered from the neglect.

When the current owners discovered the pattered tiled floor, they were keen to restore it as a period feature, so they set about cleaning the tiles themselves. Unfortunately, they used some very harsh acidic products which badly pitted and etched the surface of the tile. In places, the tile pattern had started to disappear so when they got in contact, they were quite concerned.

Victorian Encaustic Cement Hallway Tiles Before Renovation Twickenham

Being based in Shepperton it wasn’t long before I was able to call in at the property to survey the Encaustic Cement tiles and quote for renovating the floor. The property was in a road with similar age properties, a lot still with lovely tiled Victorian porches and paths in fact we had carried out some work in the same street previously.

We advised the customer that the best course of action would be to deep clean the tiles to remove the years of ingrained dirt and then apply a sealer in order to protect the pores of the Encaustic Cement tiles from trapping ingrained dirt.

Victorian Encaustic Cement Hallway Tiles Before Renovation Twickenham

Now normally I would clean Encaustic Cement tiles with a set of burnishing pads and then seal with an impregnator like Tile Doctor Colour Grow. However, due to the damage caused by the DIY restoration I didn’t want to risk an abrasive cleaning process such as Burnishing on the tiles. After discussing the options, I recommend the best approach would be to deep clean the tiles with Tile Doctor Pro Clean which I was confident would improve their appearance. I would then seal the tiles to protect them from future damage whilst making the patterns much brighter and defined. We agreed a price and scheduled a date to start the work.

Deep Cleaning Victorian Encaustic Cement Tiles

Arriving on day one I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, this is a strong alkaline cleaner that is safe to use on Tile and Stone. It was left to dwell for roughly ten minutes so it could soak into the pores of the cement tile and breakdown the ingrained dirt. I then ran over the tiles with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer running at slow speed. This action released the dirt from the floor turning the cleaning solution into a slurry that was then extracted from the floor using a wet vacuum. The floor was then rinsed with water, then extracted again to remove remaining dirt.

Once the whole floor had been treated, I repeated the process for a second time to ensure all the dirt had been removed. After the second rinse the floor looked much better and was left overnight to dry off.

Sealing a Victorian Encaustic Cement Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning the following day, I checked the floor for excess moisture and was pleased to find everything was nice and dry. It’s important that the floor is dry before applying a sealer, so I was able to set about sealing the floor. Multiple thin coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go we applied which adds a lovely subtle sheen to the tiles. Five coats were applied allowing the tile to dry in between.

Victorian Encaustic Cement Hallway Tiles After Renovation Twickenham

As you can see from the pictures, the deep clean and fresh sealer has brought out the best in the floor and given it a new lease of life. The sealer should last for a good few years and there is very little evidence of the damage done previously. Needless to say, the client was very happy and much relieved.

Victorian Encaustic Cement Hallway Tiles After Renovation Twickenham

 

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Limestone Tiled Hallway Floor Renovated in Shepperton

Limestone Kitchen Floor Tile Clean and Seal in Shepperton

This Limestone kitchen floor in Shepperton was laid new 3 years ago when a new kitchen was installed. The client had called in despair as the floor was just not looking its’ best and they were trying hard to get it clean, using household cleaners which were having no effect. I’m actually based in Shepperton, so it wasn’t long before I was able to pop round and survey the floor. The town has a lot of history and is famous for nearby Shepperton Studios which were built on the grounds of Littleton Park, many famous films have been created here including Attenborough’s Gandhi (1982) and David Lean’s A Passage to India (1984).

Limestone Kitchen Floor Before Clean and Seal Shepperton

As you can see from the pictures, the soil had penetrated the stone as the sealer had broken down over time. The grout lines were particularly bad but also, the small veins and pores had accumulated dirt, mainly due to pets and kids coming in from the garden. It’s worth noting that the use of supermarket cleaning products will have escalated the decline of the sealer, most are simply too strong for sealed surfaces and you should always read the label to ensure its suitable before using it on your floor.

Limestone Kitchen Floor Before Clean and Seal Shepperton Limestone Kitchen Floor Before Clean and Seal Shepperton

This problem is quite common, and the solution is straight forward. Restoring the look of the floor requires removing the soiling with a deep clean and then when the floor is dry apply a new sealer to protect it. I talked the process over with the customer and agreed a quotation for completing the work which was accepted and arranged a convenient date. The work would be carried out over two days.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

A strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was sprayed on to the floor and after leaving it to soak in for about ten minutes, we mechanically scrubbed the solution into the Limestone using a rotary floor buffer fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The pads can struggle to reach into the recessed grout however to that was manually scrubbed using more Pro-Clean. This process broke down the soil and released it from the stone and grout. Following this, we used a low-pressure rinsing machine and vacuumed all the soil and remaining cleaning product away from the floor.

Whilst I was working on the floor, I got the shock of my life as a bird hit the kitchen window resulting in a loud bang. I rushed outside to find a beautiful Green Woodpecker lying dazed on the floor, the poor thing had knocked itself unconscious. I put him in a cardboard box until he eventually recovered and flew off. I guess being able to drill into trees makes Woodpeckers tough birds who can withstand a knock or two. In this job no two days are the same, you never know what’s going to happen!

Shepperton Woodpecker

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

After allowing 24 hours for the floor to dry, we returned the following morning to apply a new seal. The best sealer for this type of stone is Tile Doctor Colour Grow. It is a colour enhancing impregnator that soaks into the pores of the stone protecting it from within whilst enhancing the natural colours in the process. Impregnating sealers work by occupying the pores in the stone thus preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there.

Limestone Kitchen Floor Before Clean and Seal Shepperton

The client was delighted with the floor which now looked cleaner and fresher. We had managed to restore it back to it looking as it did when it was new, and the new sealer will keep it looking that way for some time to come.

Limestone Kitchen Floor After Clean and Seal Shepperton Limestone Kitchen Floor After Clean and Seal Shepperton

For a free, no obligation quote for cleaning and sealing your stone or tiled floors in Shepperton, Middlesex, please call us on 0345 512 0122

 

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Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor Before and After Cleaning Twickenham

Cream Porcelain Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned in a Twickenham Kitchen

The owner of this Porcelain tiled Kitchen floor in Twickenham was struggling to keep it clean and it was now in need of a deep clean. Twickenham famous for being the home of Rugby Union is only 9 miles away from my base in Shepperton, so it wasn’t long before I was able to pop over and survey the floor.

Porcelain Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Twickenham Porcelain Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Twickenham

The tiles were a little grubby, but it was the grout that was most affected; its hard to believe but the now black grout was originally cream in colour and chosen to match to tile. Having visited the client, we discussed what needed to be done to get the floor looking back up to scratch and looking clean again. We agreed a price for the work to be carried out the following week.

Although this wasn’t the case its worth knowing that some types of Porcelain tile on the market today are Micro-Porous and contain small holes in the tile. These tiles need to be sealed to prevent dirt becoming ingrained as this can be very difficult to remove with a mop. Incidentally on the topic of mops I have noticed clients tend to rinse their mop in the same bucket containing the detergent. This results in the detergent being contaminated with dirt and being put back on the floor. If you are going to use this method to clean your floor it is best to have two buckets, one containing your detergent and the second where you rinse your mop.

Deep Cleaning a Porcelain Tile and Grout

To get the tiles clean I used a heavy-duty rotary buffer fitted with a black scrubbing pad and ran that over the floor along with a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. Tile Doctor Pro-Clean is a versatile tile and grout cleaning product designed for this purpose, so it wasn’t long before the solution went dark as the dirt was released from the tile. The now soiled cleaning solution was then extracted from the tiles using a wet vacuum.

Porcelain Tiled Floor During Cleaning Twickenham

To get the grout lines really clean they had to be hand scrubbed using more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a hand-held scrubbing brush. The rotary pads struggle to get into the recesses of the grout lines, so this really is the best method and I find you get a better finish with this extra effort.

After sufficient scrubbing, we were satisfied that all of the soil was broken up, we then machine flushed and vacuumed the cleaning product and dirt away from the floor. As these tiles are factory sealed there is no need to apply a sealant.

One hour later, the floor was ready to be used again.

Porcelain Tiled Floor After Cleaning Twickenham Porcelain Tiled Floor After Cleaning Twickenham

 

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Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before After Cleaning Shepperton

Dirty Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Shepperton

This dirty Travertine tiled kitchen floor was installed at a house in the village of Shepperton in the borough of Spelthorne and most famous for the TV studios nearby. The Travertine tile had not been deep cleaned and sealed since installation, eight years prior and if you have been following my blog you will have probably guessed correctly that the protective sealer had worn off and dirt was now becoming trapped in the pores of the stone making it difficult to clean effectively.

The customer asked us to visit and discuss what their options were, they had been trying to clean and maintain the floor using every day household products. It just wouldn’t clean up and they felt it just looked dirty all the time. Sealers rarely last eight years on a stone floor and in this case the use of strong supermarket cleaning products had probably accelerated its demise.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Shepperton Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Shepperton

As you can see from the pictures the dirt and cooking grease had penetrated the stone and made it look really dirty. I talked them through the process and what could be done and completed a small cleaning demonstration which worked well. We agreed a price for the work and a mutually convenient date to complete the work for them, it would take two days.

Deep Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned on the agreed date and started by cleaning process by pre-spraying the Travertine tile and grout with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This product is a multi-purpose stripper formulated to remove most sealers and coatings from Tile and Stone. It works best when left to dwell for ten minutes before being scrubbed in and in this instance my aim was to break down the cooking greases and any remaining sealant that was left in the stone. To scrub the solution into the floor I used a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor machine.

To the floor pads can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout so for that I apply a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and manually scrub it into the grout lines using a stiff grout brush. This alkaline chemical gives a deeper clean, getting to the deep-rooted dirt, it breaks it all down and leaves just the soil ready to be rinsed away.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Shepperton Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Shepperton

To remove the soil created by the cleaning process I use a spinner tool operating at low pressure. This is a clever piece of machinery that forces hot water onto the floor whilst simultaneously removing it along with the residue using a vacuum. It leaves the floor clean of the dirt released from the pores of the stone during the cleaning process and relatively dry. The floor needs to be dry before sealing so it was left to dry off fully overnight.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

The next day I tested the floor with a damp meter to ensure it was dry and the results confirmed we were able to proceed. To seal the floor two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow were applied allowing the first coat to dry before applying the second. This product is an impregnator that seeps into the pores of the stone occupying the pores and protecting the floor from within. As well as protecting the Travertine from stains from spillages and day to day soiling this product also enhances the natural brown colours in the Travertine improving its appearance.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Shepperton Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Shepperton

Once the second coat had dried the floor looked much cleaner and fresher and the client was over the moon with the results. We discussed aftercare and I suggested they use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, it’s a pH neutral formula that will not prematurely degrade the sealer maximising the length of protection that it gives. If they were to continue using the household cleaners many of which are acid based, they would find the newly applied sealer is slowly stripped off the floor leaving the stone unprotected and they will be back to square one.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Shepperton Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Shepperton

 

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Limestone Tiled Hallway Floor Before After Cleaning Twickenham

Unpolished Limestone Hallway Deep Cleaned in Twickenham

These unpolished Limestone tiles were installed in the hallway of a property in Twickenham, Middlesex. The stone had not been cleaned or sealed for six years and being the main entrance to the house it was subject to a lot of foot traffic which had taken its toll on the stone over the years. As you can see from the photos, dirt was ingrained in the stone which happens when the protective sealer wears off with use. They had chosen to cover the floor with some rugs to improve the appearance and make the hall more inviting and as you can see especially where the rugs had been protecting the Limestone there was a visible difference in colour.

Limestone Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Twickenham

Twickenham is a suburb of London and of course most famous for being the home of Rugby Union in England and a short distance from by base in Shepperton so it wasn’t long before I was able to pop in and survey the floor.

Limestone Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Twickenham Limestone Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Twickenham

I discussed with the client what could be done to clean the floor and demonstrated the products and technique I would use on a test patch. They were suitably impressed, and we agreed a price for the work and booked a time to complete the job. The job was scheduled for two days, one day to clean and the second to seal the floor.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Hallway Floor

To start with, we pre-sprayed the tiles with Tile Doctor Remove and Go and left it to soak in for ten minutes, this allows the product to break down any remaining sealant and greasy soils. Then we machine scrubbed the floor with our rotary cleaner fitted with a black scrubbing pad lubricated with another Tile Doctor product, Pro-Clean. This strong alkaline chemical breaks down the dirt and leaves it ready to be rinsed away.

The grout lines were also cleaned using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean but not with a machine as the pad struggles to reach down into the grout lines, so it was scrubbed by hand to give the best result.

Following the clean, we low pressure rinsed the floor with water and vacuumed all the residue away, leaving the floor ready for sealing. The Limestone tiles and grout looked much better already after cleaning and it was left to dry overnight.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning to the property the next day our first action was to check the moisture levels in the floor with a damp meter. All was well so we to apply three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This is an impregnating sealer that protects the stone from within by occupying the pores in the stone, so dirt can’t become lodged there. The sealer will make the floor much easier to keep clean in future and as the name of the product suggests it also enhances the natural colours in the tile.

For the aftercare of unpolished Limestone, I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is designed for the cleaning of sealed Tile and Stone. If using a different product always read the label first as many cleaners are too strong for use on sealed surfaces and will strip off the sealer over time.

Limestone Tiled Hallway After Cleaning Twickenham

The client was very happy with the result and felt they could now keep on top of keeping it clean and looking fresh moving forward. They could now remove the rugs too! If you require a free quotation to clean and seal your stone floors do get in touch.

Limestone Tiled Hallway After Cleaning Twickenham

 

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Slate Tiled Floor Before and After Renovation Hampton

Black Slate Tiled Floor Stained by Decorators in Hampton

It’s surprising how often I get asked to look at tiled floors stained with paint and other chemicals because of careless decorating work. Such was the reason that I was asked to renovate this Slate tiled floor that had been installed in the garden room of a house in Hampton, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. On this occasion the customers decorators had not covered the floor properly prior to painting which led to spots of paint and a white haze in places where they had tried and failed to rub the emulsion off the stone floor.

Slate Tiled Floor Hampton Before Cleaning

I went over to take a look and could see that the floor would benefit from been given a thorough clean, spot treating the decorating issues in the process and then given a fresh coat of sealer to protect the floor going forward and bring out the character of the stone. Having given the customer a quote which was accepted we agreed a date for me to return and given the floor a new lease of life.

Slate Tiled Floor Hampton Before Cleaning

Cleaning a Dirty Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

The correct way to restore a floor such as this is to first strip off any existing coatings such as old sealers and take the tile back to its original condition. To do this I sprayed on a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and left to dwell and soak into the old sealer and paint stains. Remove and Go is a stripper that as its name suggests is designed to be used on Tile, Stone and Grout. After ten minutes the product was worked into the slate tile and grout using a heavy duty rotary scrubbing machine. To help with the cleaning process, we also sprayed on Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is our go to Tile and Grout cleaning product.

The solution soon turned into a slurry as the dirt, old sealers and stains were lifted out of the pores of the slate. To remove the soil the floor was rinsed with water and then extracted from the floor using a wet vacuum.

The floor was then inspected, and stubborn stains spot treated until I was happy with the condition of the tile and grout. The floor was given a final rinse to remove any trace of cleaning products and then dried as much as possible using the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

I left the floor overnight to dry completely following the cleaning and returned the next day to finish the renovation. After testing for damp to ensure the floor was dry, two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow were applied to fully seal the floor. Colour Grow is a colour enhancing sealer that penetrates int the pores of the stone to protect it from within. It worked really well on the Black Slate and restored the contrast in the tile while giving it the deep black look that the customer was expecting. The fresh sealer has the added benefit of making the floor easier to clean in the future

Slate Tiled Floor Hampton During Sealing

The floor now looks completely revived and the sealer will help keep it looking that way for some time to come.

Slate Tiled Floor Hampton After Cleaning

 
 

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Limestone Kitchen Floor Before and After Cleaning and Sealing in Twickenham

Limestone Kitchen Floor Cleaning and Sealing in Twickenham

This Limestone tiled floor in Twickenham, Middlesex had only been laid eighteen month earlier. However, due to an in-effectual seal on the floor, the soil had accumulated and embedded into the pores of the stone. Limestone like many types of natural stone is a very porous stone and it doesn’t take much for the dirt to build up and start to discolour the floor.

Limestone Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Twickenham

The tile had been laid through out the Kitchen and adjacent dinning area and the solution was quite straight forward and simply required and a good clean and re-seal as detailed below.

Cleaning Limestone Tiles

We started with an application of a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was sprayed onto the floor and allowed to dwell for five to ten minutes. Following this, we used a heavy duty floor scrubbing machine in order to break the soil away and existing sealer from the stone.

Once we were happy that the soil and sealer had been dislodged, we then removed all of the chemical and soil via our extraction machine. This applies pressured water onto the stone whilst vacuuming all of the waste away, leaving the floor as clean and fresh as it could possibly be.

Sealing Limestone Tiles

After allowing the floor to dry out overnight, we returned the next morning to apply the seal. Two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer were applied to give the best protection possible. Colour Grow penetrates into the pores of the stone protecting it from within whilst also enhancing its natural colours and contrast.

Limestone Tiled Floor After Cleaning Twickenham

Once done the floor looked like it had just been laid and the customer was extremely happy with the end result.

Limestone Tiled Floor After Cleaning Twickenham

 
 

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Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning in Twickenham

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored back to Health in Twickenham

Apologies in advance but I forgot to take the usual before photograph of this Victorian tiled hallway in Twickenham that I worked on recently. It’s a shame really as it was certainly in need of a good clean and re-seal after years of inadequate maintenance and I’m sure a photo would have helped.

Victorian tiles are porous and do need a sealer to stop dirt becoming ingrained, as once that happens they can be difficult to clean and a Hallway is an especially high traffic area that will see a lot of dirt being tramped in. That activity also wears down the sealer over time so it’s important to keep it topped up.

Cleaning Victorian Tiles

On these tiles, we used a 50:50 combination of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed with Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This combination of products works very well to break down old sealers and also to clean the general soil away from the tile. As usual it was left to soak into the tiles for ten minutes before using a heavy duty scrubbing machine to scrub the floor clean. This achieved a good result and the soil and products were then flushed away using our special flushing tool which fires a jet of water onto the tile whilst vacuuming at the same time (no mess!) to an external tank.

Sealing Victorian Tiles

After allowing the tiles to dry off overnight with some heating on, the floor was ready to accept a new seal the next day. Our customer decided to have a sheen finish so we opted to apply Tile Doctor Seal and Go. These tiles are very porous and so need seven coats to be applied to the floor before it was completely sealed.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning in Twickenham

Apologies again for not taking a before photo so you can compare the difference however hopefully you can see how health the floor looks following the deep cleaning and application of a fresh sealer which will ensure future maintenance is a lot easier for the customer.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning in Twickenham

 
 

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Porcelain and Grout After Cleaning

Porcelain Tile and Grout Clean in Teddington

This Porcelain hallway and kitchen floor in Teddington, Middlesex, had extensive soiling in the grout lines and some staining on some of the Porcelain tiles from drink spillages. Porcelain is very robust material but like any surface the sooner you clean-up a spillage the less staining you are likely to experience.

Porcelain Tile and Grout Before Cleaning

Cleaning Porcelain Tile and Grout

To clean the tile and grout I applied a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which is an effective Tile and Grout cleaner, with a mop and left it to soak in for a while before working it into the floor using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and a stiff brush along the grout lines. The soiled cleaning solution was removed using a wet vacuum and rinsed down with clean water. This process was repeated until I was satisfied the tile and grout was clean.

I then waited for the floor to dry before applying a coat of Tile Doctor Grout Sealer to the grout lines in order to help make future maintenance easier, this type of Porcelain did not need sealing so only the grout would benefit from this preventative measure. The process is very straightforward and can be sprayed onto the grout line wiping off the excess from the adjacent tile within a few minutes.

Porcelain and Grout After Cleaning
I think you will agree from the photographs that the grout which was very prominent has now almost disappeared restoring the floor to its original appearance.

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Slate Shower After Cleaning

Cleaning a Slate Wet Room in Richmond

This bathroom in Richmond, Surrey was tiled in Slate on the walls and floor to create a wet room effect. Overtime the old sealer had perished allowing soiling and shower products to stain tile and grout there was also evidence of heavy Limescale deposits.

Slate Wet Room Before Cleaning

Cleaning the Slate Tiled Floor

We decided to give the tile and grout a deep cleaning using a strong mixture of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean combined 50/50 with Nanotech Ultra Clean to make it more effective. To get the cleaning solution to stick to the wall tile and grout it was decanted into a spray bottle and sprayed on to the tile, this combines it with air making it lighter and allowing it to dwell on the vertical surface.

The solution was then worked into the Slate tile and grout by hand using a stiff scrubbing brush and then washed off using clean water, this process had to be repeated a number of times until we were happy that the tile and the grout were clean again. Pro-Clean is also an effective sealer stripper so will have removed any remaining sealer from the surface, this is important as the new sealer may not have been compatible with the old.

There were a number of areas that had stubborn Limescale deposits so we treated them with Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a very strong product that as the name suggests will pretty much remove anything but is safe to use on Tile and Grout. Once this process was complete the whole area was given a thorough wash down with water a number of times to remove any remaining chemical and neutralise the surface ready for sealing.

Sealing Indian Slate Tiles

We left the floor to dry off overnight and came back the next day to re-seal the tile and grout. We choose to do this with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that will sit in the pores of the tile and grout rather than on the surface and help protect it for longer, it’s also a great product to use on natural stone such as Slate as it really brings out the natural colours in the stone.

Slate Shower After Cleaning
Certainly my customer was pleased with the results and left the following message:

Jon was friendly and professional, working to a very high standard and keeping me well informed throughout the process.

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Twickenham Victorian Floor After

Victorian Tiled Floor Maintained in Shepperton, Middlesex

Details below of a Victorian tiled floor we did recently in in St Margaret’s, Shepperton. The floor had not been maintained for a while and was in need of a mechanical scrub clean and a new seal, building and renovations have been on-going for some time and so in some areas there was a lot of ground in dust and soil.

Cleaning Victorian Tiles

We set about cleaning the floor using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was applied with a mop and left it to dwell on the floor for five minutes in order to give it chance to soak into the tile and get to work on the dirt. The solution was then worked into the floor with the use of a rotary scrubbing machine fitted with a scrubbing pad. The soiled residue was then vacuumed away and the floor was rinsed through, the process was then repeated until we were happy with the overall condition of the tiles.

Twickenham Victorian Floor Before

Sealing Victorian Tiles

Due to moisture being held in the substrate we had to allow seven days for the floor to dry and tests were performed with a damp meter to ensure the floor was ready to accept a sealer. Four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go were then applied which is a recommended Sealer for Victorian Tile, offering good stain protection and adding a low sheen to the surface. Sealing the floor also makes cleaning it much easier going forward, it is however a slow process as you have to let each coat dry before applying the next.

Twickenham Victorian Floor After
We can maintain all types of tile, stone and grout servicing the Twickenham and the surrounding areas so please get in touch for a free evaluation of your floor.

Maintaining Victorian Tiles in Middlesex

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Terracotta Tiles After

Terracotta Tiled Floor Maintained in Shepperton, Middlesex

This Terracotta tiled floor was laid in the kitchen of a property located in Shepperton, Middlesex. It had been laid eight years prior and had an initial sealer applied. Over the years the customer had applied polish to help maintain a shine however the sealer and polish were now in a bad state and holding onto dirt. You can see this in the photographs below which show the tiles looking quite dull and the grout grey.

Terracotta Tiles Before Terracotta Tiles Before

Cleaning Terracotta Tiles

I started the job using a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which is a heavy duty alkaline product ideal for cleaning natural products such as Terracotta and stripping off old sealers and polish, this was scrubbed in with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. We repeated the process a couple of times and also used a stiff hand brushes along the grout lines where the pads can often struggle to reach. Once happy the floor was clean it was given a thorough rinse to remove any remaining chemical and left it to dry.

Sealing Terracotta Tile

We left the floor to dry for 48 hours and then returned to re-seal it. Tile Doctor Seal and Go was used to seal the floor, it’s a topical water based sealer that doesn’t give off an odour when it’s drying and also offers durable stain protection together with a low sheen finish which really enhances the natural colour of the tile. Terracotta is very porous and in the end the floor actually took six coats of sealer before it was fully sealed. Applying a sealer does take a long time to apply as you have to wait for it to dry before applying the next coat.

Terracotta Tiles After Terracotta Tiles After

The work took two days in all and you can see the difference for yourself, the floor now looks much improved certainly the customer was very pleased with the end result and now has a floor that is easy to maintain for the future. I cover Shepperton and the surrounding areas so please feel free to contact me.

Kitchen Terracotta Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Middlesex

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