Ceramic Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of Ceramic Tile and Grout Cleaning/Renovation work carried out in South Middlesex

Cleaning Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tiles are usually fully glazed and so do not have any pores that dirt can become ingrained into, because of this they are easy to clean with Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner and are generally low maintenance. Textured ceramic tiles however are one exception, they have a rough surface in order to make them less slippery and are often used around wet areas such as swimming pools. Dirt is easily trapped in the textured surface and to get these clean requires a more intensive clean ideally using a rotating scrubbing pad.

Due to their low maintenance we rarely get called to deep clean Ceramic tiles however grout is a different case. The top layer of grout is actually porous and due to it being recessed we find when they are mopped it leads to a build-up of dirt on the grout causing it to discolour. This can be resolved using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and then once clean and fully dry, seal the grout with one coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal using a pipette.

Ceramic tiles are used a lot in bathrooms and shower cubicles where again we find it’s usually the grout or silicone sealant that discolours before the tiles do. In these cases we often find the appearance can be greatly improved with the use of a Grout Colourant and replacement of the silicone.

Below you will find detailed examples of work we have carried out in the past, it should give you some idea of what’s involved and what can be achieved with the right techniques and products


Ceramic Tiled Shower Before After Renovation Shepperton

Deep Cleaning Grout in a Shepperton Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

I was contacted by a client in Shepperton about refurbishing their Ceramic tiled shower cubicle. They longed for a room that they didn’t dread going into in the mornings and were considering having a new bathroom suite fitted. Their main concern was the shower cubicle where the tile and grout were well past their best and looking rather dated.

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Before Cleaning Shepperton

I’m based in Shepperton so it wasn’t long before I was able to call in and take a look at the shower cubicle to see if it could be renovated. It turns out the shower cubicle was installed fifteen years prior and had not been professionally cleaned during that time. You can see from the adjacent photographs that the discoloured grout was the main issue which is not unusual as the top layer of grout is slightly porous and does attract dirt. Ceramic tiles on the other hand have a glazed surface which makes them very easy to keep clean

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Before Cleaning Shepperton Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Before Cleaning Shepperton

I discussed with the client what could be done, and they were delighted to hear that the problem could be remedied, and that new life could be breathed into the old bathroom. The room had a timeless black and white tiled scheme so I was confident we could get it clean and in much better shape quite quickly. They agreed my price and we booked in a time to carry the work out.

Deep Cleaning of a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

Much of the Tile Doctor cleaning product range can be used to clean-up grout but probably the most popular is Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline cleaner. This was my first thought to get the grout clean so using a decanted a strong dilution into a spray bottle and sprayed it onto the tile and grout. It was left to soak in for about ten minutes before being hand scrubbed into the tile wall. Afterwards the shower cubicle was rinsed down with water to remove the soiling and then inspected.

Whilst the Pro-Clean had removed a lot of the orange staining and accumulated dirt from both the tile and grout it had struggled to lighten up the grout lines which had darkened due to mould build-up, so more work was needed.

To resolve this, I applied another Tile Doctor product called Duo-Clean which is a fast and effective double action grout cleaner and mould remover. I used it as a spot cleaner spraying it onto the affected areas and leaving it to dwell for a few minutes before scrubbing it in. This second product handled the mould well and the grout was much cleaner and consistent.

Replacing Silicone Seal in a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

Once the cleaning was complete, I cut out the old silicone from around the base of the shower with a sharp knife. This is a job that has to be slowly done to avoid scratching the shower tray. Once the old silicone was removed, I ensured the area was then nice and dry and then replaced with a new mould resistant silicone in white to enhance the fresh new look.

Naturally after 15 years it’s impossible to get the grout back to its original colour but we certainly got very close. I could however have applied a white grout colourant at this stage, but the client was already happy with the result, so it wasn’t really necessary.

Last step was to spray the grout with aerosol Grout sealer which is very quick to apply and will protect the grout from further staining. The excess was wiped off the ceramic tiles which won’t take a sealer and the job was finished.

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle After Cleaning Shepperton

As you can see from the pictures, the transformation turned out very well and the customer was very pleased. For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro which is pH neutral tile and grout cleaner that will keep on top of future discolouration.

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle After Cleaning Shepperton Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle After Cleaning Shepperton

 

Professional Deep Clean of a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle in South Middlesex

Deep Cleaning Grout in a Shepperton Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Read More »

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South Middlesex Tile Doctor

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