Oxshott

Travertine Tiled Shower Before After Reburb Oxshott

Mouldy Travertine Tiled Shower Cubicle Refurbished in Oxshott

I received a call from a customer in Oxshott regarding a Travertine Tiled Shower Cubicle which was grubby and needed refurbishing. As it turns out his wife was about to give birth to their first child and he wanted the bathroom shower cubicle cleaned asap.

Travertine Shower Cubicle Tiles Before Refurbishment Oxshott

The tiles were Travertine and apart from the usual staining from soaps etc I didn’t expect they would present too much trouble; however, the Grout was stained with dirt and mold and I could see this is where the focus would need to be.

Travertine Shower Cubicle Tiles Before Refurbishment Oxshott

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Shower Cubicle

Focusing on the grout lines first I decided to apply a Tile and Grout cleaning product called Tile Doctor Duo Clean which comes with spray head for easy application. The spray mixes the solution with air making it lighter and sticks to the tiles more easily, it’s also good at breaking down mold.

With the dirt beginning to become loose and lifted out of the pores of the grout the next step was to apply a gel-based cleaner called Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel. Being a gel, it really sticks well to vertical surfaces allowing it to have a longer dwell time. Next step was to work the cleaning agents into the grout lines even further with a wire brush. After cleaning the dirt was rinsed off with water and the soiling removed with a wet vacuum.

The next step was to remove all the existing silicone mastic with a sharp knife from around the shower tray and along the verticals. Once mold gets a grip on the mastic sealant it’s very difficult to remove so easier to replace. Once all the rubbish was swept out, I dried any remaining dampness from the grout and tiles with a heat gun.

Travertine Shower Cubicle Tiles During Refurbishment Oxshott

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Shower Cubicle

The next step was to seal the Travertine tiles, they do have to be dry for that however it was such a small area I was able to speed up the drying process and it wasn’t long before I was able to start the application. For Travertine I like to use a sealer called Tile Doctor Colour Grow, as its name suggests it contains a colour enhancing formula which brings out the natural brown colours in the stone. Its also fully breathable and works by seeping into the pores of the stone protecting it from within.

Whilst waiting for the sealer to dry I also cleaned up the shower glass and replaced the mastic sealant I had stripped out after cleaning with an anti-mold product that should help prevent the problem in future.

Travertine Shower Cubicle Tiles After Refurbishment Oxshott

Before leaving I discussed the mold problem with my customer explaining that the best solution to that problem though is to increase ventilation as it thrives in humid conditions; other things you can do include leaving a window and door open afterwards to improve cross ventilation and you can also run cold water through the shower afterwards. With a sealed stone shower, you also must be careful what product you use to clean the tiles with afterwards, never use acidic products like limescale remover or bleach that can etch the stone. We recommend using Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro which is a mild but effective cleaner that can be applied after showering.

 

Travertine Tiled Shower Cubicle Cleaning and Grout Recolouring in Surrey

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Slate Tiled Shower Before and After Renovation Oxshott

Removing Limescale from Slate Shower Tiles in Oxshott

In the south east of England, we suffer from hard water which as many of you have experienced can calcify on our showers leaving white limescale staining. Without fitting a water softener this limescale causes a problem around the home, particularly when the tiles are dark.

A good example of this problem was this large dark grey slate tiled shower at a house in Oxshott where the limescale had completely ruined the look of the black slate. The problem was most evident on the slate tiles on the floor but had also stained the slate split face slate tiles on the shower wall.

Slate Tiled Bathroom Before Renovation Oxshot
Oxshott is a village in Surrey between Leatherhead and Esher, a survey in 2010 by the Daily Telegraph asserted it was “the village with most footballers” in England and mentioned other celebrities who chose to live in the village probably because Chelsea Football Club have their main training ground in nearby Stoke D’Abernon; It is a beautiful area and is no surprise it is also known as ‘the most expensive village in England’.

The wet room was not that old, but due to the limescale staining was prematurely in need of attention. We often get calls from customers where they have use supermarket products to treat hard water stains, however these products are generally acidic, and this can make the problem worse. I would recommend you always read the back of the bottle before to check it is safe to use on natural stone before applying.

After inspecting the shower, I agreed with the client the best course of action, agreed a price and booked the job in for a later date.

Limescale Stained Slate Wet Room Cleaning

I returned on the agreed date and started work by first removing the existing sealer by applying Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a multi-purpose stripper that’s formulated for use on natural stone. The product also draws out ingrained stains and removes heavy grease build-up. For best results spray the product onto the tile and then leave for it to soak in and get to work breaking down the coatings etc. After ten minutes the product is scrubbed into the stone which in this case meant by hand. The soiled solution can then be rinsed off the tiles with water. The grout was then cleaned by hand scrubbing in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean followed by more rinsing.

The final part of preparation was to remove the limescale. This was done with a small handheld diamond block and a wire brush. The block is great for smoothing down all sorts of issues and being small it can get into tight areas. I then dried the whole room with an industrial blower. Slate cannot be sealed effectively when damp as it won’t cure properly. The blower is noisy but best in this situation and is very effective when a fast dry is needed.

Sealing a Slate Tiled Bathroom in Oxshott

After lunch I checked the area was nice and dry by testing the moisture content. I then sealed the whole area, wall and floor with Tile Doctor Colour Grow. Colour Grow, is a colour intensifying sealer that provides durable surface protection as well as allowing the surface to breath and enhance colour. For this project it darkened the tiles nicely and will provide protection from staining, making them much easier for the client to maintain moving forward.

The client was very happy with the lovely result. The bathroom looked clean and fresh again, now it is just a case of trying to keep on top of the limescale.

Slate Tiled Bathroom After Renovation Oxshot
 

Limescale removed from Slate Tiled Shower Wall and Floor in West Surrey

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