Guildford Tile Cleaning Archives - West Surrey Tile Doctor

Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration Cranleigh

Cement Screed Covered Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration in Cranleigh

This Quarry tiled floor was discovered in an old cottage in the Surrey village of Cranleigh. The new owners had found the quarry tiled floor under an old carpet and wanted to have it restored as an original feature. Unfortunately, it also had a covering of concrete screed over a large percentage of it. This is a fairly common practice when laying vinyl or carpet over tiles as it ensures a completely flat surface.

Quarry Tiled Floor Before Restoration Cranleigh

From experience, I knew returning the tiles to a decent state would be possible but it’s difficult and unpleasant work. None the less I was happy to do the restoration and having visited the property to survey the floor I came up with a restoration plan that I was happy with. This evolved into a quote which the owners were happy to accept, and a date set for the work to commence.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Living Room

To remove the screed, I started with a power chisel fitted with a serrated attachment and started to carefully chip away at the screed. This is noisy and messy work, so I shut myself off from the world wearing eye protection goggles and ear defenders. Slowly the cement screed came away and was bagged up for removal.

Once I’d cleared the area of screed, a heavyweight buffing machine was introduced to the floor. Heavy iron bars were attached to the front to increase traction with the tiles and make cleaning and burnishing more effective. With the machine ready the quarry tiles were covered in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, and this was left to soak in for ten minutes.

A coarse 200-grit diamond pad was fitted to the machine and then run over the floor to work in the cleaning solution. This abrasive pad cuts into the surface of the tile to remove the years of dirt and grime. This is an aggressive, wet process but the cleaning solution captures the dirt and dust minimising the mess. Once done the floor was rinsed with water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

Attention was then directed at the grout which had to be hand scrubbed for the best results using more Pro-Clean. The whole floor was then inspected and any stubborn areas of staining were spot treated using the same process. Once I was happy with the condition of the tiles the floor was left to dry out overnight ready for sealing the next day.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Living Room

Quarry tiles don’t particularly like aggressive cleaning processes and it can cause their colour to fade, however there is little alternative when they are this bad. With this in mind, I had decided to seal them with a colour enhancing sealer called Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This product is an impregnator which works by soaking into the pores of the tile, protecting it from within and ensuring any dirt remains on the surface, it also leaves the matt finish the client had requested.

Quarry Tiled Floor After Restoration Cranleigh

Other sealers are available that offer a sheen or shiny finish however this client had a couple of dogs whose claws can damage a topical sealer, so an impregnator was the best option.

Quarry Tiled Floor After Restoration Cranleigh

I returned a month later with some reclaimed tiles to fit around the front of the fireplace
For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is ideal for the regular cleaning of sealed tiles and won’t impact the integrity of the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Floor in Surrey

Cement Screed Covered Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration in Cranleigh Read More »

Victorian Tiled 3D Geometric Patterned Floor Renovation Guildford

3D Patterned Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Renovated in Guildford

1 Comment / Guildford Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Rupert Mcloud

I’ve cleaned many interesting geometric Victorian tiled floors in my career but none so eye catching as this example at a property in Guildford which featured a beautiful 3D pattern. My client had got in touch to see if I could restore the floor back to its original, it was currently looking quite grubby but thankfully appeared to be physically intact with no loose or broken tiles.

I was confident the floor would look great with a bit of love and care and all it needed was a deep clean to extract all the ingrained dirt and then sealing. I provided a quote for the work and arranged a convenient time to complete the work for them.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Mosaic Hallway Floor

It was quite soiled to start with, so I gently sprayed Tile Doctor Pro-Clean over all the tiles, leaving the product to dwell for twenty minutes whilst keeping the tiles moist. Whilst this has happening I setup a weighted buffing machine fitted with a coarse 100-grit diamond pad. I’m able to attach three heavy iron bars to the front of this machine to add more heft to the machine; increasing the weight improves downward pressure and traction to equal a better result.

Victorian Tiled 3D Geometric Patterned Floor During Cleaning Guildford

Applied with water for lubrication the pad is run over each of the tiles in turn. This is quite an aggressive process that cuts a thin layer from the tile which is absorbed into the water turning it into a slurry and ensuring no dust is generated. Marching up and down, slowly from front to rear I slowly deep cleaned the tiles. Once I was satisfied, they were as clean as they could possible be all the waste with a wet vacuum.

The floor was then washed with hot water and then extracted with the wet vacuum again, this was done a couple of times to remove any remaining soiling. Hot water is preferable for this as it evaporates quickly.

The buffing machine doesn’t reach into the corners, so to make sure they were not missed I used handheld diamond blocks; again, rinsing the soil created away with water and extracting with the wet vacuum afterwards.

The floor was then left to dry out overnight and I asked the owners to try and avoid walking on it.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Having discussed the clients’ needs and expectations of the final finish earlier it was clear they wanted the floor to have a subtle shine to it. They had said that a matte finish was a little boring but they thought a shiny finish was a little too much, so we opted for a sheen finish. To provide this effect I had recommended Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is a fine compromise that offers a subtle shine and is tough wearing. It’s actually my personal favourite that I use on many types of tiled floor.

So, the following day I applied several coats until I was satisfied the finish was as hoped. The floor looked great and created a stunning entrance to the property. This was now more in keeping with the rest of the original features in the period property.

Victorian Tiled 3D Geometric Patterned Floor After Cleaning Sealing Guildford

My client was over the moon with the work and before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare. I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for regular cleaning; this product won’t impact the newly applied sealer. It’s also mild enough to use every day which is always a possibility in high traffic areas such as a hallway.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in West Surrey

3D Patterned Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Renovated in Guildford Read More »

Adhesive Stained Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated Ripley

Renovating a Classic Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Stained with Adhesive in Ripley

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Cobham Tile Cleaning, Guildford Tile Cleaning / Rupert Mcloud

This 1940’s Black and White Ceramic tiled floor at a property in the Surrey village of Ripley was covered in adhesive and the owner needed our help in cleaning them up. Originally, they had been covered in hideous blue tiles which the customer decided to remove to see what was underneath.

Adhesive Stained Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Ripley

They started pulling them up only to uncover a classic chessboard pattern ceramic tiled floor underneath. The blue tiles came up quite easily however the tile adhesive that was left underneath had heavily stained them and proved much too difficult to remove. Overwhelmed with the size of the task now faced and unsure how to renovate the ceramic tiles a decision was made to ask for professional help. They contacted Tile Doctor to get a quote.

I popped over to the house to have a look at the job and estimated it would only take around a day to complete the work, which would be a bit of a manual task to remove the remnants of the adhesive. They were happy to accept my quote and pleased that I was confident the floor could be restored.

Removing Adhesive from a Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor

Donning safety glasses and ear defenders my approach was to carefully remove the bulk of the adhesive with a power chisel. It took several hours to remove most of it and the rest I scraped off with sharp blades leaving some residue and dirt.

Adhesive Stained Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Ripley

To deal with the remaining adhesive I covered the tiles with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and left it to soak in. I then brought in a weighted buffer fitted with a coarse diamond pad and ran it over the tiles. This removed all the remaining adhesive and lifted out the dirt.

The resultant slurry was then rinsed off and extracted with a wet vacuum. The floor was then thoroughly rinsed with warm water then dried. Before finishing I cleaned up around the edges with a handheld diamond block.

Generally ceramic tiles don’t need sealing as they are sealed within the factory process. So, once all the adhesive was gone, the job was finished.

Adhesive Stained Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Ripley

The floor was transformed by the work, and my customer was very happy with the finish. They were pleased to see the nasty blue tiles gone and very happy to see the classic original floor restored.

Little maintenance is required for a floor like this, normal regular mopping will suffice. They can use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for this, it has a minty fresh fragrance and is mild enough to be used daily, keeping the floor in great condition.

Adhesive Stained Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Ripley

Professional Restoration of a Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor in Surrey

Renovating a Classic Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Stained with Adhesive in Ripley Read More »

Exterior Ceramic Tiled Rooftop Patio Grout Cleaning Guildford

Grout Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Rooftop Patio in Guildford

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Guildford Tile Cleaning / Rupert Mcloud

How about this for something different, a roof top patio in Guilford that was tiled with Ceramic Tiles. The work has been done some years prior and I understand from the owner that a crane was needed to bring all the materials onto site. The owner had called me in because grout had turned brown and there was what appeared to be limescale forming in some places.

Ceramic tiles by their very nature are very easy to clean however grout can be problematic due to its cementitious rough texture that can trap dirt and cause it to discolour. Ceramic tiles actually make the problem worse as their glazed coating makes them impervious and dirt washes off the tile straight into the grout line.

Exterior Ceramic Tiled Rooftop Patio Before Grout Cleaning Guildford

It was clear to me that deep cleaning the grout would improve the general appearance of the patio and after agreeing the solution with the client a date was agreed for my return to do the work which should only take a day. I needed a dry period to do the work and fortunately the weather gods were in our favour so the date worked out.

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Patio Floor

I returned on the scheduled date and set about preparing the tile and grout with strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This product is our go to tile and grout cleaning product and works best when left to soak in for ten minutes first. I then scrubbed all the grout lines by hand with a wire brush to really work the solution into the grout and get the best result. Once done the now dirty cleaning solution was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Although an improvement there were several areas that had experienced deep seated staining. I suspect the overhanging trees and other greenery were to blame for some of the staining but being outside and exposed to the British weather can also cause issues. To resolve I removed the stained grouting by running a sharp blade along the joints and a Fein oscillating tool. Once done the grout was replaced with a matching product.

Next, I removed the limescale with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up and a Stanley blade. For maximum effect the product is left to soak in for around twenty minutes first so I used this time to bring up my machinery in preparation for cleaning the tiles. I use a rotary floor cleaner fitted with a black nylon pad to remove the dirt. After vacuuming away the limescale and other detritus I cleared the area of all tools so I could seal the grout.

Sealing Grout on a Rooftop Patio

I left the patio to dry out for a few hours and then proceeded to apply the sealant for which I used Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal. We find the best method is drop the sealer along the grout line using a Pipette and then to rub off the excess later.

Exterior Ceramic Tiled Rooftop Patio After Grout Cleaning Guildford

Sealing grout this way is a slow but very effective method but it’s worth doing as it will protect the grout from future staining, allowing it to keep its appearance for longer and make it easier to clean. I often get asked how long sealers last but it’s a tricky question to answer in this case as being external it really depends on the weather.

Professional Clean of a Ceramic Tiled Rooftop Patio in Surrey

Grout Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Rooftop Patio in Guildford Read More »

300 Year Old Sandstone Flagstone Floor Renovation Pirbright Mill

Old Sandstone Flagstone Restoration at Pirbright Mill

1 Comment / Guildford Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Woking Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

The pictures of a Sandstone floor below were taken at a 300-year-old mill house in the very picturesque village of Pirbright between Woking and Guildford. My client was selling the property which was really beautiful with many original features.

300 Year Old Sandstone Flagstone Floor Before Cleaning Pirbright_Mill

During the week before my arrival, the owner had a restoration company remove the grout surrounding her Sandstone flags and had them lifted so a damp proof course could be laid beneath. The flagstones were then re-laid and regrouted, I assume this was something that had come up in a survey and needed to be rectified as a condition of the sale. I certainly didn’t envy the guy chipping away at the grout for days on end.

Unfortunately, cleaning was not part of the process and by the time I turned up the old Sandstone flagstones were looking washed out and had lost a lot of their character. I was tasked with cleaning them up and sealing them after they had been re-laid, fortunately I wouldn’t need to clean the grout which can be quite a task on old floors like these.

Normally old floors are notorious for damp issues and I usually have to take steps to neutralise efflorescent salt issues however due to the damp proofing work recently completed this would not be a problem. I was very conscious however that the flagstones were very old and so had to be handled with care. So, after running some cleaning tests in a small area behind the mill I worked out the best way forward would be to give the Sandstone a deep clean with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is an effective alkaline tile and grout cleaning product. She was happy with the testing and agreed my quote, so we were good to go ahead.

Cleaning an Old Sandstone Flagstone Floor

My method was to spray a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean onto the floor, it was left to soak in for ten minutes and then agitated with a nylon scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer. This process released the ingrained dirt from the pores of the stone which was then extracted using a wet vacuum. I inspected the stone flagstones after each scrub and repeated the process where necessary until I was satisfied the stones were as clean as they could be. Once done the floor was left to dry off ready for the next stage of applying a protective sealer.

Sealing Old Sandstone Paving Flagstones

Old buildings are often very cold and damp, so I used as little water as possible during cleaning, however Sandstone is quite porous, so I left the stone floor for three days to dry out before returning to seal.

For sealing I chose to apply Tile Doctor Colour Grow, this is a colour intensifying sealer that will add durable protection to the stone whilst enhancing the natural colours of the very old sandstone flags.

300 Year Old Sandstone Flagstone Floor After Sealing Pirbright_Mill

The client has since sold the house with the new owners benefitting from some considerable restoration. I am sure they will be very pleased to live here, I left a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to get them started.

Professional Renovation of old Sandstone Flagstone Paving in a Surrey Mill

Old Sandstone Flagstone Restoration at Pirbright Mill Read More »

Limestone Kitchen Floor Renovation Godalming

Filthy Limestone Floor Deep Cleaned in a Godalming Kitchen

1 Comment / Guildford Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

My client had recently moved into a bungalow in Godalming where they inherited the Limestone tiled kitchen floor pictured below. The previous owner had not looked after the floor very well and by the time they moved in it was pretty filthy. Limestone is a natural but porous stone where, unless sealed, attracts dirt into its tiny holes and as you would expect Cream Limestone shows the dirt easily. The protective seal had long since worn off this floor and was now ingrained with dirt it was now looking permanently dirty.

Filthy Limestone Tiled Floor Renovation Before Cleaning Godalming

Before quoting I conducted a small test clean to work out the best method to renovate the stone and this also gives the client a good idea of how the floor will look after its finished. They were delighted with the initial result and happy with my quote gave me the go ahead.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

On arrival first I helped the customer remove his tables and chairs and I then set about tapping up the plinths in the kitchen and the skirtings to protect them from cleaning solutions and equipment. The cleaning equipment I have invested in works more efficiently in open spaces, so it’s worth spending time at the beginning preparing the area first.

Next, I used a deck brush to apply a mixture of water and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to the dirtiest tiles. Tile Doctor Pro-Clean works well when left to dwell for ten minutes or so. I also applied the same product to the grout over half the room so it could get a head start breaking down the dirt. Then using a stiff brush, I scrubbed the grout clean. Once it was worked loose, I extracted the now dirty solution with a wet vacuum.

With the grout clean I turned my attention back to the tiles with where the Pro-Clean had been left to soak in. Giving them a quick brush, I noted that what appeared to be permanently ingrained dirt had now come loose. To get the tiles really clean I used a 17″ rotary machine fitted with diamond encrusted buffer pads. This removes the tiny dots of dirt on the stone and with it comes any existing sealer and dirt.

A set of four burnishing pads were used, starting with a 400-grit, and finishing with a 3000-grit pad. The first 400-grit pad is coarse, and the grits become smoother as you work through the set. Water is used to lubricate the process and the released dirt is extracted in-between using the wet vacuum mentioned earlier. This process does take time but by the end of day one the floor was looking a lot better.

The next step is sealing however the floor needs to be bone dry for that, so I left a couple of industrial fans in place and left the Limestone to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

Returning the following day my first job was to ensure the floor was dry by taking multiple moisture readings with a damp meter. The readings were good, so I was able to make a start applying the sealer which for this floor was Tile Doctor Ultra Seal.

Ultra-Seal is an impregnating sealer that soaks into those small holes in the stone I mentioned earlier, I occupies the pores thus preventing dirt from becoming ingrained. The other feature of this sealer is it doesn’t change the appearance or colour of the stone leaving it with a very natural finish. Two coats of sealer were applied, leaving the seal to dry between each coat.

Filthy Limestone Tiled Floor Renovation After Cleaning Godalming

After the final coat was dried, I gave it a final polish with a soft nylon pad and the floor was finished. Before leaving we discussed after care which for this floor, I recommended Tile Doctor Stone Soap and I requested that the customer to stay out of the kitchen for a couple of hours while the sealer cured. They were over the moon with the new floor and could not believe the difference it had made to their kitchen.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in West Surrey

Filthy Limestone Floor Deep Cleaned in a Godalming Kitchen Read More »

Worktop Grout Before After Renovation Guilford

Re-colouring of Grout on Ceramic Tiled Worktops in Guildford

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Guildford Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

The Splashback and Worktops in this Guilford Kitchen had been made from Glazed Ceramic tiles. However, the kitchen units had been extended several times and each time it seems a different shade of grout had been used. Dark grey, light grey and even grout with a brown tint in places. Naturally, she wanted a consistent colour throughout, and the grout needed a good clean.

Tiled Worktop Before Grout Colouring in Guilford

You don’t see so many tiled worktops these days, Granite, Marble, Corian and laminates are more popular however it was an interesting project, and I was happy to help. I was confident we could achieve a consistent appearance by recolouring the grout which would also make the grout easier to clean and give the appearance of the Kitchen a lift.

Cleaning Ceramic Tiled Worktops

Firstly, I prepared the whole area by cleaning the grout. Grout colours achieve better adhesion when the grout is free of dirt and grease and Tile Doctor Grout Colourant Pre-Treat Cleaner is ideal for this. It’s an acid-based grout cleaner that cleans and etches the surface of the grout to make a superior bond with the colourant.

Another option is to use Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up and as I already had a large bottle of this on the van, I decided to go with this instead diluted 50:50 with water. Working in sections I brushed it into the worktop and splashback grout and left it to dwell for thirty minutes before scrubbing it in with a firm wire brush. This action released the dirt which was then rinsed away with more water and then extracted with a wet vacuum to keep the mess to a minimum.

Following the cleaning the grout was now wet, so for the next half an hour I speed dried the grout with a heat gun. The colourant needs to be applied to dry grout, so this was a necessary step to ensure the best result.

The client had selected to use Tile Doctor Grout Colourant in Light Grey so once dried I started the colouring, brushing it in carefully with a narrow paint brush. The product dries quickly so any excess that gets onto the tile must be wiped off immediately. The process is quite slow and meticulous requiring a steady hand, but the results speak for themselves.

There was no need to apply a sealant over the colourant and the nature of the product acts as a barrier over the grout making it much easier to keep clean. Tile Doctor has a range of Grout Colourants in ten popular colours so there is plenty of choice. Using a colourant is much easier and less labour intensive than scraping the old grout out and re grouting. My client was also keen to avoid the mess of this option.

Tiled Worktop After Grout Colouring in Guilford

Once complete the tiles looked so much better, certainly my client was very pleased with the finish and left the following review.

“I’m very happy with every aspect of Rupert’s work, he renovated my kitchen worktops and splash backs. Great job. Thank you.”

Professional Renovation of Tiled Worktops and Splashbacks in Surrey

Re-colouring of Grout on Ceramic Tiled Worktops in Guildford Read More »

Fired Earth Limestone Floor Before After Renovation Godalming

Fired Earth Limestone Floor Renovated in Godalming

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Guildford Tile Cleaning, Marble Tile Cleaning, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

This property in Godalming had the whole downstairs floor tiled with Fired Earth Limestone tiles nine years prior and had never had it cleaned or maintained professionally. The once beautiful stone was now looking dull and the grout had turned black with dirt leaving the floor looking uninviting.

This is quite normal for stone floors as it is the sealer that protects the stone from dirt and enhances its look. Most sealers wear off after three to four years sealer and in this case after nine years it was well overdue a deep clean and reseal.

Fired Earth Limestone Floor Before Clean and Seal Godalming

I visited the property to survey the floor. It was indeed looking in need of some attention and the kitchen was particularly bad. To restore the appearance of the Limestone tile and grout the floor would need to be stripped of what remains of the old sealer, then deep cleaned with attention to the grout, polished with burnishing pads and then finally resealed. I was confident I could get it restored to a nearly new finish and to prove it I completed a small demonstration clean which the homeowner was very happy with. They agreed to my quote and we scheduled in a couple of days to carry out the work.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

On day one I started by cleaning the grout using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. its run along the grout line and then left to soak in for about ten minutes so it can get to work breaking down dirt and old sealer. The grout is then scrubbed using a grout brush which is then scrubbed backwards and forwards along the grout line until clean. The area is then rinsed with water and all the waste removed with a wet vacuum cleaner.

Next, I turned my attention to the Limestone tiles which needed stripping of any remaining sealer, cleaned and polished. I find the best way to do this is by apply a set of diamond encrusted Burnishing pads in sequence starting with a coarse 400-grit followed by 800, 1500 and finally finishing with an extra fine 3000 grit. Water is used to lubricate the burnishing process and the slurry is rinsed and extracted off the floor between pads. Each pad is run over the tiles three times, and it was a large floor so as you can imagine this process took most of the day.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

I left the floor to dry out overnight and returned the next day to seal the Limestone. Before doing that, I reviewed my previous day’s work and I cleaned up any areas that needed further attention. Next step was to ensure the floor was dry as I don’t recommend applying a sealer to damp tile as you won’t get an even appearance, so before sealing a floor I tested for moisture using a damp meter.

To seal the floor, I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is an impregnating sealer that works by occupying the small pores in the stone to prevent dirt becoming ingrained there. Limestone is a light stone and most customers like that appearance so I find it best not to use a colour enhancing sealer as it can darken the stone. Ultra-Seal doesn’t contain any colour enhancer and leaves the floor with a natural finish whilst allowing the stone variations and patterns to show through.

Fired Earth Limestone Floor After Clean and Seal Godalming

Once the sealer was dry, I gave it a further polish with the 3000-grit pad which further brought out the natural beauty of the stone. My client was very happy with the floor, it really lifted the who area and the Kitchen in particular.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in West Surrey

Fired Earth Limestone Floor Renovated in Godalming Read More »

Ceramic Bath Tile Before After Cleaning Guildford

Restoration of a shower and bathroom in Guildford

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Guildford Tile Cleaning, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

A family living in Guildford were in touch recently about restoring the appearance of their Ceramic tiled shower and bathroom. They were about to put the property up for sale and were concerned the grubby grout might put off potential buyers. First impressions do count so renovating a bathroom or kitchen before selling is a really good idea and will help you achieve a better price.

Bath Shower Tile Grout Before Cleaning Guildford

In this case the Ceramic tiles were dirty and black with mould in places which looked unhygienic and uninviting. Additionally, the mastic sealant between the tile and bath was tired and worn to the extent that water could end up leaking behind the seal. After visiting the property, they were pleased to hear I could help and happily accepted our quote which was based around a days work and some materials.

Cleaning/Repairing a Ceramic Tiled Shower and Bathroom

Firstly, I cleaned the grout using a Tile Doctor product called Duo Clean which is designed to tackle dirty grout and mould. I sprayed the product along all the grout lines and left it to soak in for about fifteen minutes. Once ready I brushed them with a firm wire brush then rinsed off with water. Next, I cleaned the tiles using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was decanted into a spray bottle and sprayed onto the wall tiles. After ten minutes I then used a handheld buffing machine fitted with a small white buffing pad to shift the dirt and buff up the white tiles. After rinsing the slurry off with water you could see a marked improvement.

I hand dried the tile and grout with a cloth and then set about stripping out the old white mastic sealer with a sharp knife. This took some time, as you have to be careful not to scratch the bath or the tile.

By this time the grout had dried off fully and I was able to see if more work was required. To achieve a uniform colour throughout. Mould and some cleaning products can discolour grout permanently and, in this case, there was some grout staining I was unable to remove. We had discussed this possibility earlier and how it would be best resolved using a white grout colourant. So, I carefully applied Tile Doctor Grout Colour which is painted on with a small brush with any excess wiped off the tile before it can set. This resulted in a uniform white grout throughout and really gave the whole bathroom a lift.

Sealing a Ceramic Tiled Shower and Bathroom

With the cleaning process completed I applied a new white mastic between the bath and tile and along the verticals. This is done with the bath filled with water and then left for 24 hours to allow the silicone to fully cure.

After the grout colour had dried, I applied an aerosol Tile and Grout sealer over the whole surface and then lightly polished off any excess with a clean cloth. This does two things; one it adds a further layer of protection to the new grout colour and to the surface of the tiles. Secondly Ceramic tiles are non-porous, but bacterial dirt can still get a grip on the surface, with the sealer in place you will find water quickly runs off without getting a chance to get a hold.

Bath Shower Tile Grout After Renovation Guildford

Sealers do wear off, so I recommended re-applying it every year. I had plenty left over and gave it to the customer when I finished using it. For regular cleaning of tiled shower areas, I recommend they use Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro this will neutralise any acid build-up caused by acidic shampoos etc.

Professional Renovation of a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom in West Surrey

Restoration of a shower and bathroom in Guildford Read More »

Painted Quarry Tiles Before After Renovation Cranleigh

Renovation of Painted Quarry Tiles in a Cranleigh Vicarage

1 Comment / Guildford Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

A Vicar from Cranleigh contacted me earlier this year about a Quarry tiled floor. It turns out he had lifted the carpets in the hallway of the Vicarage and found that the previous tenant had painted red tile paint around the tiles up to the edges of the carpet. With the carpet removed the floor looked very unattractive and he was looking to have the original appearance of the Quarry tiles restored.

Painted Quarry Tiled Floor Before Renovation at Cranleigh Vicarage

I went to Cranleigh to survey the problem and you can see from the pictures the floor wasn’t looking great, the paint looked as if it had been applied without any preparation and had peeled off in places. I discussed my plan to renovate the floor with the Vicar which would involve stripping all the paint off the tiles followed by deep cleaning and then applying a sealer. He was very pleased to hear this and was happy with the quote that I produced which would take two days. We arranged a time to return the following month to complete the work.

Stripping Paint from a Quarry Tiled Hallway Floor

On day one I started by protecting the skirting and other woodwork with decorative tape. Once this was done, I spent time removing the paint with paint stripper and a sharp blade. It was messy and tedious work but necessary to achieve the requested result. The waste was then rinsed off the floor with water and extracted using a wet vacuum.

Once all the paint was removed, I cleaned the tiles with a coarse 400-grit diamond encrusted burnishing pad fitted to a rotary machine and lubricated with water. This was followed with an 800-grit pad. The former opens the tiles pores allowing dirt to be extracted and the 800-grit pad closes them ready for sealing. Quarry tiles are particularly porous, so I left the floor to dry off for 48 hours days before returning to seal the tiles.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning a few days later I started with tidying up any areas that needed further attention. The floor had dried out nicely however I wanted it to be clear of any dirt or dust since I cleaned it so I gave it a light mop and left the floor to dry off again. Once the floor was completely dry, I sealed the area with several coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra.

Painted Quarry Tiled Floor After Renovation at Cranleigh Vicarage

I selected this product as it is a super tough sealer that once applied has a sheen effect while offering a very strong protective surface to the floor. This was important as hallways receive a high level of foot traffic and even more so in a Vicarage with parishioners coming and going. Seal and Go Extra is also breathable and this is an important consideration when choosing a sealer for use on old tiled floors that don’t have damp proof membrane installed.

The vicar was very pleased with the finished floor, I discussed with him the best way to keep it clean and maintained would be to use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, which is pH neutral and so won’t prematurely degrade the integrity of the sealer like stronger products.

Professional Renovation of a Quarry Tiled Hallway in Surrey

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Wood Effect Ceramic Tiles Before After Polymer Grout Haze Removal Guildford

Removing Polymer Grout Haze from Wood Effect Ceramic tiles in Guildford

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Guildford Tile Cleaning, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

Grout haze or grout smears as it is often called can be a huge problem when laying tiles. Grout haze is basically grout that has been left to dry on the surface of the tile after installation. It’s a common problem which is exacerbated by the use of quick drying products. Take for example this interesting Wood Effect Ceramic Tile installation at a house in Guildford following installation by a builder.

I was a bit slow in following up on the initial enquiry as we had been very busy so by the time, I got in touch I was told they had employed someone else to carry out the work. I apologised for my late response and said to call me if he needed help in the future. Three days later I got a call so we arranged a visit so that I could carry out a test and quote a price.

Grout Haze on Wood Effect Ceramic Tiles Before Removal Guildford

As it turns out the builder had returned and failed to remove the grout haze and so had a rival firm that seemed more interested in selling unnecessary sealer than fixing the problem. I was astonished to see what a state the builder had left his floor. Grout was all over the floor with footprints walked across thresholds and more. I could understand it if there was some grout was missed after installation but not to this level!

I carried out a successful test and confirmed to the customer that there was absolutely no need to rip and replace his £2k floor. We agreed a date to resolve the problem and to say he was relieved was an understatement!

Removing Polymer Grout Haze

The builders had used Mapei grout which contains polymers. Polymers offer better flexibility and adhesion, however in order to remove the grout haze we would first need to break down the polymers in the grout first and this is why the rival firm failed.

With that in mind, my first action was to apply Tile Doctor Remove and Go to the floor and leave it to dwell for five to ten minutes. I then worked it into the tile using a scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine.

After washing the soil away with warm water and extracting with a wet vacuum I applied Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to treat the grout. Grout Clean-up is an acid-based product that breaks down the grout so it can be rinsed away and extracted as before. Afterwards I rinsed the floor with warm water and extracted again to remove any trace of product and neutralise the floor. After removing as much moisture as possible with the wet vacuum I speed dried the tiles with a blower.

Wood Effect Ceramic Tile Installation Problem Resolved

Ceramic tiles won’t accept a sealer so once the floor had dried the job was finished and it took less than a day.

Grout Haze on Wood Effect Ceramic Tiles After Removal Guildford

The customer was over the moon with the difference. While his floor was in such a state, he has been unable to bring in new furniture as the serious possibility of removing the tiles was hanging over him.

Relieved that the problem was now resolved he kindly left the following review:

“I had a floor that had just been laid with very heavy grout haze. I had already had advice from two other professional floor cleaners who had advised me that the floor was irreparable and would need to be pulled up. As soon as I spoke with Rupert, it was clear he was extremely knowledgeable. He asked questions none of the other companies had. By understanding the specific nature of the problem, he was able to solve it by first removing the grout polymers and then applying an acid wash. The floor came up brilliantly. Rupert was the only person I spoke to that could fix this, everyone else told me I needed to replace my floor! Superbly knowledgeable, professional and did an excellent job. Don’t bother speaking to anyone else, just call Rupert! “

Professional Clean of a Wood Effect Ceramic Tiled Hallway in West Surrey

Removing Polymer Grout Haze from Wood Effect Ceramic tiles in Guildford Read More »

Scratched Black Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor Before After Renovation Godalming

New Black Limestone Floor Issues Resolved in Godalming

1 Comment / Guildford Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

A property developer contacted me looking for a solution to two problems with a Black Limestone floor he had installed in the kitchen of a house in Godalming. The first problem was the sealer used didn’t do anything to enhance the look of the Limestone tiles and the new owner was very unhappy with their appearance which was now light in colour as opposed to the black Limestone he was expecting. Secondly the kitchen fitter had dragged a wooden box with a rogue screw hanging from the bottom across the floor in several places leading to scratches.

Scratched Black Limestone Floor Before Godalming

With direct trains to London Waterloo taking 45 minutes Godalming is a very desirable place to live and a property hotspot. Fortunately for the developer I was able to advise that both problems were fixable. Firstly, I had to remover the existing sealer, tackle the scratches and then re-seal and polish. Keen to have the problem resolved I was instructed to go ahead with the work.

Removing Sealer and Scratches from Black Limestone tiles

The old sealer was not doing anything to enhance the look of the Black Limestone and simply applying a new sealer on-top of the old would not have improved the appearance, so it had to be stripped off first. To remove the old sealer, I attached a coarse 400-grit Diamond burnishing pad to a floor buffer and ran it over tiles with water for lubrication. The process generates a fine slurry so once the whole floor had been burnished in this way the slurry was rinsed off with more water and then extracted using a wet vacuum.

Next, using a small handheld burnishing block I very carefully removed the scratches that the kitchen fitter had caused. Like the burnishing pads these blocks come in different grades and are encrusted with industrial diamonds.

Once happy I was happy that the scratches were gone, I continued to burnish the floor using a medium 800-grit and then a fine 1500-grit pad. These pads are used to hone the stone and build-up its polished appearance. As with the 400-grit pad water is used to lubricate the process and the floor is rinsed and extracted after each pad.

Sealing Black Limestone Tiles

I left the floor to dry off and returned after the weekend to apply the sealer. This is essential for any stone floor as otherwise dirt will become trapped in its pores making it difficult to clean effectively. Sealers can also enhance the appearance of the stone and in this case, we wanted to really bring out its natural dark colour. With this in mind I chose Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that protects from within and includes a colour enhancing agent that improves colour and, in this case, considerably intensified the black colour of the stone to achieve the effect the customer wanted.

Scratched Black Limestone Floor After Burnishing Godalming

Before leaving I ran over the floor with a white buffing pad to add an extra lustre to the stone, by the time I had finished the floor looked amazing. Unfortunately, I never got to hear how the customer felt about the new appearance of their Black Limestone floor however the property developer was much relieved as he thought the whole floor might need to be replaced.

Professional Limestone Floor Renovation in West Surrey

New Black Limestone Floor Issues Resolved in Godalming Read More »

Quarry Tiled Floor Before and After Restoration in Dunsfold

Quarry Tiled Floor Restored at Historic Cottage in Dunsfold

1 Comment / Guildford Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

Dunsfold is a very small village in the borough of Waverley in West Surrey. It’s well known for the Dunsfold Aerodrome, an airfield that was built by the Canadian army during World War II. Hundreds of years ago, members of the English aristocracy held large estates of land in and around Dunsfold – and several historic cottages still exist in the area.

A customer of mine had recently bought one of these cottages and, during renovation work, had removed the downstairs carpets in three rooms to discover a Quarry tiled floor. Naturally, they were caked in many years’ worth of muck and carpet glue.

It would be a significant job to get the tiles in the three rooms back to looking their best – but it was a job I was more than willing to undertake. Classic Quarry tiles exude a certain rustic quality and charm – a welcome addition to many vintage properties, especially those located out in the countryside.

Quarry Tiled Floor Before Renovation at Dunsfold Cottage

Deep Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Floor

I started the restoration by soaking small areas of the floor in Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This product is excellent for removing floor coatings such as old sealers as well as shifting stubborn filth and loosening carpet adhesive deposits. After carefully scraping any excess adhesive off manually with a sharp blade, I ran my buffing machine across the floor and immediately the tiles cleaned up well.

Next, I used a 200-grit (Coarse) diamond-encrusted burnishing pad on the floor. This basically skims a layer off the tile surface, revealing the original colour of the stone that had previously been hidden underneath. A small amount of water was used as lubrication for this process. Quarry tiles are naturally very porous so after rinsing the soil off the floor I left them over the weekend to dry.

While the somewhat aggressive approach of burnishing is highly effective, it can leave the tiles looking a little washed out – and the colour slightly diminished. However, I assured the customer that the colour would return once the tiles had been sealed.

Sealing an Original Quarry Tiled Floor

While I was enjoying my weekend off, the customer fortunately found a few replacement Quarry tiles in his attic to fit around the fireplace as upstands where there were some tiles missing. So, on my return to the property my first task was to fit these replacements, before sweeping the floor clear of any debris.

To finish the restoration, I applied a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, an impregnating sealant which provides the matte, natural-look finish the customer wanted. This sealant penetrates into the pores of the tile, so it dries inside the stone not on the surface. It also intensifies the fantastic red shades in the Quarry.

Quarry Tiled Floor After Renovation at Dunsfold Cottage

Around an hour after the coats of Colour Grow had been applied, the floor was dry and free to be walked on, and all the furniture could be returned. Much needed life and character had been restored to the Quarry tiled floor and the new property owner was very happy as a result.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration in Surrey

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Terracotta Tiled Conservatory in Cranleigh Deep Cleaned and Sealed

1 Comment / Guildford Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

Cranleigh is the self-proclaimed largest village in England, sitting about 8 miles southeast of Guildford in Surrey. One of its villagers contacted me recently to see if there was anything I could do to improve the state of their Terracotta tiled conservatory. They were in the process of completely redecorating the conservatory, having just replaced the wood and glass and I was called in to restore the tiled floor back to looking its best.

Terracotta is made from clay and is quite porous ceramic, and tends to be quite porous when made into commercial or residential tiling. Just like stone it needs to be sealed to ensure the pores don’t become ingrained with dirt, following that sealers do need to be maintained as they do wear off over time.

In this case, my client had moved into the property twenty years ago, and had only ever carried out a routine mop of the floor; as a result the floor was now ingrained with dirt and had lost its colour and would require a deep clean and seal to bring it back to life.

Terracotta Conservatory Cranliegh Before Cleaning

Cleaning a Terracotta tiled conservatory

To begin with, I mixed a cleaning solution consisting of one part Tile Doctor Pro Clean to one part water. This was spread evenly across the floor and let to dwell for approximately ten to fifteen minutes. The solution was then agitated with a scrubbing pad fitted to my heavy-weight rotary machine, lifting away the initial layers of muck and any remaining old sealer.

However, I noticed after giving the tiles a rinse that some of the old sealer was still prevalent in some areas. To deal with this, I applied a solvent-based sealer stripper and left it to work its magic on the affected areas. After about an hour, I added a steamer to the mix, and this allowed me to thoroughly scrub away the old seal. This was followed up by another rinse of the floor, and left it to dry.

Terracotta Conservatory Cranliegh During Cleaning

Sealing a Terracotta tiled conservatory

I returned to the house five days later to complete the restoration. My immediate task was to carry out a moisture test to make sure the floor was completely dry and therefore ready to take the new seal, this is an important step as adding a sealer to a damp floor can result in problems.

Once satisfied, I proceeded to seal the floor with five coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer. This sealer is particularly effective at providing durable surface protection from within, and contains properties which enhanced the natural auburn shades in the Terracotta tiles.

Terracotta Conservatory Cranliegh After Sealing

I’m pleased to say that my client was overjoyed with the quick transformation of their conservatory floor. They never knew quite how vibrant the colours in the stone could be, and better still, the floor now blends in with their newly painted lemon walls.

Terracotta Conservatory Cranliegh Before and After Cleaning

Terracotta Tiled Conservatory Floor Refreshed in Surrey

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Beautiful Indian Sandstone floor deep cleaned in Guildford

Guildford Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

This beautiful Indian Sandstone tiled floor was laid throughout an open plan Kitchen, Dining and Lounge in a house in Guilford. The floor was in need of a deep clean and seal so we called round initially to survey the tile and grout and provide a quote which was accepted.

Indian Sandstone During Cleaning Indian Sandstone Washing

Cleaning Indian Sandstone

To clean the floor we used a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a flexible strong alkaline cleaner specially designed for use on stone floors mixed 50/50 with Tile Doctor Nanotech Ultra-Clean which contains tiny abrasive particles. This solution was left to dwell on the floor for thirty minutes before being worked into the floor with scrubbing brushes. We then used a tile spinner tool and truck mount cleaning system to rinse the floor of all residue soils and chemicals, the floor was covered with dust sheets whilst it dried and also to keep it clean until we came back to seal it.

Sealing Indian Sandstone

On our return we discussed the effects of different sealers, they all offer stain protection to different levels but change the appearance of the tile in different ways. The customer liked the natural look of the stone so we applied Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal using three coats of sealer to fully seal the tiled floor; Ultra-Seal is also a penetrating sealer that gets deep into the pores of the stone. The customer was delighted with the result and we have been asked to return every year to maintain the floor.

Indian Sandstone Floor Maintained in Guilford

Beautiful Indian Sandstone floor deep cleaned in Guildford Read More »

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Camberley Tile Cleaning, Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Cobham Tile Cleaning, Egham Tile Cleaning, Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning, Epsom Tile Cleaning, Esher Tile Cleaning, Ewell Tile Cleaning, Farnham Tile Cleaning, Fireplace Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Guildford Tile Cleaning, Leatherhead Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Marble Tile Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Staines Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Terrazzo Floor Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Vinyl Tile Cleaning, Weybridge Tile Cleaning, Woking Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Rupert Mcloud

West Surrey Tile Doctor

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