Dirty Grout

Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaning Ewell

Heavily Soiled Ceramic Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned in Ewell Kitchen

I thought I would share with you this tile cleaning example from Ewell that shows what can be achieved when cleaning grubby Textured Ceramic Tiles. Textured Ceramic Tiles are often used in kitchens and wet areas due to the non-slip properties of the tile, however over time the rough surface will trap dirt that becomes increasingly difficult to shift.

Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Ewell

In this case the customer had two dogs that often ran in from the garden and so the tile and grout had accumulated a lot of soiling. Unlike stone or clay tiles however ceramic tiles don’t need to be sealed so it’s mainly a question of scrubbing away stubborn surface dirt. The grout was also dirty however this is slightly porous and to clean this is always best to use a strong alkaline cleaning agent.

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Kitchen

To get the floor clean the tiler and grout was initially brushed with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and this was left to soak in. This alkaline cleaner gradually breaks down the ingrained dirt, then after ten minutes it was worked in with a 17-inch carbide brush. This removes the surface dirt and most of the dirt in the grout lines. The stubborn grout was then cleaned further the old-fashioned way using a wire brush and lots of elbow grease.

Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Ewell

The now soiled cleaning solution was removed with a wet vacuum cleaner and the floor inspected to make sure it was as clean as possible. With the cleaning solution removed it became clear a few areas needed a bit more work so they were hand-scrubbed with more Pro-Clean. Once complete the floor dried with the wet vacuum again and then wiped down with warm water.

Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Ewell

Once complete the floor looked fresh and clean and was ready for the customer later that afternoon.

 

Professional Restoration of Textured Ceramic Tile and Grout in West Surrey

Heavily Soiled Ceramic Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned in Ewell Kitchen Read More »

Textured Ceramic Tiled Floor and Grout Cleaning Epsom

Textured Ceramic Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned in an Epsom Kitchen

I was asked to clean this ceramic tiled kitchen floor at a property in Epsom that was very dirty and needed a deep clean. As usual I called in on the property to survey the floor and provide a quote for its renovation.

Upon initial inspection I thought the tiles were actually limestone, so I did a quick test to establish that they were definitely ceramic. These were a textured ceramic tile which often gets recommended for wet areas such as kitchens due to its non-slip properties, the textured surface of the tile however does cause it to trap dirt.

Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Epsom

As well as the build-up of dirt on the tiles my client also wanted the grout cleaning, which was filthy, also some of the grout had holes in it and these had filled with dirt.

Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Epsom

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Kitchen

To get the grout clean I applied a strong alkaline cleaner called Tile Doctor Remove & Go and worked it into the grout lines using a wire brush. This product is designed to remove all sorts of coatings and grime so just the thing for a dirty grout. The floor was then rinsed with water and the soiling vacuumed away with a wet vacuum.

Then as we were unable to move the furniture out of the kitchen, I had to divide the floor into three areas and scrub the Ceramic tiles with more Remove & Go. This was worked in with a rotary floor machine fitted with an aggressive carbide brush which gets deep into the annoying little holes and textured tile. Extra weights were applied to the machine to improve traction with the tile. After each section was scrubbed, the floor was rinsed and extracted as before.

Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Epsom

Sealing a Ceramic Tiled Kitchen

Finally, I gave the whole kitchen a rinse with warm water to remove any trace of Tile Doctor Remove & Go and dried the floor as much as possible with the wet vacuum.

Ceramic tiles won’t take a sealer as they are already sealed within the manufacturing process. Therefore, once I was happy the floor was as clean as it could be the work was done.

The work was completed in less than a day and my clients were very happy with the transformation. I think you will agree from the photographs the Ceramic tile and Grout look so much cleaner.

Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Epsom

 

Professional Restoration of Textured Ceramic Tile and Grout in West Surrey

Textured Ceramic Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned in an Epsom Kitchen Read More »

Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Farnham

Restoring a Sandstone tiled kitchen floor in Farnham

Laid six years ago at a house in Farnham this Sandstone tiled kitchen floor was routinely trampled on by two teenagers, gardening parents and two large dogs. All of this had taken its toll of the sealer which had worn off and without its protection the Sandstone tile and grout had turned an indistinguishable sea of brown.

Sandstone Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Farnham

The floor now needed a deep clean and reseal to restore it appearance and get it looking its best for which I had planned should take two days, the first day for cleaning and drying, the second for sealing and quoted accordingly. My client was happy with the quote and we scheduled a date to do the work.

Sandstone Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Farnham

Farnham is a market town in Surrey and is largest town in the borough of Waverley. It is quite a historic town, with many old buildings, including a number of Georgian houses. With good access links to the A3 and London by train its popular with commuters and I often get requests to work here.

Cleaning a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

I began by taping up the wooden skirting and the plinths in the kitchen to protect them from splashing during the work. Then armed with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a stiff brush I set about cleaning up the grout. The dirt released was removed with a wet vacuum before it had a chance to dry then using more Pro-Clean and a 17” buffing machine fitted with a rotating black nylon pad I cleaned the tiles.

The unamused dogs had been banished to the garden. I love dogs but they were chasing my machine around, so I needed to keep them out of the way. The floor tiles were surprisingly dirty, and the client was quite shocked by the amount of dirt I manged to extract.

Once finished I left the floor to dry off fully overnight, sealing a damp floor is never recommended and can result in a patchy appearance.

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

Returning the next day, I first checked for areas that needed further attention and then took several moisture readings with a damp meter to check the floor was dry. Satisfied that it was, I was ready to apply the sealer.

Sandstone Kitchen Floor During Sealing Farnham

We had discussed choice of sealer previously and for this floor I had recommended a Tile Doctor sealer called Seal and Go Extra which would be ideal for her traffic heavy floor. Sealing is an important step as it protects the tiles and grout from dirt becoming ingrained in the stone and improves the look of the stone. Seal and Go Extra is also super tough and should last for years if cleaned with the right product. It sets with a subtle sheen but not a shine which she definitely didn’t want. Three coats of sealer were applied which takes around two hours to be dry to the touch but really needs 24 hours for it to cure.

Sandstone Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Farnham

The sealer brought out the variety of colours in the stone floor and the family were happy with their new floor, now they just had to keep the dogs out of the way for 24 hours!

For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to keep the floor in great condition.

Sandstone Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Farnham

 

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen in West Surrey

Restoring a Sandstone tiled kitchen floor in Farnham Read More »

Scroll to Top