west surrey

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Cleaning Sealing Farnham

Victorian Tiled Hallway Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Farnham

This client from Farnham had been in touch regarding their Victorian tiled hallway which needed deep cleaning and re-sealing. As usual I paid them a visit, surveyed the floor, and provided a quote for renovating it which they were happy to accept, there were no broken tiles to remove and replace so it was a straightforward clean and seal. It was a lovely floor which had been laid in a herringbone pattern with lovely black and gold floral inserts and a beautiful green border.

Whilst discussing dates it became apparent that they were planning on having some decorating done in the same area, so I recommended they book me in for a date after the decorators had left. It’s always good practice to get the floor cleaned after your last tradesperson has left, decorators especially have a habit of not covering floors properly.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I turned up on the agreed date and was pleasantly surprised to see there were only a few paint splashes on the floor so I wondered if my comments to the owner must have been passed onto the decorators. The hallway led onto several rooms many of which had new carpets, so with my own advice in mind I made sure to cover them with a plastic sheet before starting work.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Cleaning Farnham Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Cleaning Farnham

The first job was to remove any existing sealer from the tiles using Tile Doctor Remove and Go, this is brushed onto the tiles, left for ten to fifteen minutes, and then scrubbed in with a black pad fitted to a rotary floor machine running at slow speed. The resultant slurry was then rinsed off and extracted with a wet vacuum. It was a small floor so I planned to seal the floor later that day and so I only used a minimal amount of water and used the wet vacuum to remove as much moisture as possible.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Cleaning Farnham Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Cleaning Farnham

Next, I gave the floor an acid rinse by carefully smearing Tile Doctor Acid Gel over the tiled surface. Leaving it to dwell for half an hour yet keeping it moist with water. I then introduced my weighted burnishing machine. Circling the floor, it slightly cuts the tile creating a slurry of tile and dirt. The pads can struggle to get right into the corners so once that was done, I scooted around the edges hand cleaning them with a scrubbing brush and ensuring any paint splashes the decorators had left were removed.

All the waste was extracted, and the floor given a rinse with hot water. I left a small heater on them while I had my lunch. As the gel doesn’t penetrate the tiles like fluid it didn’t take long for the floor to dry sufficiently enough for sealing.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Finally, I applied three coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. This is a hard-wearing colour enhancing sealer. Each coat takes twenty to thirty minutes to dry. After the final coat I ask that it’s not walked on for a good hour.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Cleaning Sealing Farnham

Once done to the floor looked really clean and the new sealer should keep it that way for many years to come. Before leaving I took time to discuss maintenance cleaning and of course get their feedback which they gladly gave and is copied below:

“Great service. Rupert was professional, informative, friendly clean worker who made a great job of cleaning our original Victorian tiled floor. Tile Doctor were recommended to me by a friend, and I would definitely recommend them and Rupert for tile cleaning.”

For the aftercare of Victorian tiled floors, I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which due to its neutral ph makes it idea for the regular cleaning of sealed tiles. Many of the products you will find in supermarkets are simply too strong and will prematurely erode the sealer on a tile and so best avoided.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in West Surrey

Victorian Tiled Hallway Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Farnham Read More »

Block Paved Patio Cleaning in Weybridge

Brick Block Paved Patio Cleaning in Weybridge

This is a great example of a Block Paved Patio at a house in Weybridge that I was asked to renovate. Garden patios are exposed to a multitude of elements in this country, wind, rain, snow etc. They are often surrounded by vegetation. The rough nature of block paving and stone attracts dirt so it can benefit from an annual deep clean to keep them in check.

Block Paved Patio Before Deep Cleaning in Weybridge

Another problem we face is black spot from lichen which thrives on rough surfaces in the damp and shady conditions that are so common in the UK. The characteristics of the lichen are that as it matures, it sends out tendrils (hyphae) into the pores of the material seeking nutrients from the minerals in the brick and the detritus that collects on the patio. These gradually spread through the affected surface.

I visited the property to take a detailed look at the patio and decide on the best remedy to get it renovated. I discussed the process with them, gave them a price and arranged a time to return to complete the work.

Cleaning a Brick Block Paved Patio

I find the most effective way to clean a patio affected by the UK weather is to start with an industrial jet wash. These machines are quite powerful and apply water under high pressure to dislodge the detritus and exposes what lies beneath.

The next step was to carefully apply Tile Doctor Patio & Brick Driveway Cleaner, it is a very strong product sold for professional use. Due to its’ high strength you need to wear rubber gloves and eye protection, however you need to use a powerful product like this to power through the blackspots, lichen, moss, and stains.

For the best results you need to allow this product to soak in for at least thirty minutes before scrubbing it in with a deck brush and then rinsing off with water. For deep staining you need to leave the product on for longer.

Once done we made sure the area was thoroughly rinsed with water. There is no need for this type of patio to be sealed. However, we did recommend scheduling in an annual return visit to keep the driveway in good condition, we do offer a Tile Doctor Maintenance plan.

Block Paved Patio After Deep Cleaning in Weybridge

As you can see from this example the method worked well and the patio came up like new. Needless to say, my client was very happy with the work we carried out.

It’s worth knowing that Tile Doctors have the equipment and products to clean all types of hard surfaces internal and external so if you need help with your driveway or patio do get in touch.

 

Professional Renovation of a Brick Block Paved Patio in West Surrey

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Travertine Tiled Wall Before After Replacing Sealer Weybridge

Changing the Sealer on a Travertine Bathroom Wall in Weybridge

A client had downsized to flat in Weybridge and before moving in had decided to have a new bathroom fitted which included the installation of Travertine wall tiling.

While she loved the stone, she didn’t like the colour enhancing sealer that the tiler had applied to enhance and protect the tiles. What was once a natural pale colour had turned into a shade of yellow. Unhappy with the colour and getting nowhere with the tiler she decided to call Tile Doctor and have it rectified.

Travertine Bathroom Wall Weybridge Flat Before Sealer Removed

The final appearance of stone whether it is laid on the floor or the wall is a very personal choice and very difficult to make until you see the finished result. I find colour enhancing sealers usually help to bring out the natural features and colours in the stone however I do find lots of clients asking for the natural look.

I’m afraid the photographs on this page didn’t come out that well, there was little natural light in the small bathroom and so they don’t really do the Travertine tiles justice.

Stripping a Colour Enhancing Sealer from Travertine Wall Tiles

To resolve the problem, I first had to remove the old sealer which was done by wetting the walls with water and then applying Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel. Being a gel this tile cleaning product sticks to vertical surfaces allowing for longer dwell times. This was then left to soak in for about half an hour, then using a set of four six-inch diamond burnishing pads, I slowly burnished the walls until the sealer was removed.

The process of burnishing is a messy business and involves the application of four different grades of pad starting with a coarse pad and ending with a polishing pad. The process does generate a fine soil, thankfully being in the bathroom however it was easier to contain. The soiling was removed using more water and a wet vacuum.

I then speed dried the room with a large warm air blower so I could apply the new sealer later in the day.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Bathroom Wall

After lunch I checked the Travertine wall tiles for moisture using a damp meter and it confirmed they were dry and ready for sealing. To seal I applied a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which adds protection but is also invisible leaving the stone with a natural look. This was not a colour enhancing product as per the client’s earlier instruction.

Finally, I cleared up the mess and polished the glass shower screen whilst I was waiting for the sealer to dry. Needless to say, my client was very happy and finally had the desired appearance.

Travertine Bathroom Wall Weybridge Flat After Sealing

For after care I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro which is a mild but effective cleaner that isn’t too strong for use on sealed stone and can be used daily after a shower. This will keep the sealer in the best condition and the bathroom looking pristine.

 

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Bathroom in West Surrey

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300 Year Old Sandstone Flagstone Floor Renovation Pirbright Mill

Old Sandstone Flagstone Restoration at Pirbright Mill

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.

300 Year Old Sandstone Flagstone Floor Before Cleaning Pirbright_Mill

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.

300 Year Old Sandstone Flagstone Floor After Sealing Pirbright_Mill

 

Professional Renovation of old Sandstone Flagstone Paving in a Surrey Mill

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Limestone Kitchen Floor Renovation Godalming

Filthy Limestone Floor Deep Cleaned in a Godalming Kitchen

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 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 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.

Filthy Limestone Tiled Floor Renovation After Cleaning Godalming

 

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in West Surrey

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Vinyl Shop Floor Tile Before After Cleaning Kingston

Tile Restoration at Fishmongers Shop in Kingston

And now for something different. A customer called me in a flap before Christmas. He had just taken over the lease of a former fishmongers in Kingston Upon Thames and needed help renovating the white ceramic wall tiles and vinyl flooring which was in a state. But that was only part of the problem, his business was selling rugs and with the previous tenant being a fishmonger there was a fishy odour that also needed dealing with.

Fishmonger Shop Unit Wall Tile Before Renovation For Kingston Retailer

The previous shop fittings had been glued and screwed to the wall so when they were ripped out it took some of the ceramic wall tiles with them, leaving gaps in the tiling, glue staining and trapped dirt.

I popped in to have a look and was able to give him a quote for the cleaning and restoration work, he was happy with the cost and wanted to me to get started as soon as possible.

Restoring Ceramic Wall Tiles in a Fishmongers Retail Unit

I started by tackling the glue using sharp blades and a chisel combined with plenty of elbow grease. Then the ceramic tile and grout was cleaned with Tile Doctor Pro Clean which was diluted with water and decanted into a spray bottle so it could be sprayed onto the wall tiles. Doing it this way mixes it with air making it lighter and allowing it to stick to the vertical tiling for longer. After ten minutes of soaking into the dirt it was scrubbed in by hand into the tile and especially the grout lines with a stiff brush. There was a lot to do and so more elbow grease needed. Afterwards the walls were carefully rinsed off with water to remove the soiling.

The next task was to replace many tiles near the ceiling and electric sockets using rapid setting adhesive so they could be grouted later the same day. All holes and verticals were then filled with mastic. They were a generic white tile, so I was able to blend the replacement tiles in without too much trouble.

Fishmonger Shop Unit Wall Tile After Renovation For Kingston Retailer

Deep Cleaning Vinyl Flooring in a Fishmongers Retail Unit

Once the wall tiles were done, I moved my attention to the vinyl flooring which was in good physical condition but in need of a deep clean. To resolve this, I applied more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean solution which was scrubbed in with a rotating floor buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad.

Fishmonger Shop Unit Vinyl Tile During Renovation For Kingston Retailer

The soil was then extracted with a wet vacuum and left to dry off. There was a huge amount of dirt removed which had obviously built up over a long period of time.

Fishmonger Shop Unit Vinyl Tile After Renovation For Kingston Retailer

The wall tiles were glazed ceramic so do not require a sealer to be applied, similarly the vinyl did not warrant any further treatment either so once everything was fully dry, I was done. I handed the unit back over to the new tenant who was ready to cover my carefully cleaned wall with rugs and start trading. Thankfully, the shop now smells good too.

 

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Ceramic Tiled Shower Curbicle Before After Renovation Woking

End of Tenancy Shower Cubicle Renovation in Woking

Example below of the end of tenancy clean of a Ceramic tiled shower cubicle in Woking student accommodation. The Ceramic tile, grout and shower base were filthy. The mastic had perished, shrunk, and turned black. Unattractive and unhygienic the landlord had little chance of re-letting the property with the bathroom in that state, so we were asked to step in. As you can see from the pictures it was pretty bad although I have seen worse.

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Before Cleaning

If you have a rental property with a stone floor its worth giving Tile Doctor a call as we find landlords rarely give tenants instructions on how to maintain them and they often end up in a state by the end of the lease.

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

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

Ceramic tiles are exceptionally durable and as long as the glaze is intact, they can usually be cleaned quite easily. Grout however is slightly porous and traps dirt which can be a struggle to clean effectively. The grout in this shower was discoloured and permanently stained so the best way to renovate it was to apply a grout colourant.

Before applying the grout colourant, I cleaned the grout with the Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up and a wire brush. Being an acidic product, it can remove old grout smears, limescale, body soaps and fats, also being it will key the surface of the grout allowing for a superior bond with the grout colourant later.

Next, I cleaned the tiles using Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel which being gel based sticks well to vertical surfaces and allows for better dwell time so it can really eat into the dirt. The gel is applied to the tile, left for ten minutes, and then scrubbed it in with a 6-inch handheld polisher fitted with a black pad.

We then started on the shower base. I used Tile Doctor Remove and Go for this, again leaving it to soak into the surface dirt for ten minutes before scrubbing it in by hand with a brush. I managed to get into all the grooves in the plastic tray and removed all the dirt.

Once the cubicle was dry, I removed the mastic sealant from the two verticals and three horizontals around the base and behind the glass door. This is a fiddly job that can take a while with an assortment of knives and scrappers, taking care not to damage the tiles or the shower tray.

Now the shower was clean I coloured the grout back to its original white colour. This is tedious work carefully applying the colourant with a narrow paint brush. The product dries very quickly so any excess product the gets onto the tile must be wiped off immediately. Another advantage of using a grout colourant is it forms a barrier over the grout, sealing it prevent dirt from becoming attached to its cementitious surface. The smooth surface of the colourant also makes it much easier to clean.

Whilst the Tile Doctor Grout Colourant dried, I applied a new white mastic. Applying mastic takes some time to master and is best left to the experienced. It is not easily mastered but practice does makes perfect.

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle after Renovation Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle after Renovation

Once done the cubicle looked transformed. I managed to complete the shower by early afternoon advising my client that mastic needs 24 hours to dry before it can be used again. He was very happy, the shower cubicle looked as good as new and relieved it was in a rental condition again.

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle after Renovation

 

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Victorian Tiled hallway Floor Before After Restoration Weybridge College

Astonishing Victorian Floor Restoration at Weybridge College

I was asked by the facilities manager of St Georges College in Weybridge to survey a Victorian tiled floor for restoration. Having worked there for twenty years he lifted a carpet over the summer in the main reception of the original building as part of renovation work. Underneath he found an original Victorian mosaic tiled floor dating back over a hundred and fifty years to when the school was established. However, for some reason in the distant past they had been partially covered with concrete levelling screed and just to make it more challenging for me the carpet had been secured with adhesive.

Victorian Floor Before Renovation Weybridge College

After visiting the school to survey the floor I could see this going to be a very challenging job for one person. Fortunately Tile Doctor has a network of over 50 specialists like me all around the Country, so I reached out to neighbouring East Surrey Tile Doctor Mick Conlon who is also very experienced in floor restoration. Together we broke down the job into sections, e.g. remove the adhesive, remove the screed, hone the tiles, repair any missing, broken or damages tiles and finally seal. All in the work would take five days to complete.

Victorian Floor Before Renovation Weybridge College

Removing Carpet Adhesive from Victorian Floor Tiles

The first task was to smother the surface in Tile Doctor Remove and Go which in turn was covered by plastic sheeting. By trapping the product under a plastic sheet, it couldn’t dry out and thereby remains active for longer.

Victorian Floor During Adhesive Removal Weybridge

After a couple of hours, it had broken down the adhesive which we swept up and disposed of. This was unpleasant work which required us to wear protective gloves, masks and goggles.

Victorian Floor During Adhesive Removal Weybridge Victorian Floor During Adhesive Removal Weybridge

Removing Cement Screed from Victorian Floor Tiles

On day two we turned our attention to the removal of the concrete screed and cleaning up the tiles. This was done with a process called honing. A circular 200-grit pad was attached to a floor buffer and run over the tiles using water for lubrication. The honing pad is impregnated with industrial diamonds which gradually cuts through and removes the screed covering.

Victorian Floor During Screed Removal Weybridge

After several hours the tiles began to reveal themselves. It also became apparent that after over 100 years of thousands of pupils walking over them some of the tiles were somewhat dipped in the middle. Using a handheld buffer these areas had extra attention with a very coarse 100-grit diamond pad. This process took most of the day with one man honing whilst the other constantly rinsed the floor with more water and extracted the waste.

Replacing Broken Victorian Floor Tiles

Once the tiles were totally free of concrete screed it exposed several broken and missing tiles. Some tiles had been removed and not replaced but back filled with concrete. Fortunately, I had managed to source matching reclaimed tiles was able to cut and fit replacements. All holes and cracks were filled so the floor was ready for sealing the next day.

Victorian Floor During Adhesive Removal Weybridge

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Floor

Given the age of the floor and the high amount of floor traffic this floor would receive I advised against using a high shine sealer and recommended an impregnating breathable matt sealer instead. There were two main reasons for this, first old floors don’t have a damp-proof membrane installed so it’s important to use a sealer that will allow the floor to breath and allow moisture to rise through the tiles. Secondly, only an impregnating sealer which soaks into the pores of the tile would cope with the anticipated heavy footfall.

Victorian Floor After Sealing Weybridge College

With that agreed several coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer were applied to the tiles leaving the floor looking great and completely transformed. At end of the last day the headmistress came to give her approval as did the whole secretarial staff. My favourite word was “astonishing”. Hard to disagree.

Victorian Floor After Sealing Weybridge College

 

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Ceramic Bath Tile Before After Cleaning Guildford

Restoration of a shower and bathroom in Guildford

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 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 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.

 

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Travertine Floor Tile Replacement in Cobham

Replacing Cracked Travertine Floor Tiles in Cobham

This client from Cobham contacted me in despair, she was quite concerned about her Travertine tiled floor which was cracking. She had the Kitchen and Dining room tiled with Travertine six years ago and recently several cracks had begun to appear in a long line crossing five tiles.

Travertine Floor Issues Before Restoration Cobham Travertine Floor Issues Before Restoration Cobham

Several holes had also begun to appear and across the threshold to the kitchen from the dining area a serious lip had formed where a tile had risen above its neighbour causing a trip hazard.

Travertine Floor Issues Before Restoration Cobham

After removing a tile from an unobtrusive area, I began to see where the issues lay. The tiler had dabbed the adhesive. This mean that instead of spreading the adhesive equally across the tile and floor they had splurged four lumps in each corner then set the tile down. This is poor working practice that will sooner or later become apparent. It means the areas were no adhesive was applied are eventually compromised resulting in cracking. This could take years or weeks to surface.

Travertine Floor Issues Before Restoration Cobham

After some discussion we decided that I would remove and replace six tiles in total. The client was happy for me to go ahead and agreed a cost for the works to be done.

Repairing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

Returning the following week, firstly I had to remove the grout. This was done with a handheld Fein tool fitted with an oscillating blade. I thought this would be good experience from my son during the holidays, so I took him along and whilst I was working on the grout, he was able to gather the dust in a vacuum cleaner.

Travertine Floor Issues During Restoration Cobham

Next, I started to remove the cracked tiles with a chisel, starting from the cracks where the tiles would be weakest. This was noisy and messy work which required ear defenders and safety goggles. The process took several hours with the help of my son on general assistance duties. Once the tiles were removed this just left the remaining adhesive attached to the floor to get removed. This was the hardest part of the job, a lot of hammer and chisel work with as much dust gathered as possible to try and contain the mess. I had warned the customer that a considerable amount of mess would be produced and request that she should remove as much items as possible and to tape up her cupboards. Finally, I filled several holes in the sub floor so I would have a flat surface to lay the new tiles on. I left it there for the night to solidify.

Travertine Floor Issues During Restoration Cobham

Returning the next day, I began laying the replacement tiles down. Colour matching replacement tiles is a difficult task as Travertine is a natural product and colours vary greatly so these were a pretty good match.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

Once the adhesive had set, I grouted in the newly laid tiles and once that was dry set about applying a sealer. For this I used two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is an impregnating sealer that doesn’t alter the colour of the stone. This would ensure they were nicely protected and hopefully the client will not experience any further issues.

Travertine Floor Issues After Restoration Cobham

She was very happy with the result and was pleased the floor no long looked unsightly or posed a tripping hazard.

 

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Flagstone Tiled Floor- After Restoration Ripley

400 Year Old Dirty Flagstone Floor Renovated in Ripley

This property in the lovely Surrey village of Ripley near Woking was over 400 years old and featured an amazingly dirty flagstone floor. The village itself has a long history that dates to Norman times so I wouldn’t surprise me if the stone in this floor was original or potentially older.

The house was a family property with a large garden that the kids and dog used and liked to walk through the house bringing the garden inside! It was fair to say the area was subject to heavy traffic and attracted a fair amount of dirt. I recommended a deep and thorough clean and then the application of a durable sealer to protect the stone going forward.

400 Year Old Flagstone Floor Before Restoration Ripley 400 Year Old Flagstone Floor Before Restoration Ripley

To demonstrate the potential of the flagstones I applied different Tile Doctor cleaning products on a small test area to see which would work best. It wasn’t long before the dirt was lifted out of the pores of the stone and you could really get an ideal of how the stone could be could transformed. They agreed my quote for the work, and we arranged a time to carry out the work which would take two days. I would start the cleaning on a Friday then we would return on the following Tuesday to seal leaving it to dry for more than two days in between.

Cleaning and Restoring a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The first job was to clean the grout using a strong dilution Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which turned it from a dark brown to a sandy yellow colour. This work was done by hand with a hard-scrubbing brush and due to the wide joints took three hours to complete before finally rinsing and extracting the dirt off the floor with a wet vacuum.

400 Year Old Flagstone Floor During Restoration Ripley

Next task was to clean the flagstones. They were so dirty I decided to use Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a stronger product to breakdown the ingrained dirt. Fortunately, I was able to use a standard black scrubbing pad attached to my rotary buffer to work the product into the stone. The dirt was removed with the wet vacuum cleaner as I progressed however the stone was so dirty that the soil ran back down into the grout. So, after cleaning the tiles I had to go over the grout again.

Once completed, the client was astonished at the difference. I used a lot of water in the cleaning process so the floor was left for three days so it would thoroughly dry out before I returned to apply the sealer.

Sealing a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

Returning on the Tuesday, first I checked the floor was dry with a moisture meter. My plan to leave the floor for three days had worked well and I confirmed the floor was dry and ready to be sealed.

To seal the floor, I applied three coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra with a paint pad and a soft brush. There was a lot to cover and each coat is left to dry before applying the next, so it took some time before I was done. Seal and Go Extra is a breathable sealer so it will allow moisture to rise through the floor this is an important consideration when sealing old floors which don’t have a damp-proof membrane. The sealer worked well on the stone really bringing out the colours, so the stones now looked like stones rather than black rocks.

400 Year Old Flagstone Floor After Restoration Ripley 400 Year Old Flagstone Floor After Restoration Ripley

The client was over the moon with the difference, they had literally never seen the floor looking like this. The children and dog were firmly told they would be wiping their feet before traipsing the garden through the house in future!

400 Year Old Flagstone Floor After Restoration Ripley

For aftercare I recommended they used Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which will keep the floor clean and is not overly strong like many supermarket cleaning products which can prematurely erode the protection provided by the sealer.

 

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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

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!

Grout Haze on Wood Effect Ceramic Tiles Before Removal Guildford

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! “

Grout Haze on Wood Effect Ceramic Tiles After Removal Guildford

 

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Travertine Tiled Flooring Before and After Renovation Cobham

Dull Travertine Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned in Cobham

This client from Cobham had her kitchen and diner tiled with Travertine six years ago. With two children and three dogs living there, the sealer has gradually worn away leaving the stone exposed to dirt. The leafy village of Cobham lies in the borough of Elmbridge which is noted as being a one of the most desirable places to live in the UK. As a result, it attracts a lot of investment in property including expensive tiled floors.

I went over to survey the floor and discussed with the client how we could improve the floors appearance. The solution I proposed was to deep clean the tiles to extract all the dirt and remove what was left of the old sealer and then to re-seal the floor in order to protect it going forward. This process typically takes two days to complete; day one is spent cleaning the stone and grout, including the removal of the existing sealer and day two is spent sealing and polishing. The client was satisfied with the quotation and we arranged a time to come back and carry out the work.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Diner Floor Before Cleaning Cobham

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

Firstly, I asked the client to clear the floor and to help me put the dining table in the garden out of the way. Then using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a wire brush I cleaned the grout in the kitchen, diner and utility room. It was a large installation of Travertine, so this task took some time to complete. The floor was rinsed, and all the dirt produced was removed with a wet vacuum cleaner.

The next job was to remove what remained of the previous sealer and top layer of dirt. This was done with a rotating buffing machine with a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads. The first one applied is a coarse 400-grit pad followed by 800 and 1500-grit, working through the pads in sequence. You might be familiar with the grit system from sandpaper, rough down to smooth. The process is lubricated with water and the slurry generated is rinsed off with water and extracted using a wet vacuum.
I left the floor to dry off overnight, they can walk on it during this time, but they needed to be careful of any spillages. The dogs were also welcomed back in from the front room.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

The second day started with and inspection of the Travertine tile and grout looking for any areas that need further attention. I was satisfied that the floor was looking its’ best and once the preparation was complete, I applied the first coat of sealer.

On this occasion I went with Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is doesn’t change the look of the stone giving a completely natural look. This product soaks into the pores of the stone protecting if from within and should last between three and five years depending on the amount of wear it received and how the floor is cleaned and maintained.

Two coats of sealer were applied and after each coat dried, I polished the floor using a very fine 3000-grit diamond pad. The pad is run across the Travertine dry with only a little water sprayed onto the tile using a process we call a ‘Spray Burnish’. I asked the client to keep off the travertine until it’s cured, usually for a couple of hours which is always a good excuse to go out for the evening!

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Diner Floor After Cleaning Cobham

The client was very happy the floor and they remarked it looked as good as when it was first laid. For aftercare I recommended using Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is ideal for the regular cleaning of sealed natural stone floors, many supermarket products are simply too harsh and will reduce the life of the sealer.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Diner Floor After Cleaning Cobham

 

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Scratched Black Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor Before After Renovation Godalming

New Black Limestone Floor Issues Resolved in Godalming

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.

Scratched Black Limestone Floor Before Godalming

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.

 

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Red Brown Marble Tiled Floor Before After Polishing Weybridge

Red and Brown Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor Polishing Weybridge

If you have a Mable tiled floor which is not looking its best, then the transformation I achieved on this floor at a property in Weybridge will definitely be on interest. Having first spoken with the owner on the phone I went over to the house to take a better look at the floor and found that the deep red and brown Marble tiled kitchen floor was really dirty and totally lacking in colour or polish.

The floor hadn’t been professionally cleaned for some time and was now dirty and suffering from the actions of a puppy which likes to charge up and down. The Marble was also full of holes which the client explained had been getting larger. This is not usual for natural stone as it can be very sensitive to acidic cleaning products which if used constantly over time will start to dissolve the stone.

We discussed the remedies available, agreed a cost and arranged a mutually convenient time to carry the work out. I always like to do a site visit to survey the tiles and ideally run a test clean to determine the best methods for resolving the problems. This enabled me to give a more accurate quote and it also gives the customer confidence in my abilities.

Marble Tiled Floor Before Polishing Weybrige

Deep Cleaning Red and Brown Marble Kitchen Tiles

Firstly, I removed the existing sealer with a 400-grit diamond burnishing pad which is applied with water. Although this initially appears to make the floor look worse, this is only temporary, sometimes you have to make it look a little worse before it can get better! Once this was done the floor was rinsed with water to remove the slurry generated and this was then extracted off the floor with a wet vacuum.

Then for the next couple of hours I worked my way from the back door to the front filling all holes with a special expanding resin, then smoothing off as I went to ensure the smoothest of finish could be achieved. Some of the holes were indeed quite large, so there was quite a lot of work to do.

Once the filler had dried I started the polishing process using the 800 and then 1500 grit burnishing pads, once again with more water to lubricate and rinsing the floor in between polishing and removing the slurry as before. This process took much of the day, so I left the floor to dry off and came back the next day to complete the polishing and seal the Marble.

Sealing Red and Brown Marble Kitchen Tiles

The next day I returned and completed the polishing process by applying the fourth burnishing pad which is an extra fine 3000 grit pad, you apply the pad dry with only a little amount of water sprayed onto the floor in process we call a spay burnish and this final pad really brings up the polish in the Marble.

Once the polishing had finished I left the floor for a little while to make sure it was nice and dry and then I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer. This is a colour intensifying sealer that provides durable protection by impregnating the pores in the stone with sealer, so dirt cannot become ingrained there. As you can see from the pictures the sealer dramatically enhanced the natural colours in the stone.

Once dry I backed my way out of the house with a final finishing polish using a white buffing pad to remove any excess sealant and bring up the sheen of the tiles even further. I left instructions with the client to keep off for a couple of hours while the sealer cured.

The client was over the moon with the end result, the floor was left shiny, protected and looking in a fabulous condition.

Marble Tiled Floor After Polishing Weybrige

 

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Cafe Floor Chertsey After Cleaning

Heavily Soiled Victorian Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed at a Cafe in Chertsey

At Tile Doctor, we don’t just offer our tile cleaning and sealing services to residential properties, such as flats and houses we also cover tile installations in commercial properties, such as hotels and restaurants as well as

In fact, commercial properties tend to experience much higher daily foot traffic than residential floors resulting in much more strain on the sealer. This of course wears down the sealer more quickly and once the sealer had worn away the tiles are vulnerable to dirt becoming ingrained which makes the floor difficult to clean.

This Cafe in Chertsey is very popular with staff from the nearby hospital, as well as residents in the local area. Naturally, the cafe gets very busy and the Victorian tiled floor had experienced heavy traffic and was marked by footprints from hundreds of hungry customers.

Cafe Floor Chertsey Before Cleaning
I was called in to help the cafe owner restore this original feature back to its best possible condition and then seal again to protect it.

Cleaning a Heavily Soiled Victorian Tiled Floor

Once the cafe staff had left for the evening, I moved the tables aside to avoid damaging them and laid down a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean across the floor. This is our reliable alkaline cleaner which is designed to loosen the dirt on tiles and grout.

As the dirt was deeply ingrained in the stone, I scrubbed the floor using an abrasive 200 grit pad fitted to on rotary buffer. Within seconds the pad had worked its magic and I had a trail of filthy water to suck up using a wet vacuum machine.

Once the majority of the floor had been cleaned, I took to my knees to closely inspect the stone for dirt. Any particularly stubborn areas were tackled using a wire brush in combination with Tile Doctor Remove and Go, which is a heavy-duty cleaner/coatings remover which works well on removing any old sealers, paints and adhesives.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Floor

Once the floor was clean, I washed and neutralised the surface with plain water. While I was packing up for the day I also installed my air-blower to aid the drying process overnight.

Two nights later I returned to the cafe to seal the tiles with Tile Doctor Colour Grow. Colour Grow is a colour enhancing sealer that impregnates into the pores of the tile to bring out the natural colours whilst adding a durable matte finish that acts as a barrier to dirt.

Cafe Floor Chertsey After Cleaning
As you can see from the photo above, the result was fantastic. In fact, the customer loved her newly restored floor so much that she even told me to help myself to any cake of choice, I do like a bonus!

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Badly Marked Slate Shower Tray in Clapham After Restoration

Severely Stained Slate Shower Cubicle Restored with Burnishing in Clapham

When used to clean natural stone, supermarket products can often cause more harm than good as this recent customer of mine discovered this the hard way!

Originally from South Africa, she had lived in a flat in Clapham for a couple of years, but had to suddenly return home earlier than expected. However, part of her flat rental agreement required her to leave the property clean and as she found it, including the fantastic Slate shower cubicle.

In a rush, the customer had attempted to clean the Slate using a popular supermarket bathroom cleaner. She left the product to sit on the base of the shower before scrubbing it in with an abrasive pan scourer.

Badly Marked Slate Shower Tray in Clapham Before Restoration
This was a big mistake – and the customer called me in a panic after discovering that her attempts had left the Slate severely stained. I travelled to the property to see what could be done to set the situation straight.

Burnishing a Severely Stained Slate Shower Cubicle

Upon observing the damage in person, I decided that the best course of action would be to use a process known as burnishing to grind away the stains. I tested a small area of the cubicle with one of our handheld diamond encrusted burnishing blocks.

Happy with the results of the test Clean, I started to burnish the whole cubicle using our system of four burnishing blocks, starting with the coarsest first and working my way down to the finest. A small amount of water was used as lubrication for each pad.

Through the burnishing process, the white stains started to disappear, exposing the lighter grey coloured Slate shower base.

Sealing a Slate Shower Cubicle

After drying the area completely with a heat gun, I was able to seal the stone with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow.

This impregnating sealer not only protects the stone but also importantly it restores the natural dark shades in the Slate, enhancing its overall appearance. As an impregnating sealer, Colour Grow penetrates the pores in the stone to fill them and prevent trapped dirt.

Badly Marked Slate Shower Tray in Clapham After Restoration
To say the customer was very relieved would be a complete understatement! By hiring in professional assistance, the customer was able to resolve the situation quickly and painlessly – and more importantly hold onto her £3,000 deposit!

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Ceramic Bathroom Tiles Refreshed in Chessington

Cleaning Ceramic Bath Tiles at a Chessington Student Let

This bath with shower over was located at a rental property in the town of Chessington that had been recently vacated by students. I was called in by the landlord who was looking to re-rent the property. The request was to tidy up the ceramic tiles in the shower and bath area and to make it look decent again for the next batch of soap-dodgers . We often get asked to do end of tenancy tile cleans and have seen a lot worse than this one so I was confident it could be made to look like new again.

Dirty Ceramic Bath Tiles in Chessington before cleaning
The main problem was the grout had become darkened and stained from dirt and the dyes in soaps etc., the mastic sealant between the tile and the bath also needed replacing.

Cleaning Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

To get the tile and grout clean I sprayed on Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel which works better than liquid products as being gel based it sticks to the wall tile and grout and really gets to work breaking down the dirt. I left this for a few minutes before scrubbing it in and then rinsing it off with water.

Whist this was drying I started to strip out the old mastic seal and tidied up the mess that had fallen into the bathtub using a vacuum.

Grout Colouring Shower Wall Tiles

With the tiles now clean and fresh grout dried the next step was to apply a White Grout Colourant to ensure all the grout had a consistent appearance. Although time consuming the grout colourant is easily applied with a small brush and then you wipe off any excess that gets onto the tile before it dries.

I left the grout colourant to dry for 30 minutes before applying another coat and once this had dried I set about adding a new mastic seal between the wall tile and bath. I always use a high quality silicone sealant for this; I never use cheap sealant as they soon discolour and can shrink resulting in water ingress problems.

Dirty Ceramic Bath Tiles in Chessington after cleaning
It takes a little time but the bathroom now looks much fresher and ready for the next tenants.

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Limestone Tiled Floor After Cleaning and Polishing in Esher

Large Area of Limestone Tiled Flooring Burnished in Esher

This beautiful Limestone tiled floor was installed in the lounge of a house in the popular London commuter town of Esher. The floor was looking dull after years without a polish and the grout was dirty, there was also a crack running along a number of tiles however without matching replacements it was decided not to address that problem at this time.

Limestone Tiled Floor Before Cleaning and Polishing in Esher
Limestone is a very tough stone so to clean the tile and rebuild the polish it would need to be burnished using different grades of Diamond encrusted pads and then sealed to protect it from ingrained dirt and stains. It’s worth noting that polished stone tile does need to be regularly maintained if you want to keep up its appearance and Tile Doctor does offer this as a service.

Limestone Tiled Floor Before Cleaning and Polishing in Esher

Cleaning Limestone Tile and Grout

Before working on the tiles I decided to treat the grout to a good old fashioned scrub with a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and stiff grout brush. This soon got the grout clean and the soiled cleaning solution was then rinsed away with water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

Next step was to start the burnishing process using a coarse pad which was attached to a rotary buffer and then, using a litre of water per square metre as lubrication, I cleaned and stripped away any remaining sealer.

Once I’d removed any excess residue with the wet-vacuum, I changed to the a medium grit pad, repeated the cleaning process, and again extracted the soiled residue. Finally, I completed the process once more with the fine grit pad. Once this was completed I buffed the floor with a soft white pad to clean up any dried residue, leaving it ready to be sealed.

Sealing Limestone Tiles

Two days later, once the floor was completely dry, I returned to the property to seal and polish the floor. To begin, I restored the shine to the tiles by applying the last of the four burnishing pads – the very fine grit pad.

To seal the Limestone I applied Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is an impregnating sealer that soaks into the pores of the Limestone to provide durable protection against ingrained dirt without changing the natural look of the tile.

After an hour, the floor was ready to be buffered once again to bring up the shine and then we were done

Limestone Tiled Floor After Cleaning and Polishing in Esher
I was very pleased with the result and more importantly so did the customer who left the following feedback

“All work very professionally carried out, floors are sparkling.”

Limestone Tiled Floor After Cleaning and Polishing in Esher
 

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slate shower after burnishing churt

Acid-Damaged Slate Shower Tiles Restored with Burnishing in Churt

One problem we encounter a lot at Tile Doctor is damaged caused to natural stone tiles by unsuitable household cleaning products. This customer, who lives in the small West Surrey village of Churt, had done this by attempting to use Cilit Bang, which is an acidic product, to remove limescale from his fantastic Slate tiled shower cubicle. While the product may indeed remove Limescale, it does say on the label that it should not be used on natural stone.

Slate shower before cleaning Churt Slate shower before cleaning Churt

Putting these types of products in contact with acid-sensitive stone typically results in some sort of etching, however, I had never before seen the type of damage that had occurred on these Slate tiles. At first, I thought the damage – which appeared as a sort of white staining – might simply be damage to the sealer. But when I did a test clean to remove the sealer, it became clear that the stone had suffered from very deep staining and the only way to remove it would be to use a process we call burnishing.

Slate shower before cleaning Churt

Burnishing an Acid-Damaged Slate Tiled Shower Cubicle

The burnishing process is a type of polishing which involves the application of diamond burnishing pads in sequence. Each pad has a different level of grit, allowing for dirt and stains to be broken down before the stone is gradually polished. We typically use burnishing on Limestone, Marble, and Travertine, but it can be used on all manner of stone in the right circumstances. This being a vertical surface, I had to complete the process using smaller six-inch pads fitted to a handheld buffer.

I started by applying the 400 grit (Coarse) pad, and followed on through to the 800 grit (Medium) and 1500 grit (Fine) pads, using a small amount of water as lubrication. I then left the tiles to dry until the next day.

When I arrived back at the property, the customer remarked that the tiles looked massively improved. Nonetheless, I found I hadn’t removed all the staining possible, so decided to repeat the burnishing process once – but this time used the pads without any lubrication. Once I was satisfied with the results, it was time to seal the tiles.

Sealing a Slate Tiled Shower Cubicle

My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which impregnates the stone to block ingrained dirt and staining. As the name of the product suggests, it also enhances the dark natural shades in the Slate, giving the shower cubicle a bold, healthy and rich appearance.

Slate shower after burnishing Churt Slate shower after burnishing Churt

The customer was really pleased with the end result, which can be seen in the photographs above and below. So pleased was the customer, in fact, that he asked me to quote for the restoration of his Limestone tiled patio.

Slate shower after burnishing Churt
 

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