Chelmsford Tile Cleaning Archives - South Essex Tile Doctor

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Danbury Chelmsford

Filthy Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Danbury

The Terracotta tiles in the kitchen of this property in Danbury near Chelmsford were installed by the owners only five years prior. At the time they didn’t like the light colour of the terracotta, so they were sealed with a black pigment added to the sealer in an attempt to darken the floor. Five years later and the sealer had clearly failed, and the tiles and grout were now seriously filthy and impossible to clean.

I wanted to be certain I could remove the dirt and old sealer so whilst at the property surveying the floor I did a cleaning test with Tile Doctor Remove and Go scrubbed into a couple of tiles by hand. The product worked really well and easily cleaned the tiles and grout with excellent results (see picture).

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Danbury Chelmsford

The difference was quite striking and equally impressive so after I worked out a quote, they were more than happy to get me booked in to complete the floor.

Deep Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned on the agreed date and immediately set about applying the same process to get the Terracotta tile and grout clean. I used a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go working it into the tiles using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine which also cleaned the grout lines.

The Terracotta was rinsed, and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum. Once done the tiles and grout were inspected and any stubborn areas re-treated using the same process until I was satisfied the Terracotta, and grout was as clean as possible.

The underfloor heating was switched on and used to dry the floor overnight so it would be dry and ready for sealing the next day. This was a helpful addition and avoided the need for me to get the fan dryers out overnight.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen

Terracotta is made from clay and as a result is a very porous material, because of this it took eight coats sealer before it was fully sealed. I applied Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer for this, it contains a colour enhancing formula which really brought out the orange and red colours in the tile.

This sealer is an impregnator that works by soaking into the tile, occupying the pores and ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it is easily cleaned away. It will provide long term protection moving forward and it improves the appearance of the floor without the tiles becoming too shiny.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Danbury Chelmsford

I think you will agree from the photographs that the floor was completely transformed, and I’m pleased to say the owner was really happy and shocked to see it so different from before.

For aftercare cleaning I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, this is a pH neutral product which will ensure the newly applied sealer retains its integrity. Many household cleaning products are simply too strong and will strip away the sealer with use.

Professional Restoration of a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen in South Essex

Filthy Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Danbury Read More »

Multicoloured Slate Floor Renovation Stock Essex

New Sealer adds Life to a Dull Multi Coloured Slate Floor in Stock

1 Comment / Brentwood Tile Cleaning, Chelmsford Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning / Matthew Tyler

This multi-coloured Slate kitchen floor had been laid fifteen years prior and although in very good condition the owner was unhappy with the finish. Basically, it looked dull, un-inviting and the owner wanted some life putting back in the stone.

It was clear to me that the sealer that had provided previously provided the sheen finish had simply worn off with use. Without a sealer in place dirt was now becoming ingrained into the pores of the slate making the problem worse.

Multicoloured Slate Floor Before Cleaning Stock Essex

I visited the property to survey the tiles and provide a quote for renovating the floor. The work would take two days and would include removing what remained of the old sealer, deep cleaning the Slate and then re-sealing the tiles with a sheen finish sealer. The quote was accepted, and a date arranged to do the work.

Cleaning a Multi-Coloured Slate Tiled Floor

I started by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and let it soak into the stone for ten minutes. This product is a coatings remover and cleaner that is safe to use on all type of stone or tile. Then using a 200-grit milling pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer the solution was worked into the stone to strip off what remained of the remaining sealer and pull the dirt out of the stone. The floor was then rinsed, and the soiled solution was removed using a wet vacuum.

Next, I treated the floor to an acid wash using another Tile Doctor product called Grout Clean-up. This is great for removing grout smears left over from tiling and neutralises the pH level of the floor after the use of Remove and Go which is alkaline. After scrubbing in the solution with a deck brush the floor was then rinsed and extracted again with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Multi Coloured Slate Tiled Floor

I left the floor to dry out overnight and returned the next days later to apply the sealer. Before doing so I checked the moisture level of the tiles with a damp meter to ensure they had dried sufficiently. This is always worth doing as applying sealer to a floor that is still damp can lead to an inconsistent finish.

All was well with the readings so I started applying the first coat of sealer which for this floor we used Tile Doctor Seal & Go. This product will protect the stone from ingrained dirt and adds a lovely subtle shine to the floor which matched the customers’ requirements exactly. After about forty minutes of drying time, I applied a second cost and as expected this resulted in a healthy sheen.

Multicoloured Slate Floor After Cleaning Stock Essex

My client was very happy with the result and left 5-star feedback along with the following comment.

Very Professional

For the aftercare cleaning of sealed slate floors, I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle but effective product that won’t upset the sealer like many of the bleach based products you find in supermarkets.

Professional Restoration of a Multi Coloured Slate Tiled Kitchen, Hallway and WC Floor in North Lincolnshire

New Sealer adds Life to a Dull Multi Coloured Slate Floor in Stock Read More »

Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Maldon

1 Comment / Chelmsford Tile Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Work History / TileProf

Here’s a job I completed not too long ago in the town of Maldon, which sits alongside the Blackwater estuary in South Essex. Although the Flagstone tiled floor in my client’s kitchen was – generally speaking – in good physical condition, the surface seal had worn down over time, leaving the tiles looking dull and lifeless.

Flagstone is quite a hard wearing stone that is commonly used for both internal and external surfaces, whether this is something as simple as a kitchen floor, or something more complex like a public monument. I was commissioned to restore the floor back to looking it best, by way of a thorough clean and a new seal.

Cleaning a Flagstone tiled floor

My go to cleaner for most kinds of natural stone tile is Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, a high alkaline product which contains both cleaning and stripping properties depending on the dilution ratio. In this case I wanted a strong solution so I could strip off any remaining sealer and so it was diluted one part Pro-Clean to three parts clean water. The solution was left to dwell for 10 minutes, allowing it to soak into the stone and get to work breaking down any remaining sealer.

I then attached a black scrubbing pad to my rotary machine, and used this to agitate the solution into the tiles. This helped to lift out any ingrained dirt and remove the stubborn marks blemishing the floor. Once the initial clean had been completed, I turned my attention to the grout between the tiles, using Pro-Clean in combination with a stiff grout brush to clean up the grout as much as possible. I cleaned the floor twice in total before rinsing the entire area with water and leaving the house for a few days, giving the surface time to dry.

Sealing a Flagstone tiled floor

Upon my return to the house, I ran some damp tests to double check that the floor had dried completely. This is important as any residual moisture can potentially damage the performance of the sealer. Once I was satisfied that the tiles were able to take the seal, I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealant.

Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer that seeps into the pores of the stone provides durable stain protection from within, along with a nice finish. It’s also specially designed to intensify the natural shades and colours in the stone, turning dull floors into characterful household features. Colour Grow is suitable for use most stone surfaces, including Flagstone, Limestone, Marble, Quarry, Sandstone and Slate.

My customer was very pleased with the result, with marked differences in condition and appearance achieved in the space of a few short days.

Tile cleaning and sealing for Flagstone tiled kitchen floor restoration in Maldon, South Essex

Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Maldon Read More »

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South Essex Tile Doctor

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