Grout Cleaning Archives - Suffolk Tile Doctor

Terracotta Floor Tile Floor Cleaning Sealing Woodbridge

Terracotta Tiled Floor Renovation in Woodbridge

This Terracotta tiled floor was in the kitchen of a house in the river side town of Woodbridge. The client had inherited the property and was looking to freshen it up prior to selling. The house had terracotta floors in nearly every room on the ground floor including a cellar, some areas of which were showing signs of damp.

Terracotta Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Woodbridge

After visiting the property, I could see the terracotta clearly hadn’t been sealed for some time as the dirt was well ingrained into the pores of the tile and it would need a deep clean to get it all out. After carrying out a few tests I was able to come up with a renovation plan and produce a quote for the work. Happy to proceed we agreed a date for the work to begin which would take four days.

Terracotta Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Woodbridge

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Ground Floor

To get the floor clean I started with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which was applied to the tiles and left to soak in for ten minutes. The dwell time gives the product time to break down the soiling before scrubbing. The product was then worked into the tile and grout using a Black pad fitted to a rotary floor machine.

The grout was also scrubbed by hand using our wire brushes to get it as clean as it could be. All the soils released from the tile were rinsed away with water and then extracted using a wet vacuum. Most of the floors were quite dirty so after inspecting the floor they were re-treated until we were satisfied. Five litres of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean were used in the process.

The damp areas were treated to an acid wash using a product called Tile Doctor Acid Gel, this neutralises any alkaline efflorescence that may have built up in the floor. The gel was brushed into the floor and then the resultant slurry removed by rinsing and the wet vacuum as before.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Ground Floor

The floors were then left to dry out over a weekend, and we then returned the following week to apply a sealer. Before doing so several moisture readings were taken with a damp meter to make sure the floor was dry. The readings were satisfactory, so the floors were then sealed with Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is a breathable impregnating sealer. There were several floors to do and with Terracotta being quite porous five litres of sealer were needed for this.

Terracotta Tiled Floor After Cleaning Sealing Woodbridge

The client was happy that we had managed to get the floors looking so good. We left a free bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner for the client to use to maintain their floor. This should keep it looking good and the property now looked much more appealing to a potential purchaser.

Terracotta Tiled Floor After Cleaning Sealing Woodbridge

Professional Restoration of a Terracotta Tiled Ground Floor in Suffolk

Terracotta Tiled Floor Renovation in Woodbridge Read More »

Deep Cleaning Textured Porcelain Tile and Grout in Eyke

Deep Cleaning Textured Porcelain Floor Tile and Grout in Eyke

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Woodbridge Tile Cleaning / Bruce Copping

This Textured Porcelain tiled floor was installed in a house in the small village of Eyke. The customer was tired of the tile and grout looking dirty and so decided to have the floor professionally cleaned. Although textured porcelain is less likely to result in a slippery surface, it does trap dirt easily and this will build-up over time.

Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Eyke

I visited the property to survey the floor and quote for its renovation. After taking measurements I carried out a cleaning demonstration on a small area of the floor to show how well the floor would come up. They were very happy with the result and agreed to go ahead with the work, so a date was booked in the diary for the following month.

Cleaning a Textured Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor

To get the Porcelain tile and grout clean it was initially sprayed with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which is our go to tile and grout cleaner. The solution was left to soak in for roughly ten minutes before being worked in with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor machine. These pads can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout lines, so this was followed up by scrubbing the grout by hand with more Pro-Clean and wire brushes.

The floor was then rinsed with water and the resultant slurry removed with a wet vacuum. The work was done in sections and once a section had dried it was inspected and the cleaning process repeated until I was satisfied the floor was as clean as it could be. In total I spent a whole day at the property and used two litres of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to get the tile and grout clean. The customer was thrilled that we had managed to get the floor looking like new again.

Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Eyke

Normally at this stage my next step would be to seal the floor, however these Porcelain tiles were not the micro-porous type and therefore won’t accept a sealer and so no further treatment was required. Not being porous will ensure the dirt can’t get into the pores of the tile and will remain on the surface where it can be removed with regular cleaning. Had they been the porous variety we would have returned the following day when the tiles had dried to apply a sealer.

Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Eyke

Although not porous the textured nature of the surface will trap dirt so they will need more regular cleaning. With this in mind, I left a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner for the customer to use to maintain their floor.

Professional Cleaning of a Textured Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor in Suffolk

Deep Cleaning Textured Porcelain Floor Tile and Grout in Eyke Read More »

Sandstone Kitchen Floor Renovation Ipswich

Sandstone Floor Renovated in Ipswich Kitchen and Sunroom

1 Comment / Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Ipswich Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning / Bruce Copping

This Sandstone tiled floor was in the Kitchen and Sunroom of a house in Ipswich. The protective sealer had clearly worn off and now the floor was really grubby due to the owner being in a wheelchair and the tyres tracked dirt in from the garden.

Sandstone Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Ipswich

It had been some time since the floor was last sealed and it was clear to me now that the sealer had failed thereby allowing years of dirt and grime to lodge in the pores of the stone leaving it looking permanently dirty. Cleaning with a mop simply won’t make any difference to a floor once it gets in this state which is where Tile Doctor comes in. Also, we often find owners of sealed stone floors don’t realise that most of the tile cleaning products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong for use on a sealed floor and will strip the sealer from the tiles thereby leaving it vulnerable to ingrained dirt.

The solution I quoted for including deep cleaning the sandstone tiles and grout and then resealing the whole floor over two days. Unhappy with the floor and keen to have it renovated I was asked to do do the work and so we scheduled a date.

Cleaning/Repairing a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen and Sunroom Floor

To get the Sandstone clean I sprayed the floor with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and allowed it to soak in for about ten minutes. The floor was then scrubbed using a 120-grit carborundum silicon carbide brush fitted to a rotary machine. This is a special pad that works really well on riven stone. The resultant slurry was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

I then turned my attention to the grout which often needs extra attention as the pads can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout lines. For these I used more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and hand scrubbed where required with a stiff brush. I also used this time to inspect the floor and spot clean any stubborn areas of dirt on the sandstone that needed more attention.

Sandstone Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Ipswich

After a final rinse and extraction, the stone and grout were looking much cleaner however I needed it to be completely dry before applying the sealer so after extracting as much moisture as possible I left it to dry off overnight. The cleaning has taken the whole of the first day and had used two litres of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean.

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen and Sunroom Floor

On day two I started by checking the floor was dry using a damp meter; the moisture readings were fine, and this confirmed the floor was ready to accept a sealer. The sealer chosen for this floor was Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra, I applied four coats allowing each coat to dry before applying the next consuming three litres of sealer in the process.

Sandstone Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Ipswich

The floor is now clean and has a nice, easy to maintain sheen. The new sealer will prevent dirt becoming lodged in the pores of the tiles allowing the floor to keep its looks for many years to come. For cleaning I recommended they use Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is a gentle but effective product recommended for use on sealed stone.

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen and Sunroom in Suffolk

Sandstone Floor Renovated in Ipswich Kitchen and Sunroom Read More »

Travertine Kitchen Floor Tiles Before After Cleaning Thurston

Failed Travertine Tile Sealer Resolved in Great Green, Thurston

1 Comment / Bury St Edmunds Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Bruce Copping

The pictures below are of a Travertine tiled floor installed in the large Kitchen of a barn conversion in the small village of Great Green near Thurston which is four miles from Bury St Edmunds. The floor had been laid ten years prior and the customer was now finding it increasingly difficult to get the tile and grout clean.

Travertine Floor Before Cleaning Great Green Thurston

I visited the property to survey the floor and quickly confirmed that the problem was quite clear, the sealant had been worn away over the years and now unprotected dirt was getting into the surface and pores of the stone. Once ingrained with dirt it becomes impossible to get them clean with everyday household cleaners. The floor was in the kitchen which being one of the busiest areas in the house so really needed to be protected.

I ran a test clean on a small patch of travertine and they could see straight away the colour the floor should have been. It was clear the tile and grout would need a deep clean and then resealed however due to the inevitable wear I advised the customer stone floors like these really need continual attention and recommend that after the initial renovation they consider getting us back in once a year to do a surface clean and seal.

Happy with our test clean and quotation we got the go ahead to do the initial clean and seal and we arranged complete the work the following month.

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

On arrival I first taped up the skirting boards and kitchen plinths to protect them from splashing during cleaning. The floor was then scrubbed with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was first left to dwell for ten minutes so it could soak into the pores and break down the dirt. For best results I use a rotary buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Pro-Clean is a multi-purpose tile and grout cleaning product that really gets to grips with ingrained dirt and grease as well as removing the remains of old sealer.

Scrubbing pads struggle to reach into the grout recesses so I scrubbed the grout lines by hand using a wire brush and more Pro-Clean. The resultant slurry was then vacuumed off the floor using a wet vacuum, the floor was then rinsed with water and vacuumed again.

To improve the appearance of the Travertine tiles further it was given a light burnish using a 400-grit then 800-grit diamond burnishing pad. These pads are attached to the rotary machine and then run over each tile several times using only water for lubrication. This action brings up the natural polished appearance of the stone to leave a mild sheen as per the clients’ request. After another rinse and extraction to remove the slurry generated during burnishing the floor was left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

The following day I returned and first took some moisture readings from the floor using a damp meter. I needed to be sure the floor was dry enough to accept the sealer as applying sealer to a damp floor is not recommended.

The floor had dried out nicely, so I began the application of the sealer, Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This product is a colour intensifying impregnating sealer that penetrates the stone, occupying its pores, improving colour, and resulting in long lasting protection. I highly recommend this for use on Travertine and it enhances the natural brown colours in the stone beautifully.

Travertine Floor After Cleaning Great Green Thurston

The job took 2 days in total to complete and the clients were very happy with the result. For aftercare I have advised the use of Tile Doctor Stone Soap which will help maintain the patina whilst keeping the floor clean. I’ve also made a note to give them a call in a years’ time to discuss giving the floor a light Maintenance Clean and apply a new coat of Colour Grow.

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen in Suffolk

Failed Travertine Tile Sealer Resolved in Great Green, Thurston Read More »

Porcelain Tiled Floor Before and After Renovation Ipswich

Renovating Porcelain Tile with Stained Grout in Ipswich

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Ipswich Tile Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Work History / Bruce Copping

The pictures below detail the renovation of a Porcelain Tiled Floor I completed at a property in Ipswich. Installed throughout the Kitchen and into the adjacent WC the porcelain tile and grout were in a very dirty state and the client was desperate to get them clean. The situation wasn’t helped by their two dogs with grubby paws. She had tried all the usual household cleaners she could find, and nothing seemed to work. Unfortunately, household cleaners can make the problem worse due the strong chemicals they contain.

Porcelain Tile Grout Before Renovation Ipswich

I visited the property to survey the floor and was able to reassure the client that although the grout was heavily stained it could be renovated by recolouring it with a Tile Doctor Grout Colourant. I was confident we would soon be able to get the floor looking great again and demonstrated the process I would use on a small part of the floor. The demonstration went well and happy with the result we agreed a date for my return the following week to complete the work which should be completed in a single day.

Cleaning a Porcelain Tiled Hallway and Kitchen Floor

Returning on the agreed date we started by protecting the by applying a clear silicone sealant to the MDF skirting boards and kitchen base units. We left this to dry for an hour before proceeding with the cleaning.

The Porcelain tile and grout was cleaned with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean using 3 parts cleaner to 5 parts water. The solution was applied to the tile and grout and then left to soak in for ten minutes before being worked in using a rotary machine fitted with a Black Scrubbing Pad. Tile Doctor Pro-Clean is a concentrated, multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner which is designed for deep cleaning tile, stone and grout of dirt and grease and can also remove sealers.

Pads can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout line so once I was finished with the tile, I hand scrubbed the grout with a wire brush. The floor was then rinsed with water and the resultant slurry extracted off the floor with wet vacuum.

The floor took about three hours to deep clean which was just the right timing for us to have lunch whilst the floor dried. The grout was much improved by the cleaning process but as suspected there were too many deep-seated stains to be able to guarantee a consistent finish. So as previously agreed with the client we set about colouring the grout using a light grey colourant. This took most of the afternoon as there was a lot of grout.

The Porcelain tiles were the non-porous type that won’t take a sealer and the colourant acts as a barrier over the grout protecting it and making it easy to clean so once I was done colouring there was no need to apply a sealer.

Porcelain Tile Grout After Renovation Ipswich

My client was relieved to have the floor looking clean and presentable again. For aftercare I recommended that moving forward it would be best to use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a pH neutral cleaner. This will ensure that with regular cleaning the floor will keep clean and the grout won’t be compromised by overly strong products.

Professional Renovation of a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor in Suffolk

Renovating Porcelain Tile with Stained Grout in Ipswich Read More »

Cleaning, Polishing and Sealing a Marble floor and Wall Tiles in Elmswell

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Marble Tile Cleaning, Stowmarket Tile Cleaning, Work History / Bruce Copping

Not too long ago I was called down to a house in the small village of Elmswell, Suffolk. I was asked to take a look at a Marble floor and wall tiles which had become dull and lifeless over time, especially in high traffic areas and now need to be burnished to bring the polish back. In addition, my client was unhappy with the beige colour of the grout lines, requesting that I change the colour to white following the clean and polish.

Polished Marble Floor Elmswell Before Cleaning

Cleaning and Polishing a Marble tiles

To get the floor clean and bring back the polish I used a set of four diamond encrusted burnishing pads which have different levels of grit, applied to the Marble tiles with a small amount of water. I started with a Coarse pad, before moving on to a Medium pad, a Fine pad, and finally a Very Fine pad to achieve the desired polished look. The floor was given a thorough rinse between each pad in order to remove any excess residue that had resulted from the burnishing process.

Once I had finished the floors I moved onto the Marble wall tiles in the bathroom where the same process was repeated, for wall tiles however you need to use the smaller six inch burnishing pads fitted to a hand held buffer.

Sealing Marble Floor Tiles

I left the floor to dry for a few days before returning to seal it for which I used Tile Doctor Shine Powder. This is a crystallising powder that offers a very high shine and tough durable finish. It it ground directly into the tiles, and can be used to seal all natural stone, including Marble, Granite, Limestone, Slate and Travertine, for both interior and exterior floors.

Changing the Grout Colour

My final task was to change the colour of the grout, as per my client’s request. I did this using a couple of tubes of Tile Doctor Grout Colourant in white. The colourant is painted onto the grout with any excess wiped off the tile before it gets chance to harden. It’s an epoxy product that looks completely natural and additionally provides excellent stain protection for the future.

Polished Marble Floor Elmswell After Cleaning

My client was very pleased with the results of my work and took the time to leave the following comment on the Tile Doctor feedback system.

“I cannot praise the standard of Bruce Copping’s work enough. He completely transformed the marble floors and shower room walls in my home and made them look brand new. His attention to detail was excellent, plus no mess, just a perfect finish and valuable advice on maintaining the walls and floors. I’m so relieved I was able to find Tile Doctor online; I’d almost given up hope of finding someone to sort out the problems with my marble, but Bruce Copping was superb. I’m absolutely delighted with the results and have no hesitation in recommending him.”

Marble Tiles Refurbished in Suffolk

Cleaning, Polishing and Sealing a Marble floor and Wall Tiles in Elmswell Read More »

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Suffolk Tile Doctor

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