Victorian Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of the cleaning and renovation of Victorian tiles carried out in North Buckinghamshire

Cleaning and Renovating Victorian Tiles

Commonly found in the hallways of oldder UK properties Victorian tiles are very hard wearing and can provide a classic look to any space. We often find that the beauty of these tiles are hidden under years of grime and neglect and are often covered up with carpets etc as tastes have changed over the years. If this sounds familiar then all is not lost as they can be restored.

The standard bearer for quality Victorian tiles was a firm called Minton Hollins, an English manufacturer who made a very good product which lasted the test of time. Victorian building practices however did not include the use of damp proof membranes and we often find damp can be a major issue with these old floors leading to salt problems known as efflorescence.

Common problems we face when restoring Victorian tiles are the removal of carpet glue, paint splashes and cement. Loose and cracked tiles can also be a problem however due to their popularity we usually find finding replacement tiles isn’t a problem.

Below you will find detailed examples of work we have carried out in the past, it should give you some idea of what’s involved and what can be achieved with the right techniques and products.


Victorian Quarry Tiles Bedford after cleaning and sealing

Victorian Quarry Tiled Floor Refreshed in Bedford

This was a very straightforward request to clean and seal an old Quarry tiled floor that dated back to the Victorian era. The tiles didn’t appear to have any sealer or other treatment applied, it could be if there was anything it had worn off a long time before.

Cleaning Old Quarry Tiles

A strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied to the floor and left to soak into the tile for around twenty minutes before being worked into the floor using a rotary floor scrubber fitted with a black pad. Pro-Clean is a strong alkaline product so unlike acid based cleaners it’s safe to use on any tile and stone which given the age of these tiles was quite an important consideration.

Pro-Clean was also used along the grout lines which were scrubbed by hand using a stiff brush. The floor was then rinsed with clean water which was removed using a wet vacuum and the whole process repeated until we were happy that the tile and grout was clean.

This process took most of the day and before we left the floor was given a thorough rinse with clean water to remove any trace of Pro-Clean as this can upset sealing later on.

Victorian Quarry Tiles Bedford before cleaning Victorian Quarry Tiles Bedford after cleaning and sealing

Sealing Quarry Tiles

The floor was left to dry overnight and when we came back the next day we were able to start the sealing process. For sealing a combination of sealers was used starting with a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow; Colour Grow is a impregnating sealer that fills the pores in the tile in order to repel any contaminates that can stain the floor, it also as its name suggests brings out the colour in the tile. Once this had dried a coat of Tile Doctor Seal and Go was applied which is a topical sealer that adds a nice sheen to the floor. This proved to be a great combination and the quarry tiles looked really nice when they were finished in fact the customer was so surprised by the result we had managed to achieve.

Cleaning old Victorian Quarry Tiles in Bedford

Victorian Quarry Tiled Floor Refreshed in Bedford Read More »

=================================

North Buckinghamshire Tile Doctor

================================= Read More »

Scroll to Top