floor maintenance

Travertine Tiles After Cleaning at Cranfield University

Deep Cleaning Dirty Travertine Tiles at Cranfield University Hotel

Newport Pagnell Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / / , , , , , , , , ,

This rather dirty Travertine tiled floor is located in the reception area of the hotel and conference centre of the Cranfield University, apparently the tiles had been laid ten years prior and had not been properly cleaned and resealed since.

Cleaning Tumbled Travertine Tiles

Before starting we covered all the area around the floor with masking tape and plastic sheeting to protect it from any splashing which can happen when you’re using high speed floor machines.

The tiles were in need of a good deep clean so a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied to the floor and left to soak into the tile for twenty minutes before being scrubbed in with a using a rotary machine fitted with a scrubbing pad. The soiled solution was rinsed off using clean water and extracted using a wet vacuum repeating the process until you could see the improvement in the floor. A stiff hand brush was also used along the grout lines with more Pro-Clean to get them clean.

Travertine Tiles Before Cleaning at Cranfield University Travertine Tiles After Cleaning at Cranfield University

Burnishing Travertine Tiles

To restore the shine back to the travertine we used a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads starting with a coarse pad and a little water fitted to a heavy rotary machine, the coarse pad strips off any remaining dirt and seal from the floor, the resulting slurry was then removed using a wet vacuum.

Once finished with the course pad we moved on to the medium and fine pads again with a little water until the floor was polished. The final “Very Fine” pad brings up the polish on the floor and buffs it to a nice shine.

Sealing Travertine Tiles

Last step was to seal the tiles which would prevent any dirt getting trapped in the pores making it easy to clean and ensuring it keeps it appearance for longer. For this we used two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which as well as sealing the tiles works to bring out the natural colours in the stone.

The customer was very happy with the results and commented that they thought the transformation was amazing.

Cleaning Dirty Tumbled Travertine Tiles in Middlesex

Deep Cleaning Dirty Travertine Tiles at Cranfield University Hotel Read More »

Old Terracotta Floor Toddington After Cleaning and Sealing

Deep Cleaning and Sealing and Old Terracotta Floor in Toddington

Leighton Buzzard Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Work History / / , , , , , , , , ,

This was an old Terracotta tiled floor at a house in the village of Toddington where the previous sealer had been worn off allowing dirt and soil to penetrate into the tile, naturally this made it difficult to clean and it was now overdue for a good deep clean and re-seal.

Old-Terracotta-Floor-Toddington-Before-Cleaning

Cleaning Terracotta Floor Tiles

To get rid of any remaining sealer and get the tiles clean we applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed 50/50 with NanoTech UltraClean which combines a heavy duty alkaline cleaner that can also be used as a stripper with tiny abrasive particles. The resultant cleaning solution was left to dwell on the surface of the tile for twenty minutes before working it into the tiles with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The soiled solution was then removed from the floor using a wet and dry vacuum and the stubborn areas re-treated. Once I was happy the floor was clean and any remaining sealer removed the whole floor was washed down to neutralise the tile and remove any trace of cleaning chemical before sealing. Leaving the old sealer on any cleaning solution on the tile could have an unexpected impact on the sealer so it’s always best to make sure this is done thoroughly.

Terracotta Tile Sealing

The floor was left to dry overnight and when we returned the next day when the floor was completely dry to seal using seven coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go (Terracotta is very porous) which works well on Terracotta adding a nice shine to the tile as well as providing on-going stain protection. The final result looked great and will last for many years to come, the customer was so happy with the finish.

Old-Terracotta-Floor-Toddington-After-Cleaning-and-Sealing
 

Terracotta Floor Cleaning in Toddington

Deep Cleaning and Sealing and Old Terracotta Floor in Toddington Read More »

Takeaway Kitchen Quarry Tiles Cleaned Near Hockliffe

Leighton Buzzard Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / / , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Quarry tiles shown below were installed in the kitchen of a take away restaurant near Hockliffe, as you can see they were quite tarnished and not looking their best due to general wear and tear and the use of strong cleaning products; an inspection was also due and the proprietor was concerned it would be an issue.

Cleaning Quarry Tiles at Hockliffe Takeaway Before

Cleaning Quarry Tiles

To clean the floor tile and grout I decided to apply a strong combination of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed 50/50 with NanoTech Ultra Clean and then diluted with water. This combination creates a powerful cleaning product containing nano sized abrasive particles that can penetrate deep into the dirt. The cleaning solution was left to dwell on the surface of the tile for twenty minutes before scrubbing with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and then washed off with a Rotovac machine which applies and removes hot water at high pressure effectively cleaning the tile and grout and rinsing then removing the water at the same time.

Cleaning Quarry Tiles at Hockliffe Takeaway After

Sealing Quarry Tiles

Once we were happy with the Quarry tile and grout was clean we left the floor to dry assisted with air blowers to speed up the process. It wasn’t long before it had dried and we were then able to the Tile and Grout using Tile Doctor High Shine sealer which should protect the floor for at least three years given the high traffic, this is of course as long as they use the correct cleaning products as acidic products will reduce the life of a sealer. The kitchen was now ready for inspection where it should pass with flying colours.

Quarry Tiled Take Away Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Hockliffe.

Takeaway Kitchen Quarry Tiles Cleaned Near Hockliffe Read More »

Ceramic Tiles Bedford Coffee Shop Before and after

Cleaning Ceramic Tiles in a Bedford Coffee Shop

Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Work History / / , , , , , , , , , ,

The Ceramic tiles with dark grout were installed in a Bedford Coffee Shop where we have a regular contract to deep clean the tile and grout, whilst we appreciate the regular work you do have to work out of hours to minimise impact to trade. It’s worth noting that many commercial tiling installations do avoid white grout as it can get dirty quite quickly and will be difficult to clean if badly stained, not that that’s a problem for Tile Doctor as we have a solution for most problems.

Cleaning Ceramic Floor Tiles

This was a general maintenance clean so a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied to the floor and left to soak in for 20 minutes or so before giving the floor a thorough clean using a Rotovac machine which applies and removes water at high pressure to remove the dirt and rinse the floor. Once this was done we took the opportunity to apply more Pro-Clean to the grout and hand scrubbed along the grout lines using a stiff brush to ensure the black grout was clean.

Ceramic Tiles Bedford Coffee Shop Before and after
Ceramic tiles don’t normally need a sealer so once all the tile and grout was clean and was dry we were done.

Ceramic Coffee Shop Floor Tiles Cleaned in Bedford

Cleaning Ceramic Tiles in a Bedford Coffee Shop Read More »

Porcelain Tile Cleaning Luton

Cleaning Porcelain Tiles at Luton Flats

Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Work History / / , , , , , , , ,

These Porcelain floor tiles had been laid in the hallway of a block of flats in Luton and had seen a fair amount of foot traffic resulting in the usual build-up of dirt and grime making it well overdue for a deep clean.

Cleaning Ceramic Floor Tiles

To clean Porcelain tiles I would normally just apply Tile Doctor Pro-Clean however given the amount of dirt in the tile we needed all the help we could get so the Pro-Clean was mixed 50/50 with NanoTech Ultra Clean which results in the creation of a powerful tile cleaner that contains Nano sized abrasive particles that can penetrate deep into the dirt. The cleaning solution was left to dwell on the surface of the tile for twenty minutes before scrubbing the floor with rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. You could see the dirt coming out of the floor at this point so once the whole floor was scrubbed I switched to a Rotovac machine which applies and removes water at high pressure to remove the soil and rinse the floor at the same time.

Porcelain Tile Cleaning Luton
You can see from the photograph above which was taken with the Rotovac machine in use the difference in the tiled floor.

Porcelain Tile Cleaning in Luton

Cleaning Porcelain Tiles at Luton Flats Read More »

Ceramic Tiled Shower Before and After Leighton Buzzard

Ceramic Tiled Bathroom Cleaned and Sealed in Leighton Buzzard

Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Work History / / , , , , , , , , ,

This Ceramic tiled family bathroom with shower was installed at house in Leighton Buzzard and was in need of rejuvenation. You can see from the photograph below that the tiles were in reasonable condition but the grout had become ingrained with dirt which is not unknown as the top layer of grout is porous and will discolour over time if not protected.

Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout

The Ceramic tiles and grout were treated using a strong 2:1 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed 50/50 with Nanotech Ultraclean which combines a highly powerful Tile and Grout cleaning product with tiny abrasive particles. For vertical tiled surfaces I recommend the mixture is decanted into a bottle with a trigger spray attachment which when sprayed onto the wall allows the cleaner to mix with air making it lighter and allowing it to stick better. The solution was then worked in using a stiff scrubbing brush by hand before being rinsed off with water; this process was repeated a number of times until we had managed to clean all the areas and then left to dry.

Ceramic-Tiled-Shower-Before-and-After-Leighton-Buzzard

Sealing Grout

The grout was dried and the sealed with a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Grout Sealer which forms a protective barrier over the porous grout and keeps it looking good for longer. Most sealers can be used on grout (check the label to confirm) but for best results use a spray bottle as mixing the sealer with air improves its ability to stick to a vertical surface.

Refreshing a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom in Leighton Buzzard

Ceramic Tiled Bathroom Cleaned and Sealed in Leighton Buzzard Read More »

Terracotta Floor Whipsnade After Cleaning and Sealing

Terracotta Floor Maintained in Whipsnade

Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Work History / / , , , , , , , , ,

Pictures below of another Terracotta tiled floor that was deep cleaned and then sealed, this time in Whipsnade. You can see from the photograph below the floor was in good physical condition but was looking washed out and had staining to the grout.

Terracotta Floor Whipsnade Before Cleaning

Cleaning Terracotta Floor Tiles

To deep clean the Terracotta tile and grout I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed 50/50 with NanoTech Ultra Clean to produce a heavy duty alkaline cleaner with nano sized abrasive particles that can clean deep into the tile. The resulting solution was left to soak into the Terracotta for 10-20 minutes before being worked in with a Rotovac machine fitted with a Tile and Grout head attachment. The Rotovac is a powerful and versatile tool that can also be used to clean carpet as well as tile and connects to separate machine that feeds high pressure water to the unit as well as generating a vacuum to remove the dirty water back to a separate tank. Once we were happy that the floor we left for the day so the floor could dry.

Terracotta Tile Sealing

We returned two days later to seal the floor which we did using a combination of two compatible sealers. First off we applied two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a premium impregnating sealer that soaks into the tile and brings out the natural colour. Once this was dry five coats for Tile Doctor Seal and Go were applied which is a surface sealer that adds a nice subtle sheen to the floor as well as topping up the stain protection.

Terracotta Floor Whipsnade After Cleaning and Sealing
 

Terracotta Floor Maintained in Whipsnade

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Dunstable School Quarry Tile and Grout Cleaining

Tired Quarry Tiled Floor in Dunstable School Refurbished

Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / / , , , , , , , , ,

Before and after photograph below of a Quarry Tiled floor at a school in Dunstable that was in such a bad state we had to apply grout colourant to the floor. Quarry tiles are fairly indestructible so ideal for use in schools etc. where they will see a lot of foot traffic and abuse, having said that they will fade with wear over time and naturally the grout can become ingrained with dirt if not protected.

Cleaning Quarry Tiles

It had been a while since the Quarry Tiles and Grout had been given a really deep clean to so we mixed a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean 50/50 with NanoTech UltraClean and applied it to the floor and left to soak in for around 10 minutes; Pro-Clean is a multipurpose alkaline cleaning product designed specifically for cleaning tile and stone and NanoTech UltraClean adds tiny abrasive particles into the solution to make a more effective cleaner. The floor was then scrubbed using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and the grout lines scrubbed by hand using a stiff brush. The floor was then rinsed thoroughly with water which was removed using a wet vacuum, once the Quarry tiles were dry it was possible to spot the areas in need of further attention and these were scrubbed by hand together with more of the Pro-Clean/UltraClean mix and a steamer. At this stage it became apparent that that although the grout had improved it was too far gone and never going to make the grade and either needed to re-done or as per our suggestion re-coloured.

Grout Colouring

For floor grout we always recommend the use of an epoxy grout colouring product which not only completely covers the grout making it look new again but also provides a permanent barrier that prevents the grout from staining in future. They can be quite time consuming to apply however especially if you have a small format Quarry tile with lots of grouting.

Sealing Quarry Tiles

Once happy with the floor and it had time to dry off it was sealed with six coats of Tile Doctor High Shine Sealer which will provide future surface stain protection and also leaves a nice deep shine on the floor. It took a long time but I think you will agree from the before and after photograph below we managed quite a transformation.

 

Restoring Quarry Tiles at a School in Dunstable

Tired Quarry Tiled Floor in Dunstable School Refurbished Read More »

Cleaning Ceramic Tiles at Luton High street restaurant

Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Work History / / , , , , , , , , ,

The Ceramic floor tiles shown below were installed in a Luton high street restaurant, as you can see they were far from clean, deeply stained and even the grout had gone black.

Ceramic Floor Tiles Luton Restaurant Before

Cleaning Ceramic Floor Tiles

Given the amount of dirt on the tile and grout we decided to apply a very strong combination of Tile Doctor Remove and Go mixed 50/50 with NanoTech Ultra Clean which results in the creation of a heavy duty stripper/cleaner containing nano sized abrasive particles that can penetrate deep into the dirt. The cleaning solution was left to dwell on the surface of the tile for twenty minutes before using a Rotovac machine which applies and removes water at high pressure to remove the dirt and rinse the floor.

Ceramic Floor Tiles Luton Restaurant After

Glazed ceramic tiles won’t take a sealer so once the entire floor was dry and stubborn areas re-done we were finished.
 
 

Ceramic Restaurant Floor Tiles Cleaned in Luton

Cleaning Ceramic Tiles at Luton High street restaurant Read More »

Leighton Buzzard Terracotta Before and After

Terracotta Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Leighton Buzzard

Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Work History / / , , , , , , , , ,

Details below of a Terracotta tiled floor at a house in Leighton Buzzard which was in need of a deep clean and re-seal.

Cleaning Terracotta Floor Tiles

To get the tiles clean we applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed 50/50 with NanoTech Ultra Clean which combines into a heavy duty alkaline cleaner containing nano sized abrasive particles that cleans deep into the tile. For best results let the cleaning solution dwell on the surface of the tile for 10-20 minutes before working it into the tiles with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The soiled solution was then removed from the floor using a wet and dry vacuum and the stubborn areas treated with a steamer, following that the whole floor was washed down to remove any remaining chemical before sealing.

Leighton Buzzard Terracotta Before and After

Terracotta Tile Sealing

We returned when the floor was dry to seal using seven coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go (Terracotta is very porous) which works well on Terracotta adding a nice shine to the tile as well as providing on-going stain protection.

Terracotta Floor Maintained in Leighton Buzzard

Terracotta Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Leighton Buzzard Read More »

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