Sevenoaks Tile Cleaning Archives - North Kent Tile Doctor

Limestone Floor Tile and Grout Renovation Underriver

Limestone Floor with Dirty Grout Renovated in Underriver, Sevenoaks

I was asked to survey a Limestone floor at a property in Underriver which is a very rural locality close to Sevenoaks in Kent. The Limestone tiles had been laid throughout the lower ground floor and it was clear to me that the protective sealer had worn off completely allowing dirt to become ingrained in the stone and especially the grout which had turned black.

Limestone Floor Tile and Grout Before Cleaning in Underriver Sevenoaks

I understood from the owner that the grout lines should have been a pale cream colour rather than the black it was now. We discussed the process of restoring the floor including the grout, and I gave them a quote for the work which they were happy to accept.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Ground Floor

Our first job was to tackle the severe soiling in the grout lines. To do this a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied to the floor and left to soak into the stone and especially the grout for about 20 minutes. This was scrubbed in with help from a rotary buffer machine fitted with a soft/medium long-bristled nylon brush.

Limestone Floor Tile and Grout During Cleaning in Underriver Sevenoaks

The resulting slurry was then rinsed with clean water and vacuumed up. I repeated the process in a couple of areas that were particularly heavily soiled. I then spot checked the grout lines and completed the clean with a wire brush and more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean.

With the grout issue resolved I turned my attention to the Limestone tiles for which I used a set of Diamond burnishing pads. Work started with a coarse 400-grit 17” diamond pad fitted to a rotary buffing machine. Then 800 and 1500 grit pads in sequence using water to lubricate the process. The resulting slurry was rinsed off the floor with water after each pad and the soil extracted using a wet vacuum. The floor was then left to dry thoroughly overnight.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Ground Floor

Returning the next day, the floor was thoroughly vacuumed removed to remove any remaining powder and grit left over from burnishing. This was then followed by applying the last pad in the set which is very fine 3000-grit diamond polishing pad. This last pad really brings up the polished appearance of the limestone, only a little water is used during this action, it’s a process we call a spray burnish. Once done the floor was clean, dry, and ready for a new sealer to be applied.

I had discussed the appearance of different sealers with the customer previously and for this installation we went with Tile Doctor Ultra Seal. It’s a premium penetrating sealer that soaks into the pores of the stone protecting it from within, additionally Ultra-Seal doesn’t alter the natural appearance of the stone giving it undetectable protection from staining.
The whole area was then buffed using a white buffing pad.

Limestone Floor Tile and Grout During Sealing in Underriver Sevenoaks

The customer was delighted with the result and will use Tile Doctor going forward to keep the floor protected. We offer an annual maintenance plan for just this, we can return each year and ensure that the floor is kept in tip top shape.

Limestone Floor Tile and Grout After Cleaning in Underriver Sevenoaks

For day-to-day cleaning, I recommended using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, it’s a mild pH neutral cleaning product that and will keep the floor maintained and won’t impact the sealer which can be a problem with stronger products.

Professional Maintenance of a Limestone Flooring in North Kent

Limestone Floor with Dirty Grout Renovated in Underriver, Sevenoaks Read More »

Large Sandstone Patio Renovated Sevenoaks

Large Sandstone Patio Deep Cleaned in Sevenoaks

1 Comment / Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Sevenoaks Tile Cleaning / Graham Davis

I was called to look at a Sandstone patio that had been laid some years before at a property in Sevenoaks and was now in need of renovation. The patio was designed to mirror the White Porcelain tiles in the adjacent kitchen and dining room giving the effect of continuation from house to back garden. As you can see from the photograph this was no longer be the case!

Large Sandstone Patio Before Deep Cleaning Sevenoaks

The UK weather had taken its toll since installation and the patio needed some love and attention to get it back to its original state. The area was quite large and was an ideal spot for entertaining, so they were keen to get the renovation done. I visited site and gave them a quotation for the deep clean work which they were happy to accept. We agreed a date for the work to commence but it would be dependent on the weather.

Cleaning a Sandstone Tiled Patio Floor

Fortunately, the weather gods have been kind to us and I was able to start the work on the agreed date. To loosen off the excessive black and white spot fungi I began by giving the patio a jet wash. Then a liberal dose of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied which was left to soak in for ten minutes and break down the soiling. This is a concentrated, multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner, stripper and degreaser that can be diluted at varying strengths depending on need. It is effective on mildew, algae and other damp festering growths in areas that have been neglected or subjected to heavy use.

After ten minutes the solution was scrubbed into the patio with a rotary floor scrubber fitted with a black scrubbing pad. This action lifted the dirt, and the slurry was vacuumed off. The next process in removing the remaining stubborn marks and blemishes was to use Tile Doctor Patio & Brick Driveway Cleaner. This is a very strong product which was applied neat and left for two hours to allow time to break down the deep-seated staining. When sufficient time had been allowed for the product to work, the area was rinsed off thoroughly using the pressure washer again. The patio looked a lot cleaner already, there were just a few rust marks to deal with.

Removing Rust Stains from a Sandstone Tiled Patio

Now that the patio was clean, I applied Tile Doctor Rust Away to remove rust marks left by the garden furniture over the winter. This turned the stains into a purple residue as the chemicals started reacting with the rust. The residue was rinsed off as before and the whole patio given one final rinse with water before leaving it to dry in the sun.

Large Sandstone Patio After Deep Cleaning Sevenoaks

I think you can agree that the results were amazing, and the patio once again was a near match to the interior flooring. My clients were over the moon with the transformation. I suggested they may wish to use the annual maintenance plan, where we could return annually to maintain the patio which would prevent it from getting this bad again. They agreed this would be a good way forward.

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Tiled Patio in North Kent

Large Sandstone Patio Deep Cleaned in Sevenoaks Read More »

Gruby Porcelain Kitchen Floor Deep Cleaned Eynsford Sevenoaks

Dirty Porcelain Floor Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned in Eynsford

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Sevenoaks Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Graham Davis

The picture below shows a grubby Porcelain tiled floor at a property in Eynsford just North of Sevenoaks. Installed throughout much of the ground floor including the kitchen, lounge, and dining room the porcelain tile and grout was in a very dirty state and the client was desperate to get them clean.

Porcelain Tile and Grout Before Cleaning Eynsford

The floor had trapped dirt in the high traffic areas and the grubby appearance was bringing down the appearance of the area which was a shame as the kitchen was lovely. The client had tried all the usual household cleaners she could find, and nothing seemed to work so we were asked to call round.

I visited the property to survey the floor and was able to reassure the client that although the tile and grout was stained with dirt that it could be rectified. 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 on a date for my return to complete the work.

Deep Cleaning a Porcelain Tile Floor

To deep clean the Porcelain tile and grout a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean (3 parts cleaner to 5 parts water) was sprayed onto the floor and then left to soak in for a good twenty minutes. This delay allows the Pro-Clean to get to reach into the pores of the tile and grout where it can break down the dirt.

Then using a rotary floor machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad the solution was scrubbed into the tile lifting out the dirt and turning the cleaning solution black in the process. Tile Doctor Pro-Clean is a concentrated, multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner which is designed for deep cleaning tiles, stone and grout of dirt and grease and can also remove sealers. Exactly what was needed on this floor.

Pads can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout line so once I was finished with the tiles, I hand scrubbed the grout with a wire brush. This is harder work, but the results justify the effort. The floor was then rinsed with water and the resultant soil was extracted off the floor with a wet vacuum. The tile and grout looked instantly better, and I knew the client would be pleased with the result.

Porcelain Tile and Grout After Cleaning Eynsford

Most Porcelain floor tiles are sealed in the factory when they are manufactured, so there was no need to apply a sealer in this case. I did however recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for maintenance cleaning, it’s concentrated a small amount goes a long way, and it has a nice fresh fragrance. This will ensure the floor is kept in good condition moving forward.

As you can imagine my client was relieved to have the floor looking as good as new again!

Professional Restoration of a Porcelain Tiled Floor in North Kent

Dirty Porcelain Floor Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned in Eynsford Read More »

Victorian Floor Before After Cleaning and Rebuilding Sevenoaks

Original Victorian Tiled Hallway Extended and Refreshed in Sevenoaks

Sevenoaks Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Graham Davis

This customer has recently purchased a house in Sevenoaks and was looking to extend and reconfigure the interior layout. As part of this, they had removed a wall, effectively extending the hallway which had been tiled in fantastic original Victorian tiles. Naturally, they felt the extended hallway should look the same and wanted the Victorian tiles extending into this new area with matching tiles.

Victorian floor before cleaning Sevenoaks

Also, the existing tiles had not been cleaned and sealed for some time and were now overdue a deep clean and fresh seal, this however would to work to our advantage as cleaning the existing floor and then sealing the whole floor in one go would help the new tiles blend in with the original.

Cleaning a Dirty Victorian Tiled Hallway

To clean the floor, I applied several different products. When cleaning Victorian tiles, I usually start by applying our heavy duty cleaner known as Tile Doctor Remove and Go because it is particularly effective at breaking down grime that has been built up on these tiles over many years, and as its name suggests strips away any old sealer. This is left to dwell on the tile for ten to fifteen minutes before being scrubbed in with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer.

Once the cleaning slurry from the Remove and Go had been vacuumed up and cleared completely from the area, I then applied a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean, a high alkaline cleaner which helps to get deep into the stone to eliminate ingrained dir and staining.

I finished the deep cleaning process by applying a solution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up, which is an acid-based cleaner that is good for removing grout haze and other mineral deposits such as effloresce. After diluting it with water, I used it to rinse the floor, neutralising any efflorescence and limescale. It also assisted in opening the pores in the clay based tiles to get them ready for an impregnating sealer.

Laying a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The next step was to extended the hallway using reproduction tiles which I had sourced to match the existing Victorian pattern. There were also a couple of areas where the existing tiles need replacing. Rebuilding Victorian tiled floors is quite a common request for Tile Doctor so over the years we have built up a good list of suppliers and often source tiles from ebay that we keep in stock in case someone needs them.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

One the new tiles were laid and the grout had gone off I returned to complete the project by sealing the whole floor with a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, a colour-enhancing impregnating sealer that leaves the floor richer in colour while retaining the natural looking matte finish requested by the customer.

Victorian floor after cleaning and rebuilding Sevenoaks

The photos show just how great the results were – the customer was very pleased with their newly extended and refreshed Victorian tiled hallway.

Professional Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration and Extension in Sevenoaks

Original Victorian Tiled Hallway Extended and Refreshed in Sevenoaks Read More »

Slate Tiled Floor Before After Restoration Sevenoaks

Slate Tiled Wet Room Treated for Grout Haze and Restored in Sevenoaks

Grout Cleaning, Sevenoaks Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Graham Davis

A builder had made a real mess of this customer’s new Slate tiled wet room. When installing any new natural stone tiles, it is always recommended to apply the sealer before grouting, since – as was the case here – the porosity of the stone can cause the grout to stick with to the stone, leaving a terrible blotchy and uneven appearance.

Slate Tiled Floor Before Restoration Sevenoaks

What’s more, once stuck to the stone, the grout is essentially impossible for the tiler to remove. In this wet room, light grey grout had been left smeared all over the Slate tiled walls, causing haze in some places.

Understandably, she was very upset with the situation and was eager to secure some professional help, courtesy of the Kent Tile Doctor. I travelled down to the property, situated in Sevenoaks, Kent, to set the problems right.

Restoring the appearance of a Slate Tiled Wet Room

To begin, I had to tape up all the chrome and metal fittings found around the bathroom to stop them coming into contact with the cleaning products. I them started the restoration by applying Tile Doctor Acid Gel, which is a PH1 blend of Phosphoric and Hydrochloric acids for the removal of grout haze.

As it comes in a gel form, this product is especially effective on vertical or sloped surfaces, where more dwell time is required. A liquid product would, of course, simply run off the tiles. So, working on small areas at a time, I allowed the gel to dwell for around five minutes, before agitating the solution with a pan scrubber, and rinsing the gel off with water. Once I had completed this process on the whole of the wet room, I allowed the tiles to dry out before repeating the process on some of the areas suffering from thicker smears of grout.

Sealing Slate Wet Room Tiles

When I was happy that I had removed all of the grout smears, I ensured that all the tiles were dry before applying Tile Doctor Stone Oil. This product is an easy-to-apply, pre-polish impregnating sealer which is ideal for low porosity stone and also suitable for more porous stone, such as Terracotta. It is also specially designed to enhance the natural colours and textures of tiles, and improve mechanical strength once cured. The oil is particularly effective when used on dark stone, like this Slate, as it really helps to deepen the colour.

I returned the next day to seal the tiles completely using one coat of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal to lock in the Stone Oil applied the previous day. Ultra Seal is a premium, no-sheen, natural-look, solvent-based penetrating sealer formulated to provide maximum stain protection. It allows moisture vapour transmission and is an excellent grout sealer.

Slate Tiled Floor After Restoration Sevenoaks

The customer was very happy with the results, which set this difficult problem right. In particular, she was worried that all of the tiles would have to be removed and the entire wet room would have to be redone. Thankfully that is no longer the case, and she can enjoy this fantastic Slate feature. All she needs to be concerned with now is ensuring the tiles are regularly maintained with professional care, including having the sealer topped up as and when necessary.

Professional Slate Tile Restoration in a Kent Wet Room

Slate Tiled Wet Room Treated for Grout Haze and Restored in Sevenoaks Read More »

Cleaning and Removing Grout Haze from a Quarry Tiled floor in Kemsing, Kent

Grout Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Sevenoaks Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Graham Davis

The attached pictures are of a Quarry Tiled floor in a kitchen and family room of a cottage in Kemsing, Kent. The cottage was undergoing a full renovation and extension, and the quarry tiled floor was recently installed, however it was not sealed prior to grouting, and a grey grout haze was now sitting across the whole floor. Quarry tiles are highly porous and if not sealed before grouting the grout sitting on the tile soaks in leaving the colour of the grout as a haze over the tile.

Cleaning Quarry Tiles

There had been a number of tradesmen working constantly on the premises so it was difficult to tell what was grout haze and what was builders mess so I the first job was to give the floor a good clean. For this I used a strong mixture of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted with water in a 3:1 ratio. I also added a squirt of Tile Doctor NanoTech Ultra-Clean which is an abrasive clean cleaner and processed to apply the solution to the floor. I left the solution to dwell on the floor for a short while and then scrubbed the floor using my weighted floor scrubbing machine fitted with a black 17inch scrubbing pad. The cleaning residue was removed using a wet vacuum and we could now see all the grout haze quite clearly.

Removing Grout Haze from Quarry Tiles

To remove the grout haze one part Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up was mixed with three parts water and poured into a spray bottle; Grout Clean-up is a product specifically designed for removing grout haze. This was then sprayed onto the floor, covering an area of around 1m2 and spread so it covered the grout haze evenly. This was allowed to dwell on the tile for three to four minutes before I agitated the solution by hand with a pan scrubber and water. This was then vacuumed up before I took a scrubbing brush and clean water from another bucket and scrubbed the area, before again vacuuming up. This ensured that all the formula had been cleansed from the floor; this process was repeated across the whole floor, working on 1m2 at a time and then left to dry ready for sealing.

Sealing Quarry Tiles

The floor was now ready for sealing; Quarry tile floors can accept two types of sealer, a topical sealer or an impregnated sealer. I usually recommend Tile Doctor Seal & Go for Quarry tiled floors which is a Topical sealer as it is easier to maintain. On this occasion however the customer wanted to wait until they had completed decorating and was happy to seal the floor themselves, so I gave them advice on what sealers to use and how best to use them and left them to it.

Grout Haze removal from Quarry Tiles in Kent

Cleaning and Removing Grout Haze from a Quarry Tiled floor in Kemsing, Kent Read More »

Tired Black Slate Tiled floor in Sevenoaks Restored

Sevenoaks Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Graham Davis

The photographs below are of a black slate tiled floor in the kitchen and utility room of a house in Knatts Valley, Sevenoaks Kent, it was laid around six years ago when the kitchen was installed. The owner was now having the whole kitchen re-decorated and was considering laying a new floor as the current slate looked so tired and was difficult to clean.

Cleaning Black Slate Tiled Floor

Normally I would use a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean solution mixed with Tile Doctor Nanotech Ultra-Clean and a floor buffing machine, but due to the deep riven nature of the slate, the floor would have to be scrubbed manually. The floor had been sealed originally and although old and broken there was still a lot of sealer on the floor which all had to be removed. I decided to use the blanket system, which involves a mixture of Tile Doctor Remove & Go mixed with Nanotech Ultra-Clean 70:30 mix. This mixture was applied to floor, and covered in plastic to prevent the solution from drying out. This was left on the floor for two hours, and then scrubbed off, you can just use a natural bristled scrubbing brush, but I find them cumbersome with the solution, so I opt for oversized pan scrubbers, which are pliable for getting into deep riven tiles. As the solution was scrubbed it was rinsed with water and removed with a wet vacuum. When everything was removed for from the floor and vacuumed up, I rinsed the floor again with water and vacuumed up to ensure all the solution had gone, the floor was then left for 48 hours to ensure it had fully dried out.

Sealing Black Slated Tiles

The slate floor was sealed using five coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go, which despite being a low sheen finish, it really enhanced the colour of the black slate giving it more depth. The tiled floor was ready for light foot traffic in a few hours, achieving a full cure in 24 hours. The beauty of using a topical sealer such as Seal & Go on a riven stone is that the feel of the stone is smoother and therefore easier to mop. For everyday cleaning purposes we recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner, diluted 1:30 with water.

The customer was very pleased with the result and was pleased not to have to replace the floor.

Restoration of tired black slate floor in Sevenoaks

Tired Black Slate Tiled floor in Sevenoaks Restored Read More »

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Broadstairs Tile Cleaning, Canterbury Tile Cleaning, Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Chatham Tile Cleaning, Edenbridge Tile Cleaning, Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning, Faversham Tile Cleaning, Fireplace Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Gillingham Tile Cleaning, Gravesend Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Herne Bay Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Maidstone Tile Cleaning, Marble Tile Cleaning, Margate Tile Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Rochester Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Sevenoaks Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Terrazzo Floor Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Vinyl Tile Cleaning, Whitstable Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Graham Davis

North Kent Tile Doctor

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