Dirty Grout 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

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Dirty Porcelain Floor Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned in Eynsford

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!

Dirty Grout