About Kevin Parry

Covering Greater Manchester, Joe Atkinson is your local specialist for tile cleaning, stone cleaning, grout cleaning and tile, stone and grout sealing covering the restoration of all types of stone and tiled flooring including Ceramic, Limestone, Marble, Porcelain, Quarry, Sandstone, Slate, Terracotta, Terrazzo, Travertine and Victorian tile

Putting the shine back on a Marble kitchen worktop in Prestbury

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Kevin Parry

This beautiful Marble kitchen worktop has been installed in a house in the village of Prestbury some years earlier and was now looking rather dull and spoiled by wine glass marks. The polish can be restored on these worktops in a similar way to that of a Marble floor the only difference being you have to use smaller more manageable burnishing pads.

Polishing a Marble Table Top

After protecting the floor with sheets I proceeded to re-polish the Marble worktop with a set of six inch burnishing pads fitted to a hand held machine. Similar to floor burnishing you start with a coarse pad to remove scratches and ingrained dirt lubricated with a little water and then move onto the polishing pads from Medium, Fine through to Super Fine. You need to wash down the Marble in-between each pad as the water does become soiled from the burnishing process.

For the regular maintenance of Marble and Granite worktops we recommend the use of Tile Doctor Stone Patina spray which helps build up lustre on the stone as well as cleaning it.

Stained Marble Table Top re-polished

Cleaning and Repairing a Limestone Tiled Office Floor in Wilmslow

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Kevin Parry

This is a polished Limestone floor in the reception area of an office in the town of Wilmslow that had been installed around ten years prior. As you can see they were now in a poor state with ingrained dirt and cracks across the surface of some of the tiles.

Damaged Limestone Tiled Floor in Wilmslow Before

Deep Cleaning Limestone Tile and Grout

The polished Limestone tiles needed to be cut back and refinished with a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads however my first task was to clean the grout lines by applying a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and scrubbing it in with a stiff narrow brush. I gave the grout a rinse with hot water and removed the now soiled water with a wet vacuum.

The next task was to start the burnishing process by running a course pad fitter to my rotary machine over each tile lubricated with a little water. The coarse pad removes the dirt from the Limestone and resultant slurry is washed away with more water and the wet vacuum. This process is repeated with the “medium” and “fine” polishing pads which restore the surface and build up the polish back on the tile.

Before moving onto the final polishing pad I tackled the large cracks in the tile by filling them with a colour matching resin. There could be a number of reasons for the cracks but typically it would indicate some sort of movement in the subfloor. A common cause is due to the concrete base was not being given sufficient time to dry out before being tiled over and shrinkage in the concrete as it dries caused movement.

Repairing and Sealing Limestone Tiles

Once the resin had dried I moved onto to apply the final “Super Fine” polishing pad which brings up the polish on the Limestone to that final deep level again using a little water and rinsing down afterwards.

Once the floor was dry it was then sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer which penetrates into the pores of the stone protecting it from within, it also had the added benefit of bringing out the natural colours in the stone enhancing the look of the floor.

Damaged Limestone Tiled Floor in Wilmslow After

Repairing and Polishing a Limestone tiled floor in Cheshire

Troublesome Travertine Tiles in Holmes Chapel

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Kevin Parry

This Travertine tiled floor installed in the kitchen of a house in Holmes Chapel was proving impossible to clean and this was compounded by the fact that black dirt had become trapped in the natural holes in the Travertine.

Travertine tiled kitchen floor Holmes Chapel Before

Cleaning Travertine Floor Tiles

The floor was given a wash with Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner to remove any surface grit and this was followed by the application of the Tile Doctor burnishing system which involves the use of a set of four Burnishing pads fitted to a rotary machine. There are four pads and you start off with a course stripper pad with a little just water and then carry on with the finer pads until the floor is thoroughly cleaned and any previous sealer removed. The next step was to use Tile Doctor Pro-Clean along the grout lines with a stiff brush to get the grout cleaner and also around the holes in the travertine where dirt had become ingrained. Once the small holes were clean they were then filled with a matching coloured grout.

To bring up the polish on the Travertine tile the last of the four burnishing pads was applied with gives a final polish.

Travertine tiled kitchen floor Holmes Chapel After

Sealing Travertine Floor Tiles

To seal the floor and protect it from staining two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow was applied; Colour Grow is a colour enhancing sealer which enhanced the natural colours in the stone. Once dry the last step was to buff the floor to a nice shine with a rotary machine fitted with a white pad.

Travertine Floor Cleaned, Polished and Sealed in Cheshire

Chinese Slate Strip and Seal in Hale Barns Kitchen

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Kevin Parry

I was asked to strip and re-seal these interesting Chinese Slate tiles that were installed in the kitchen floor of a property in Hale Barns, Cheshire. It seems the tiles had been re-sealed over the years without giving them a deep clean first resulting in dirt and grime being sealed in between layers of old sealer making them impossible for the customer to clean.

Chinese slate floor Hale Barns Cheshire before

Cleaning Chinese Slate Floor Tiles

To remove the many layers of sealer and get the tiles clean I let them soak in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a coatings remover for the stripping of sealers from floors that is safe to use on Tile, Stone and Grout. This was worked into the tile and grout using stiff brushes followed by steam cleaning the floor. The resulting soiled solution was removed and the floor washed down with clean water to reveal the bare stone; stubborn areas were re-treated using the same process before leaving the floor to dry before sealing.

Sealing Chinese Slate Floor Tiles

Once I was satisfied the floor was dry it was sealed using Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is a highly recommended sealer for slate that leaves an attractive low sheen finish and smooth surface, it’s also a water based sealer so there is no smell.

Chinese slate floor Hale Barns Cheshire After

Over-Sealed Chinese Slate floor tiles stripped and re-sealed in Cheshire

Heavily Soiled Sandstone Tiled Floor in Bramhall

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Kevin Parry

These Sandstone floor tiles installed in the front room of a house in Bramhall were looking grey with no natural colour due to heavy soiling from family pets and muddy boots.

Sandstone Floor Bramhall Before Cleaning

Cleaning Sandstone Floor Tiles

Cleaning the Sandstone was a straightforward process of applying a dilution of
Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a commercial grade alkaline tile cleaning product designed for use on natural stone floors such as Sandstone, being an alkaline it doesn’t eat into the stone like acid cleaners. The solution was left to dwell for a while before working it into the stone with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The resultant soiled solution was removed using wet vacuum and the floor washed down, there were still a few stubborn areas and the grout needed a good clean with more Pro-Clean and a stiff brush run along the grout lines.

Once I was happy with the condition of the floor any remaining cleaning solution was removed from the floor using a wet vacuum and the stone given a thorough rinse and left to dry.

The floor looked much improved however the customer on this occasion didn’t want the floor sealed which is a shame as a sealer really adds life to a floor and makes it easier to clean as a result this floor will soon discolour.

Bramhall deep cleaning Sandstone floor tiles

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in Chester

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Kevin Parry

You can’t beat a Victorian Tiled Hallway it’s such a practical and obvious choice, unfortunately however this floor at a house in Chester had been neglected over the years and covered up with carpet that had been glued to the tile.

Victorian floor Tiles Chester before cleaning

Restoring Victorian Floor Tiles

To remove the dirt, paint and carpet glue it was necessary to coat the floor in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which as the name suggests is a powerful coatings remover that’s safe to use on tiles.

The solution was left to soak into the tiles in order to break down the glue and paint etc. before being scrubbed in using a rotary machine fitted with a black pad. This cleaned up most of the problems however there were a few stubborn areas on which we used a steamer to penetrate deep into the pores of the tile and lift out the stains. We then removed the soiled cleaning solution using a wet vacuum and give the floor a really thorough rinse.

Due to the age of the floor and house there was no damp proof installed under the floor and there was concern that even with a breathable sealer damp would become trapped under the tile, so we decided not to seal the tiles which is a shame as sealers do lift the appearance that much more. I think you will agree though the floor looks much improved.

Victorian floor Tiles Chester after cleaning

Stained Victorian Tiled hallway floor cleaned and sealed in Cheshire

Maintaining an Indian Sandstone Floor Tiles in Macclesfield

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Kevin Parry

These beautiful Indian Sandstone tiles were installed on the ground floor of a house near Macclesfield and as you can see from the photographs had become heavily soiled which was masking the true natural colours in the stone resulting in a dark grey appearance.

Indian Sandstone Floor Macclesfield Before Cleaning

Cleaning Indian Sandstone Floor Tiles

To get the tiles clean I let them soak in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean for a while before working the cleaning agent in with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The Pro-Clean also acts as a stripper so this process will remove any remaining sealer on the surface of the tile as well as the dirt.

Additionally all the grout lines were scrubbed by hand using more Pro-Clean and stiff scrubbing brushes. The remaining soiled solution was then removed from the floor using a wet vacuum and the tiles given a thorough rinse rinsed and left to dry completely with any stubborn marks re-treated using the same process.

Sealing Indian Sandstone Floor Tiles

Once I was satisfied the floor was dry it was sealed using Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is a topical sealer that leaves an attractive low sheen finish and smooth surface, it’s also a water based sealer so there is no smell.

Indian Sandstone Floor Macclesfield After Cleaining

Soiled Indian Sandstone floor tiles cleaned and sealed in Macclesfield

Ceramic Tiled Bathroom Refreshed in Wilmslow

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Kevin Parry

This Ceramic tiled bathroom with shower was installed at house Wilmslow and was overdue a refresh. You can see from the photographs below that the bathroom was looking tired and the tile and grout was discoloured with mould and acid build-up from washing products.

Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout

The Ceramic tiles and grout were treated using a strong 2:1 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline Tile and Grout cleaning product. The solution was 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.

Grout Colouring

The grout looked better but I was unable to shift some of the staining so we decided to apply a white Grout Colourant, it’s a time consuming process but I think you will agree it made a big difference. Additionally the grout colourant product we use also forms a barrier over the surface making the grout much easier to clean going forward.

The last step was to remove the silicone sealant from along the top of bath and replace with new.

Refreshing a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom Wilmslow

Stained Victorian Tiles restored in Kingswood, Cheshire

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Kevin Parry

This classic Victorian tiled floor in Kingswood Kitchen; Cheshire was quite dirty and in need of a deep clean. Cleaning this type of floor is bread and butter for a Tile Doctor and so I had every confidence we could clean in and then re-seal it without any complications.

Victorian Floor Kingswood Before Cleaning 006

Victorian Floor Kingswood Before Cleaning 005

Cleaning a Stained Victorian Floor

In order to tack the ingrained dirt and I decided the best course of action would be to cover the Victorian Floor tiles with a 50/50 mix of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and Nano-Tech UltraClean and leave it to work on the tile allowing the cleaner to break down any remaining previous sealer and in-grained dirt.

Victorian Floor Kingswood During Cleaning 007

Victorian Floor Kingswood During Cleaning 008

After about 30 minutes I steam cleaned the whole area multiple times to lift the ingrained dirt and grime out of the floor and then give the floor a thorough rinse removing the soiled solution using a wet vacuum. The floor was quite damp at this stage and needs to be dry to seal so we left it to dry overnight, we also left behind a dehumidifier to assist with the drying process.

Sealing a Victorian Floor

The next day we came back and tested the floor using a damp meter to make sure it was dry. Once we were satisfied we sealed the tiles using five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is ideal for Victorian tiles as it leaves an attractive low sheen finish, it’s also a water based sealer so there is no smell.

Victorian Floor Kingswood After Cleaning 012

Victorian Floor Kingswood After Cleaning 013

Soiled Victorian Tiled hallway floor cleaned and sealed in Cheshire

Victorian Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned in Hale, Cheshire

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Kevin Parry

Details below of a Victorian tiled floor that we cleaned and sealed at a house in Hale, Cheshire, you can see from the photographs below how poor a condition it was in however the tiles were structurally sound so we set about restoring it.

Victorian Floor Deep Cleaning

The tiles were covered with thick layer of old resin, glue, trapped dirt, possibly wax as well, so the best system for this on Victorian Floor Tiles is to cover the Tiles with a 50/50 mix of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and NanoTech Ultra-Clean; the Remove and Go breaks down the wax, glues etc. while the Nano-Clean works deeper in to the tiles and encapsulates the trapped dirt. It does take time for this process to work however so to help the process along we soak the area with these products, cover over with a plastic sheet and then leave it. The plastic sheet this stops the products from drying out and also makes the floor sweat which works like a sauna to open up the pores of the Tiles. We then cover the plastic with Cotton Dust sheets and leave it like that overnight, the customer can still walk on the Floor area while the Treatment is in place.

The next day we lifted the plastic and steamed the whole area to help release the old trapped dirt and grime etc., the floor is then given a good rinse with clean water and we use a wet vacuum to remove the resultant slurry. We couldn’t seal the floor that day as it was still wet so the cotton sheets were put back on and switched on a dehumidifier to help speed up the drying process.

Victorian Floor Sealing

We came back the nextday and after testing the floor with a damp meter to ensure it was dry we began to seal it using five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go. Seal and Go is a sealer for Victorian floor tiles as it provides stain resistance as well as a low sheen finish.

The customer was very happy with the results and as you can see from the photographs we have managed to completely transform the floor.

Victorian Tiled floor cleaned and sealed in Cheshire

Cleaning and Sealing an Indian Sandstone Floor in Prestbury

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Kevin Parry

This Indian Sandstone floor was laid in a large Kitchen, utility and WC in a house in Prestbury, Cheshire. It was cleaned professionally five years earlier and in that time the sealer had started to wear down and the floor had become dirty again. On top of that the rough nature of the Sandstone flagstones were shredding cleaning mops used to clean the floor so the customer decided it was time for a spring clean and arranged with us to have the floor cleaned and re-sealed.

Cleaning a Sandstone Tiled Floor

We cleaned the floor using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted with 5 parts warm water and worked into the stone surface using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The soiled solution was removed with a wet vacuum and floor rinsed with clean water using a spinning tool which applies water under high pressure and removes it at the same time. There were a few paint splashes evident so Tile Doctor Remove and Go was applied and left on the problem areas for about an hour which dealt with the problem and the floor washed down again with clean water applied with the spinner tool. This process had taken most of the day so we then left for the evening allowing the floor to dry overnight.

TileDoctor Kevin Ward Cleaning Sandstone

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Floor

We came back the next day and tested the floor with a Stanley damp meter in a few different locations to make sure no dampness remained in the stone. The sandstone was dry so we proceeded to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Seal and Go which offers a good level of protection as well as giving a nice low sheen finish. Sandstone is fairly porous so it took five coats of sealer to fully seal the floor, also Seal and Go is a topical coating so this has also taken the roughness out of the stone and resolved their mop shredding issue. The floor was good to walk on several hours later.

Sandstone Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Cheshire

Restoring Terracotta Tiles in Wilmslow

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Kevin Parry

This Terracotta tiled floor installed in a house in Wilmslow had become black and discoloured in areas due to the customer being badly advised on what sealer to use themselves; this resulted in the sealer staying tacky and turning black over time

Cleaning Discoloured Terracotta Tiles

To remove any remaining sealer and deep clean the Terracotta tile we used a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked into the floor with a buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Pro-Clean is an ideal cleaner for natural floors due to its alkaline formula which doesn’t eat away at the tile like an acidic cleaner, it’s also very good for cleaning up grout however I find that’s best tackled manually using a stiff brush.

Last step in the process was to remove the soiled cleaning solution with a wet vacuum and then wash the whole floor down with clean water in order to neutralise it before sealing, we then left the floor so it could dry overnight.

Sealing and Colouring Terracotta Tiles

The next step was to seal the Terracotta floor and for this we applied Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is a water based sealer recommended for Terracotta floors, it provides stain protection and a low sheen that lifts the look of the floor. Seven coats were required due to the porosity of the Terracotta tile.