Chinese Slate Strip and Seal in Hale Barns Kitchen

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

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.

Sandstone Floor Bramhall After Cleaning

 
 

Bramhall deep cleaning Sandstone floor tiles

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in Chester

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

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

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.

Ceramic Bathroom Tiles Wilmslow Before Ceramic Bathroom Tiles Wilmslow Before

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.

Ceramic Bathroom Tiles Wilmslow After Ceramic Bathroom Tiles Wilmslow After

 
 

Refreshing a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom Wilmslow