Restoring Victorian Hallway Tiles after Building Works
These photographs are of a Victorian tiled hallway at a house in Hampton, Middlesex which is South West suburb of
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Author: Reese Mackie
Repolishing Marble tiles in a Hallway in Marlborough
This was an unusual problem; a customer contacted us regarding their Marble shower room at a house in Marlborough where the customer had sprayed Viakal Limescale remover onto the Marble tiles to clean them which unfortunately etched the surface. I’ve downloaded the MSDS sheet from the Inernet for this product and can verify it contains a combination of Etidronic, Formic and Phosphoric acids so not a very safe product to use on Marble or any sealed stone surface. Cleaning Marble Wall Tiles To remove the etching the Marble tiles were burnished using a 6inch coarse diamond encrusted burnishing pad fixed to a hand held rotary machine and lubricated with a spray bottle of water to help keep tiles wet. Burnishing pads come in a set of four from Coarse, Medium, Fine and Super Fine so once we had removed the etching using the coarse pad we then applied the next pads in turn which re-polish the area back to its original shine. Between pads we rinsed the tiles down to remove any soiled water away; after the final super fine pad was applied the shower tiles were given a thorough rinse down ready for sealing. Sealing the Marble Wall Tiles The wall was wiped down and left to dry overnight and we returned the next day to seal the Marble tiles using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow
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Removing Wax and Polishing Travertine Tiles
Travertine is a distinct and characterful stone that makes for some truly beautiful tiled floors. However, like any natural stone
Read moreDull Marble Tiles Re-polished
Details below of a Marble Tiled floor installed in the hallway and kitchen of a house in Edinburgh. The tiles were in good physical shape but had lost their polished appearance over time resulting in a dull un-appealing finish. This is not unusual for polished stone especially in high traffic areas such as hallways and kitchens. Cleaning Marble Floor Tile and Grout Our first job was to give the floor a general clean to remove grime and dirt especially along the grout lines. This was done by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is left to dwell on the floor before being scrubbed in, Pro-Clean is an alkaline cleaner so it’s safe to use on tile and stone unlike acidic cleaners which can damage the surface of the stone over time. The now dirty cleaning solution was removed using a wet vacuum and the floor given a rinse using water. Marble Tiled Floor Polishing The next step was to burnish the Marble which is a process that removes ingrained dirt and brings up the polish on the tile. The process involves the application of four diamond pads in sequence; you start with the coarse pad together with a little water and this cuts through and removes surface grime and any surface seal. You then progress through the other finer pads one by one until you get to the
Read moreMarble Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed
This polished Marble tiled floor was installed in a house in the old market town of Petersfield. The tile and grout was in good condition but like all polished stone floors they will go dull after a period of time and require burnishing and polishing to restore shine. Cleaning Marble Floor Tiles We gave the floor a quick sweep and wash down with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean partly to ensure any surface grit etc. was removed but also so we could get a stiff grout brush in along the grout lines and give them a clean. Once done the floor was rinsed down with water which was removed with a wet vacuum, once done we moved straight onto burnishing the floor to restore the polish. Burnishing requires the application of a little water so there was no need to wait for it to dry. Burnishing requires the application of four different diamond encrusted graded pads in sequence working from coarse which removed old sealers and dirt through to medium, fine and super fine pads which build up the polish on the floor. The floor requires a rinse in-between each pad to remove any slurry and water is extracted from the floor using the wet vacuum, after the super fine pad we removed as much water from the floor as possible and left it to dry overnight ready for sealing the next day.
Read moreMarble Tiled Shower Cubicle Refresh
This Marble mosaic tiled shower cubicle in Richmond, Surrey was in need of a good clean, re-seal and re-silicone. Moisture had penetrated the old sealer and left mould and mildew in the pores of the tiles. This is quite a common problem in the modern insulated homes we live in today which invariably have in-sufficient ventilation. The silicone sealant around the base of the shower had also perished allowing water in behind the tiles around the base. Cleaning Marble Mosaic Tiles and Grout We first stripped away all of the old silicone and proceeded to clean the tile and grout by scrubbing in a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go, which is a strong coatings remover that shifts just about anything but is also safe to use on tile, stone and grout. This did the trick and resulted in what was left of the old sealer being removed and had the added bonus of cleaning the grime away from the Marble tiles. Sealing Marble Mosaic Tiles The bathroom was allowed to dry out for a period of 2 days so as not to trap any moisture behind the new sealer. Then once dry we applied two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a solvent based sealer that reaches deep into the pores of the stone preventing other contaminates from becoming ingrained in the tile. The final step was to applying a new
Read moreCleaning and Sealing Marble Hallway Tiles
These Noche Marble tiles installed in the hallway of this house in Oundle are a premium product with a warm antique look however like any natural stone tile it needs to be sealed in order to prevent dirt becoming ingrained in the pores of the stone. In this case the sealer had worn off and was the floor was now difficult to keep clean so we were called into the deep clean the tile and grout and then re-seal. Sealers can last a few years depending on wear. Cleaning Noche Marble Tiles To deep clean the tile and grout and remove any remaining sealer I combined a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean 50/50 with NanoTech UltraClean. The UltraClean adds tiny abrasive particles which make a more effective cleaning product, both products are safe to use on natural stone floors. It’s best to let the solution soak into the tile for ten to twenty minutes before being scrubbed in with a rotary machine fitted with a scrubbing brush or black scrubbing pad. The rotary pads can struggle to get into the grout lines so it’s best to use a stiff brush along those. To remove the soiled cleaning solution and rinse the tiles I use a high pressure spinner tool which is a brilliant machine for tile cleaning as it deploys water under high pressure water whilst extracting the dirty water back to a
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Deep Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Porch
A tiled entrance porch is a great asset to any property after all first impressions do count, but since this
Read moreRemovating old Marble Flagstones in West-Sussex
Apologies in advance but I’m going to start this post with a warning; there are some very strong cleaning products available in supermarkets and most of which are completely unsuitable for use on natural stone floors because they contain acid. Even weak acids used over time will erode and reduce the life of a sealer and can lead to small holes appearing in your tiles so you do need to be careful what you apply and always read the label. The reason I mention this is I recently had a client in the village of Woodmancote with a Marble Tiled En-Suite who had sent over some photographs showing how the tiles had become marked after using Cilit Bang to clean them. Cilit Bang is a very strong product and has a great reputation for tackling tricky cleaning problems however it contains Benzenesulfonic Acid so it should not to be used on Stone. If you check the literature it does not say it can be used on stone although it does mention the product can be used on tiles and I suspect this is where the confusion comes from as I suspect it should say ceramic tiles. Getting back to the story I informed the client that it was tricky to tell from the photographs what would be required so I offered to pop round when next in the area and take a look. We offer a free no obligation home-survey
Read moreRepairing Damaged Marble Shower Tiles
We were recently received a referral from a well-known house cleaning company who needed some assistance to resolve an issue with a Marble Tiled Shower at a Georgian property in Ringmer. Unfortunately one of their staff had sprayed a Cillit Bang cleaning fluid onto the tiles to remove Limescale deposits and had marked the tiles with white streaks which could not be removed. Now Cilit Bang is a very strong product and although it has a reputation for tackling tricky cleaning problems it contains Benzenesulfonic Acid which like any acid should not be used on Stone as it will damage it. If you check the internet you will find this problem is not uncommon and numerous people have experienced the same issue, the good news is there is a solution. Polishing Damaged Marble Shower Tiles Using a spray bottle containing a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a set of small Diamond encrusted burnishing pads attached to a handheld buffer I went to work on the tiles stripping away the existing sealer and bringing back the surface of the stone. During this process the damage to the tiles started to fade and once the sealer was removed the tiles took on a washed out appearance which was to be expected at this stage. Sealing Marble Shower Tiles After drying any wetness with a heat gun I left
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Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Cafe floor
At Tile Doctor, we don’t just offer our tile cleaning and sealing services to residential properties, such as flats and
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Restoring the Appearance of a Slate Shower Base
When used to clean natural stone, supermarket products can often cause more harm than good as this recent customer of
Read moreRestoring the Appearance of Damaged Marble Shower Tiles
I recently went the assistance of a home owner in Addlestone, Surrey who had damaged the surface of the Marble tiles in her shower by attempting to remove Limescale using a well-known household cleaning product, which unfortunately due to its acidic formula actually made the problem worse and etched the tiles. Burnishing Marble Shower Cubicle Tiles To remove the etching and Limescale from the Marble tiles the surface would need to be cut back and re-polished using diamond encrusted burnishing pads. For this job we used a set of six inch pads which are similar to the floor pads but smaller so they can be attached to a hand held machine and used on vertical surfaces. To burnish the tiles a coarse pad is applied first lubricated with a little water and this removes surface deposits such as Limescale and in this case also the etching. The resultant residue is washed away and then you proceed on with the Medium, Fine and Very Fine polishing pads until the surface has been restored. Sealing Marble Shower Tiles Once I had finished applying the Very Fine pad I gave the tiles a thorough rinse and then dried them so they could be sealed for which I used a coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that gets into the pores of the stone enhancing the natural colours
Read moreRestoring the Polish on Marble Tiles
This customer from the town of Brackley near Northampton got in touch with us to discuss their lovely black Marble tiled floor where it was proving difficult to maintain the shine. I went to visit and after carrying out some tests and asking a number of questions it became clear that that the product that had been used for regular cleaning had a high alkaline detergent content which was not suitable for the floor and had been causing smears, there were also light scratches due to the soiling levels. For polished stone or sealed floors we always recommend a neutral PH cleaning product such a Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner. Burnishing Polished Black Marble Tiles To remove the light scratches and restore the shine on the Marble it was necessary to cut back the surface and re-polish with a set of burnishing pads. The pads come in a set of four and are applied in sequence starting with a coarse pad together with a little water to cut through the old sealer and grime. You then progress through the other finer pads one by one until you get to the final polishing pad which provides a high polish. After polishing the floor was rinsed down to remove any slurry from the polishing process and then allowed to dry before sealing with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which impregnates the pores in
Read moreRestoring the Finish in an Opulent Marble Bathroom
You may recall a job I wrote about earlier in the year concerning a Limestone tiled floor in Westminster well I’m please to say the owner of that property was so pleased with my workmanship that I was asked back to maintain the Marble tiled bathroom which included a sink unit. Maintaining Marble Tiles Normally with polished stone it’s necessary to burnish the floor however in this case the tiles were in good condition with no scratches in the polish, there were a few spots and marks on the tile that needed to come off and they had lost some shine however a full burnish would not be necessary. To remove the spots and marks I treated them first with a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted 4:1 with hot water. I then scrubbed them using a red buffing pad on my rotary floor machine, which took the marks away from the stone. Next I used a medium burnishing pad with a little water and followed with the fine pad and finally the ultra-fine burnishing pad to restore the shine and polish. I offered to build-up a durable polish with Tile Doctor Shine Powder however the owner was happy with the finish that had been achieved. Sealing Marble Tiles Once the tiles were dry I sealed them using Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer which occupies the pores of the stone
Read moreRefreshing a Marble Tiled Kitchen
This Polished Marble floor had been installed in the kitchen of a house near Leicester, it had been some time since its last deep clean and re-polish so the tiles had started to look dull and lifeless. Stripping the Marble Tiled Floor To resolve the floor was cleaned using a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go worked in using a scrubbing pad to remove any remaining sealer and dirt especially along the grout lines. Once this was done the floor was burnished using a set of Tile Doctor burnishing pads which strip the Marble back and then re-builds the polish. These diamond encrusted pads come in a number of different grades and each one does a different job from scrubbing to polishing. I started with the coarse pad together with a little water and this does the job of stripping back the surface of the floor. I then moved onto the finer grades which do the job of building the surface polish to a nice shine. Sealing the Marble Floor The next morning I arrived to find the floor had dried out enough for me to seal it which was done using a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is an impregnating sealer that provides a natural look and is recommended for use in food preparation area. Once it was finished the floor took on a new lease of life and the deep shine has been
Read moreDealing with stained Marble Shower Tiles
The picture below really tells the story but basically this is bathroom from a house in Kidlington that has been tiled with Marble mosaic wall tiles which has become stained around the bath. Additionally the silicone strip between the bath and the wall had become badly stained with mould and needed replacing. Refreshing Marble Wall Tiles To get the tile and grout clean I decanted a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean into a spray bottle and began to apply it in sections to the Marble mosaic wall tiles. Mixing the cleaning solution with air makes it lighter and less likely to run off the wall giving it chance to dwell on the tile and get to work. I left it to soak in for a few minutes before scrubbing into the tile and grout with a stiff brush finishing with a rinse with water; this process was then repeated on stubborn stains and the rest of the area until the wall was clean. Then the mouldy silicone was removed from around the bath, dried and replaced with new. Sealing Marble Mosaic Tile The wall was dried and then the mosaic tiles sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that penetrates into the pores of the Marble to make an effective barrier. Colour Grow also enhances the colour of natural stone so when finished the colour
Read moreMaintaining a Marble Kitchen Worktop
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. Source: Professional Tile, Stone and Grout maintenance service in North Cheshire
Read moreDealing With Limescale On Marble Bathroom Worktops
This job required the cleaning of Marble Worktops in twelve toilets at a very nice office in the Abingdon Science Park. The building was occupied by a company called Sophos who you may have heard of and over a period of time the Marble had become stained through the build-up of Limescale from the water supply and the cleaning company servicing the office could not clean it off. I’ve seen a few horror stories of stone surfaces being damaged through the use of acidic Limescale removers so the cleaning company was quite right not to touch it. Polishing Marble Worktops To remove the Limescale it would be necessary to hone the Marble using a set of small six inch burnishing pads fitted to a handheld buffing machine. The process involves starting with the coarse 400grit pad with a little water which cuts through the Limescale and then moving on to the 800, 1500 and finishing with 3000 grit to hone the surface and build the polish backup. The water helps lubricate the activity and the surface needs to be rinsed down between each pad. Sealing Marble Worktops When the surface was dry I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing sealer which impregnates the pores of the stone to protect it, it also enhances the natural colours in the stone. There
Read moreRemoving Soap Scum from Marble Worktops
My client asked me to take a look at a very dirty Marble Onyx countertop in her home in Hampstead which is located within the London Borough of Camden. Interestingly, Hampstead is home to more millionaires than any other area of the UK so if you’re going to find bathrooms of this standard this is the place. This particular worktop had been heavily soiled by roughly fifteen years of soap scum and old sealer. It would take a thorough clean as well as a fresh seal to get this countertop back to looking its best. Marble is a fantastic type of stone which has, throughout history, been used to forge beautiful, yet resilient surfaces. Cleaning a dirty Marble Onyx countertop I immediately set to work cleaning the countertop using a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. Pro-Clean is an alkaline product and therefore suitable for use on natural stone, meaning that, along with Marble, it is also suitable for use on Limestone, Granite, Slate, Travertine, and others. After leaving it to dwell on the surface for a short period of time, I began scrubbing the solution of cleaner into the Marble, and gradually the years of soap scum, old sealer and ingrained dirt began to come off. It was amazing just how quickly I was able to remove many years of muck with a bit of elbow grease.
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