Author name: TileProf

Chinese Riven Slate Before and After Cleaning Sealing in Chesterfield

Poorly Maintained Chinese Riven Slate Tiles Restored in Chesterfield

This customer was very happy to find there was a Tile Doctor in Derbyshire, for a long time they had experienced problems with cleaning their fantastic Chinese Riven Slate tiled kitchen floor. The customer had attempted to carry out some amateur maintenance work on a couple of occasions but had never managed to achieve the results they had hoped for.

Thus the floor remained dull and afflicted with a large amount of ingrained dirt. I visited the property, located in Chesterfield, to see what could be done to restore the condition and appearance of the tiles.

Chinese Riven Slate Before Cleaning in Chesterfield Chinese Riven Slate Before Cleaning in Chesterfield
Chinese Riven Slate Before Cleaning in Chesterfield

Cleaning Dull and Dirty Chinese Riven Slate Tiles

In order to begin the cleaning process, it was first necessary to remove many layers of old and ineffectual sealer from the tiles. Dirt had become trapped in the sealer, and the was worsened by the fact that the customer had continued, year on year, to reseal the tiles without removing the existing sealer.

For stripping away the large amount of old sealer I applied Tile Doctor Remove & Go and scrubbed it into the floor using a rotary machine fitted with a poly brush. Remove & Go is a multi-purpose stripper formulated with a long dwell-time to remove
most sealers. And while it worked in most places, it couldn’t get rid of all the sealer. I opted in this scenario to mix the Remove & Go with Tile Doctor NanoTech HBU, a powerful cleaner and remover that uses nano-sized particles to tackle the toughest of stains, substance build-up and ingrained dirt.

The combination of these two products worked exceptionally well not only to remove the old sealer, but also several years’ worth of muck, without any additional problems. I follow the cleaning with a through rinse with clean water to remove any chemicals left on the floor. Finally, I left the tiles to dry out overnight.

Sealing Chinese Riven Slate Tiles

When I returned to the property the following morning I had to make sure that the floor was completely dry by running several damp tests. This is exceptionally Important as any excess moisture can cloud my fresh sealer you choose to apply, potentially damaging its performance. I found a couple of damp places and worked on them with my heat gun until they were no longer a problem.

When the floor was completely dry I applied 5 coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go sealer which is a water-based blend of acrylic polymers that gives you stain resistant surface protection and a long lasting low-sheen finish.

Chinese Riven Slate After Cleaning and Sealing in Chesterfield Chinese Riven Slate After Cleaning and Sealing in Chesterfield
Chinese Riven Slate After Cleaning and Sealing in Chesterfield

The customer was extremely happy with the results, leaving the following comment on the Tile Doctor feedback system:

“Tony was a thorough professional, committed to doing as perfect a job as possible. He understood the material he was working with and did not skimp on taking the necessary time to complete the restoration. He gave us advice about future care and treatments and at all times behaved with the utmost courtesy and respect. His presence in the house was quiet and unobtrusive so that the disruption seemed minimal. He could not have been more obliging and he left the site clean and tidy even before the final completion of the job. Seeing him work restored our faith in a craftsman’s skill and technique.”

Professional Chinese Riven Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Restoration in Chesterfield

Poorly Maintained Chinese Riven Slate Tiles Restored in Chesterfield Read More »

Shower Cubicle Before and After Restoration in Glossop

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Cleaned and Recoloured in Glossop

Keeping shower cubicles clean can be extremely tough, especially as they constantly come into contact with shampoos and soaps containing acids that can damage the tiles. This was the case with this Ceramic shower cubicle at a property in Glossop, a small town in the High Peak area of Derbyshire, famous for its buildings constructed of locally produced Sandstone.

The property owner had attempted to clean the cubicle tiles on a regular basis using supermarket standard cleaners, but had never achieved the results they had hoped for. While the owner might have been able to complete a basic clean, they weren’t able to provide the tiles with any long lasting protection and thus, after a few months, they reverted to a dire state. Looking for some professional help, the owner called me down to see what could be done to improve the condition of the cubicle long term.

Shower Cubicle Before Restoration in Glossop
Shower Cubicle Before Restoration in Glossop

Cleaning a Dirty Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

My main focus on cleaning the cubicle tiles was the grout, which was suffering from visible soap scum and soil build-up. I cleaned the grout firstly using Tile Doctor Grout Colourant Pre-Treat Cleaner, which successfully removes dirt, soil, soap scum and hard water deposits from grout joints.

Shower Cubicle Before Restoration in Glossop
Shower Cubicle Before Restoration in Glossop

The product was sprayed on to the grout and left to dwell and seep into the pores for approximately five minutes to break down the soap scum, before being scrubbed in using a grout brush. Following this, I rinsed the entire area with clean water and carefully removed the mouldy silicone around the shower cubicle.

Colouring and Siliconing a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

With the cleaning complete, my next task was to prepare the grout for colouring. To do this I completed a few damp tests on the grout and in the areas where I detected excess moisture I applied my heat gun to evaporate it. With the area dry, I recoloured the grout by applying two coats of the Tile Doctor Grout Colourant. This is an epoxy based paint that rejuvenated the appearance of the grout and sealed it, making it easier to clean in the future, and therefore resolving the customer’s cleaning difficulties.

Shower Cubicle After Restoration in Glossop
Shower Cubicle After Restoration in Glossop

After colouring the grout, I cleared the area and then siliconed all around the shower cubicle using high quality anti-mould silicone designed to last for several years to come. Once the restoration was finished, I advised the customer to start rinsing the
shower cubicle walls with clean water after every shower to get remove of all the acids produced by shampoos and soaps. This will keep the shower cubicle fresh by preventing the buildup of soap scum.

Shower Cubicle After Restoration in Glossop 14882
Shower Cubicle After Restoration in Glossop

The customer was surprised how good the outcome of the restoration was, especially considering that she previously had so much trouble getting the shower cubicle clean. Some pleased was she with the work that she said she and her partner will recommend me to all of their friends.

Professional Grout Cleaning and Colouring of a Dirty Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Derbyshire

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Cleaned and Recoloured in Glossop Read More »

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