Restoring Limestone Shower Tiles Stained with Limescale

Limescale deposits are a big problem in many parts of the UK where hard water is common. To remove it you need to use a strong acidic cleaner however what to do if you have limescale deposits on Limestone? As many may already know, Limestone is an expensive, high-quality stone that like a lot of natural stone is acid sensitive and can be damaged with the application of acid-based products. You can use acids on Limestone however if your careful and I demonstrated this recently at a property in this village of Everdon near Daventry in Northamptonshire. My customer had a fantastic black Limestone tiled shower cubicle that had been absolutely ruined by white limescale staining and it had reached the point where the situation simply couldn't be resolved with standard cleaning products.

Cleaning and Burnishing a Stained Black Limestone Shower Cubicle

As the staining was so severe, I opted to use Tile Doctor Acid Gel to clean the tiles. This is a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids in gel form and is the best product for cleaning vertical services, since water based products just run off and don’t have time to work on the staining. Working in small areas, I carefully scrubbed the product into the stone and then rinsed it off with plain water. This process was repeated across the whole cubicle, reducing the stains significantly in the process. Next, I used a handheld polishing machine fitted with 6” diamond encrusted burnishing pads, along with some water for lubrication, to polish and deep clean the stone, removing any stubborn stains remaining on the tiles.

Sealing a Black Limestone Shower Cubicle

I left the cubicle to dry completely overnight. Upon my return the next day, I proceeded to seal the tiles using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer. This sealer is impregnating, meaning it fils the pores of stone to protect against ingrained dirt and staining. As well as providing stone protection, Colour Grow also enhances the natural colour in the stone - in this case, the deep black shades in the Limestone. Having finished the job, I gave the very happy customer some advice on keeping limescale and other staining at bay in future. I explained that proper maintenance can be conducted by simply rinsing the tiles with clean water after each use of the shower, and by using Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro tile aftercare cleaner at least once a week.


Source: Limestone Cleaning and Maintenance Service in Northamptonshire

Rough Chinese Slate Kitchen Floor Revitalised in Cheadle

This small rough Chinese Slate floor in the kitchen of a house in the village of Cheadle near Stockport in Greater Manchester had not had any sealer put on it for many years and was very grubby (dishevelled as described by the customer) looking even after the customer had tried to clean it. Sealers do take a lot of punishment, especially in a high traffic area such as a small kitchen and will wear off over time and once this happens the floor will start to lose its appearance as dirt becomes ingrained in the stone and it can no longer be cleaned effectively. Cleaning the Slate Tiled Floors As we have to apply a liberal amount of water with this sort of work, the first step was to remove the Kicker boards at the bottom of the Kitchen units and silicone the Kitchen units that were fixed; this stops water seeping in and blowing the MDF allowing us to concentrate on cleaning the Slate without causing any damage. I started the cleaning process by applying a strong dilution of Tile Read more...

Porcelain Tile Information

Harder than ceramic tiles modern production methods have allowed a growth in the availability and design of Porcelain tiles which are known for their durability and water resistance making them a popular option for floors. Like Ceramic, Porcelain tiles are generally very easy to clean and need little maintenance however some are micro porous and do require sealing, you will need to ask you supplier which type you have installed as it can be very difficult to tell. Porcelain Tile Cleaning Read more...

Porcelain Tiled Floor & Grout Restored in Bearsden near Glasgow

The photographs below are from a 55m2 Porcelain tiled floor that we worked on recently at a house in the town of Bearsden which is an affluent suburb of Glasgow. The floor was laid well with large format tiles which were in good condition however like most floors the grout had become stained and was now patchy and inconstant in appearance. The owner of the property thought we may need to replace the grout however I was confident we could resolve the problem without having to resort to Read more...

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Restoring the Appearance of a Slate Patio

Back here with another job, this time in the small commuter town of Chinnor in Oxfordshire to clean and seal a Slate patio which was looking worse for wear. Slate is a highly durable material that is a popular choice not only for external flooring such as patio, but also for internal flooring in high traffic areas like kitchens and hallways. A few days before I began the cleaning, I visited the property in order to rake and re-fill the grout. Cleaning a Slate patio Working in sections, I Read more...

16th Century Quarry Tile Restoration at the Hogs Back, Farnham

We were contacted by a customer interested in our no obligation home survey who wanted a quotation for restoring their Quarry Tiled floor. It was an interesting property which would probably be best described as a quirky old cottage dating back to the 16th century; it was probably built to house workers from the neighbouring farm and the owner had decided to renovate the original quarry floor tiles which were in a bad way and effected by damp due to a lack of damp proof course and the tiles Read more...

Cleaning And Sealing A Victorian Tiled Floor In An Office In Palmeira Square, Brighton

Recently, I was asked to do some Tile Doctoring at Palmeira Square, in the seaside city of Brighton and Hove, to restore the Victorian tiled floor of one of the downstairs offices. Palmeira Square is a residential area which was first developed in the mid-19th century during the reign of Queen Victoria, so many of the buildings feature some fantastic original Victorian tile floors. Although there are many large terraced houses and even mansions in the area, some of the buildings have been Read more...

Quarry Tiled Hallway Cleaned and Restored in Hackleton

This was a restoration I did for a couple living in Hackleton, Northampton, who had just moved into their new home and wanted their recently discovered Quarry tiled hallway fully restored before their housewarming party. The couple had lifted up the carpet upon moving into the house to find a dirty and damaged floor beneath. It had been marked with glue around the edges where the carpet gripper rods had been stuck down upon installation. My clients had attempted to remove the unsightly glue Read more...

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Cleaning old Yellow Ceramic Floor tiles in Poole

This fifty year old Ceramic tiled floor was installed in the communal parts of a small block of flats in Poole, Dorset. The tiles had not been given a deep clean in a long while and were now ingrained with dirt from many years of wear. Cleaning Ceramic Floor Tile and Grout To clean the tiles a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied a left to soak into the tile for some time before working it into the floor using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. During this Read more...

Cleaning Ceramic Kitchen Floor Tiles in Bedford

The photograph below was taken in the kitchen of a residence in Bedford where the new owner wanted the Ceramic floor tiles deep cleaned before they moved in; you can see for yourself how dirty they had become. Cleaning Ceramic Floor Tiles To get the clean Ceramic tiles clean I applied a medium strength dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed 50/50 with NanoTech Ultra Clean with a mop; this was left to dwell on the surface of the tile for around twenty minutes. The next step was to then run Read more...

Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Maldon

Here's a job I completed not too long ago in the town of Maldon, which sits alongside the Blackwater estuary in South Essex. Although the Flagstone tiled floor in my client's kitchen was - generally speaking - in good physical condition, the surface seal had worn down over time, leaving the tiles looking dull and lifeless. Flagstone is quite a hard wearing stone that is commonly used for both internal and external surfaces, whether this is something as simple as a kitchen floor, or something Read more...

Varnished Quarry Tiled Hallway Restored in London SW11

This Quarry tiled hallway installed in a house in South West London had been varnished many years previously and was worn through leaving a dark and uneven appearance and difficult to clean. Cleaning the Quarry Tiled Floor We started cleaning the Quarry Tiles by applying a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked into the floor using a buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Although this had an effect on the Varnish it was proving difficult to shift so using a scraper tool Read more...

Putting the Colour back Into a Dull Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

This customer, who lives in Paisley, one of Scotland's biggest towns - and one with a rich history in the textiles industry - had not been completely satisfied with her Slate tiled kitchen floor since it had been laid. Having only been laid recently, the tiles themselves were in good shape, but Read more...

Polishing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen in Derbyshire

This customer had some real difficulty in getting their fantastic Travertine tiled kitchen area looking as good as it should. The cleaning methods they had previously employed were unable to prevent the tiles from appearing dull, and the customer was also unable to deal with the displeasing Read more...

Putting new life into an Edinburgh Kitchens Flagstones

Our tiled floor restoration services have attracted a number of high profile customers over the years. In fact, not too long ago I was contacted about restoring a Flagstone tiled floor at a property in Edinburgh belonging to a Scotland international footballer. The tiles and grout were in real need of professional cleaning and sealing because it clearly had not experience adequate maintenance in a while. Here's a quick overview of how I was able to get the floor back to looking its best. Read more...

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Maintaining White Limestone Floor Tiles

Knaresborough is a historic town in North Yorkshire, popular amongst holiday goers for its numerous attractions. I travelled to the area not to visit the attractions, however, but to visit a customer, whose fantastic white Limestone tiled floor was in need of a deep clean. Limestone is a porous Read more...

Removing Limescale From Ceramic Tiles

The photographs below are taken from a house in the old market town of Basingstoke which is now the largest town in Hampshire. I was asked to address a very severe case of Limescale build-up in a shower cubicle. The wall tiles were Ceramic and a shocking amount of Limescale had deposited itself Read more...

Deep Cleaning and Sealing Limestone Tiled floor in Bedford

This was a Limestone tiled floor that had seen better days, unfortunately the customer had not been given the right advice and had been cleaning the floor with a popular supermarket floor cleaning product which being slightly acidic had over time stripped all of the sealer off the tile. With no sealer present dirt and grime had become ingrained into the pores of the tile making it impossible to clean. Deep Cleaning Limestone Floor Tiles To deep clean the floor I decided to use a medium Read more...

Dealing 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 more...

Flagstone Tiles Rejuvenated at Home of International Footballer in Edinburgh

Our tiled floor restoration services have attracted a number of high profile customers over the years. In fact, not too long ago I was contacted about restoring a Flagstone tiled floor at a property in Edinburgh belonging to a Scotland international footballer. The tiles and grout were in real need of professional cleaning and sealing because it clearly had not experience adequate maintenance in a while. Here's a quick overview of how I was able to get the floor back to looking its best. Read more...

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Cambridge

These photographs are from a Quarry Tile Cleaning job we did for a house owner in Cambridge, I'm afraid my photographs are not the best but I think you can see how the Quarry tiles were looking discoloured and worn. Cleaning Kitchen Quarry Tiles Working in sections the floor was wetted with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean combined 50/50 with Nanotech UltraClean, these two products combine to make a powerful and effective cleaning solution that's safe to use on tile and stone. The Read more...

Unmaintained French Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor Restored in Cardiff

This customer from the historic city of Cardiff was keen to see what Tile Doctor could do to put some life back into their treasured Limestone kitchen floor that was laid in 2008. My first observations were mainly centred on the horrific condition of the surface which although adequately sealed initially the floor had not received any subsequent maintenance and its condition had deteriorated over time. The light shining in from the patio doors highlighted all the imperfections in the floor Read more...

How to Make Faux Marble Tumbled Tile

Installing tumbled tile in your home is expensive. You can decrease this cost considerably by making faux marble tumbled tile. You are essentially creating the marble tumbled tile look on standard, less expensive tiles. The following how-to will explain how to make faux marble tumbled tile, and the best part is that the technique can be applied to tiles that are already installed.

What You'll Need:

• Caulk
• Caulking gun
• Ceramic tile
• Sandpaper
• Household cleaners
• Foam brushes
• Vacuum
• Fake feather
• Sponge
• Urethane finish, water-based
• Semi-gloss oil paint, 2 colors
• Paint thinner

Step 1 – Clean the Tiles

To create faux marble tumbled tile, you need to make sure the ceramic tiles are clean and free of oils or dirt. Clean them thoroughly with a clean rag and normal household cleaners. If the tiles are installed, then look for damage and repair them with caulk. The caulk will need to dry before you can create the finish.

Step 2 – Texture the Tiles

In order to get a faux marble look of tumbled tile, you need make a texture on them. These tiles are often too smooth and are glazed. This will ruin any chance of creating a believable faux marble finish. Use the sandpaper to sand the tops of each tile until you can feel the glaze removed and the surface imperfect. Vacuum the dust that you create from the sanding and then wipe them down with a damp rag. If you fail to wipe down the ceramic tile, you will wind up with dust in the faux marble tumbled tile finish.

Step 3 – Base Coat

Choose the paint that you want for your main color of marble and then thin it out slightly with paint thinner. Stir the paint until combined. Creating a faux marble tumbled tile finish is best done in several thin coats instead of a single heavy coat. Use the foam brush and apply the first base coat to the tile. Let this dry for 2 hours and then apply another coat if needed and repeat until you are satisfied with the base coat.

Step 4 – Marble Tumbled Tile Details

The proper finish of the faux marble tumbled tile is dependent on the details. Allow the base coat to dry for 2 hours and then begin adding in the veins of the marble. Use the second paint choice. Dip the tip of the feather in the paint and then, with a swiveling motion, create lines. Vary the thickness of the lines. Create bends and curves. Mix the base coat with a little clear gloss finish. Let the veins dry for 5 minutes and then gently blot the base coat on top of the veins using a sponge. You want the veins to soften but not blur. Allow the paint to dry for 5 minutes and then use the same technique over the entire tile.

Step 5 – Finishing

Wait 2 hours and then apply a coat of the urethane finish over the tiles. Use even strokes. Once dry, dust the area and buff it with a rag and then apply a second coat.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Renovating A Dirty Victorian Tiled Hallway

This extremely dirty and dull Victorian tiled hallway floor was at a house in Westcliffe on Sea near Southend. The tiles were well overdue for a deep clean and having worked on many of these types of floors before I was confident we could do the job. Deep Cleaning Victorian Floor Tiles Any Read more...

Transforming a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

The new owner of this house in the very old and quaint English village of Penn, Buckinghamshire wanted to refresh the look of the Terracotta tiled kitchen floor before they moved in. It had suffered from a heavy soil build-up of dirt over time due to inadequate maintenance and ineffectual Read more...

Newly Discovered Quarry Kitchen Tiles Restored in Chester

If you're a first time buyer in the process of renovating or redecorating your new property, you may well discover some fantastic tiled floors hidden under your carpets. Certainly in my experience this happens quite often, so it came as no surprise when I got a call from a couple who had pulled up the carpet in the kitchen of their new house in Chester to find Quarry tiles, along with some fantastic Victorian tiles in the hallway. While the Quarry tiles were in relatively good condition - Read more...

Sandstone Tiled Patio Cleaned in Cambridge

Just so you know we don't just clean stone and tile floors we also do external patios as well and this particular job was at a property in Cambridge with a Sandstone patio. We have all the tools and products to clean most surfaces so cleaning patios and brick paved driveways isn't a problem. The process was quite straight forward and involved pre-soaking the driveway with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, it's a versatile cleaner that equally effective on Patios as well as Tile, Grout and Stone; being Read more...

Correcting Slate Tiled Floor Installation Issues

These pictures are off a brand new slate floor which the customer assumed would be much darker after she sealed it. Her builder had informed her that she only needed to give them a wipe over to remove the grout haze after he had laid them which she did before sealing however she was disappointed Read more...

Restoring A Stained Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor in Cardiff

The following post is follows on from the Limestone tiled kitchen floor restoration I recently completed in Cardiff. You may recall that the floor had not been maintained properly since it was first installed in 2008 and one of the key problems I had to deal with during that particular restoration was a number of dark stains left on the tiles by the kitchen dustbin. Here's a detailed account of how I tacked the staining. Cleaning a stained Limestone tiled floor To deal with the stains, I Read more...

Removing 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. Read more...

Maintaining the Polish on Limestone Floor Tiles

These Limestone tiles had been laid in a modern property in Witham, an Essex town that sits between Chelmsford and Colchester. The property owners had spent many hours over the years cleaning and sealing the floor to maintain its condition, but while the tiles were in certainly in good shape, Read more...

Cleaning a Travertine tiled hallway in Sandbanks

Occasionally I get a call to pop down to Sandbanks on the Dorset Coast which is well known for containing the most expensive property in the UK outside of London. This particular residence had a Travertine tiled hallway which was badly in need of renovation, it had become very soiled and dirt had become trapped in holes that has opened up in the stone over time and now needed cleaning and filling. Cleaning and Filling a Travertine Tiled Floor I began by applying a dilution of Tile Doctor Read more...

Deep Cleaning Victorian Tiles in Cornwall

This Victorian tiled hallway at a house in the coastal town of Newquay actually dates back to the 1920 as opposed to the Victorian era, however the method of making them didn't really change until after the 2nd World War, as such Victorian and Edwardian tiles can all be cleaned using the same Read more...

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Deep Cleaning a Heavily Soiled Limestone Patio

This patio, at a house in Windermere was made of fantastic Green Indian Limestone that despite sounding exotic is widely available in tile shops and building yards. But while it is a very good quality stone, it doesn't always make for a good patio tile. Tiled patios are rarely easy to keep clean, especially if they are made of a sensitive stone, like Limestone. Over time, damage from weather and other environmental elements can leave these sorts of patios in really poor shape. The area at Read more...

Bombed Damaged Porcelain Floor Rebuilt in Coventry

The photographs below are from a 55m2 Porcelain tiled floor that we worked on recently at a house in the town of Bearsden which is an affluent suburb of Glasgow. The floor was laid well with large format tiles which were in good condition however like most floors the grout had become stained and was now patchy and inconstant in appearance. The owner of the property thought we may need to replace the grout however I was confident we could resolve the problem without having to resort to Read more...

Cleaning Ceramic Kitchen Floor Tiles in Bedford

The photograph below was taken in the kitchen of a residence in Bedford where the new owner wanted the Ceramic floor tiles deep cleaned before they moved in; you can see for yourself how dirty they had become. Cleaning Ceramic Floor Tiles To get the clean Ceramic tiles clean I applied a medium strength dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed 50/50 with NanoTech Ultra Clean with a mop; this was left to dwell on the surface of the tile for around twenty minutes. The next step was to then run Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of a Polished Travertine Tiled Floor

If you want a polished stone floor to keep its appearance, then it will need a regular maintenance plan in place, without it the stone will lose its polish and start to look dull and un-inviting which was the story with this Travertine tiled floor installed throughout much of the grout floor of Read more...

Welcome to the Derbyshire Tile Doctor

We are 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. Were professionally trained and have the equipment and experience to solve any problem, were also part of a national network that enables us to share industry knowledge and expertise. Call Read more...

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Scratched Marble Tiled floor Polished in Olney

This was a Marble tiled floor installed in the kitchen of a house in Olney, Bedfordshire which had been scratched in places and was now overdue for some TLC. Cleaning Marble Tile and Grout The first job was to give the floor a general clean using a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to dwell on the Tile and Grout for a short while before being worked in with a rotary machine fitted with a scrubbing pad and a stiff hand brushes along the grout lines. The floor was then washed Read more...

Cleaning Grout in a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

To clean grout we normally recommend a good scrub with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is an strong alkaline product, in some cases however the staining cannot be removed completely and the only thing your can do with the exception of re-grouting is to re-colour the grout with a Grout Colourant Read more...

Mouldy Ceramic Tiled Shower Refreshed in Epsom Downs

A customer contacted us regarding a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle problem they had with their house in Epsom Downs, Surrey. All the grout and mastic had started to go black and grow mould which is quite a common problem in modern houses and our busy lifestyles and insulated homes with insufficient ventilation. Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout We started by giving the tiles a good scrub with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and our non-scratch scrubbing brushes, then we thoroughly scrubbed the grout with Read more...

Deep Cleaning a Very Dirty Terracotta Floor

The old town of Halstead, Essex, meaning 'safe place' or 'place of refuge' in Old English, was the site of this job. Similarly, historic is the property I was called to, a fantastic seventeenth century thatched cottage, situated just on the outskirts of the town. The owner was keen to have her Read more...

Cleaning and Grout Colouring of a Limestone tiled floor in Hove, East Sussex

Recently, I was called to a work on a Limestone tiled floor in a house near Hove Park. Hove Park is a popular park in Hove, East Sussex, which was once opposite to the Goldstone Ground, the traditional home of Brighton and Hove Albion football club until the ground was demolished. My client informed me that the house was used a meeting place every Friday, and the high traffic of people was taking its toll on the floor. Cleaning a Limestone tiled floor The floor was clearly in need of a good Read more...

Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Refreshed in Wigan

Shower cubicles can be the most difficult of tiled features to keep clean. Most are exposed to various acid-based soaps and shampoos on a daily basis, allowing mould and general muck to quickly build up along the grout lines and silicone. This leaves the entire area looking quite unappealing. In some cases, the grout lines become stained beyond a point where they can be restored to their original condition, so property owners will typically request to have the grout cut out and replaced however a faster and cheaper method is to have the grout completely recoloured. Such was the case with this Ceramic tiled shower cubicle at a house in Wigan. It would take a lot to get the cubicle looking great again, having not been cleaned properly for a long time. The property owner decided to contact me for a professional refresh, including cleaning, new silicone sealer and recolouring of the grout. Cleaning a Ceramic Tiles Shower Cubicle I started the refresh by applying Tile Doctor Mould Away Read more...

Damaged Terrazzo Tiled Floor Repair In Southend

A few months ago I was called down to the coastal town of Southend to restore a damaged Terrazzo tiled floor. Terrazzo is a very beautiful type of stone of Italian origin, and has been used for hundreds of years for residential flooring. The problem with this floor was a significant crack in the surface that was not only spoiling the appearance of the Terrazzo, but also posed a potential hazard for anyone walking in and around this area. I was also commissioned to give the floor a thorough Read more...

Cleaning an Edwardian Quarry Tiled Porch

These photographs are from an Edwardian Quarry tiled porch at a house in central London. The tiles had previously been sealed with several layers of varnish which was now beginning to wear off in places and was making the entrance to the house look very untidy. Cleaning Edwardian Quarry Tiles I used a mixture of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and Nanotech Ultra Clean and left it to soak into the floor for an hour to break down the old varnish. The floor was then rinsed with clean water and Read more...

Removing Floor Leveling Screed from a Red Sandstone Floor

The Red Sandstone flagstones at this property in the historic market town of Kirkby Lonsdale had been covered with carpet and underlay and to make matters worse it had a screed level laid on top of the stone to make the floor smoother to walk on before the carpet went down. The current owner of the property had discovered the floor under the carpet and was now keen on having it restored back to its former beauty as a period feature. Restoring Sandstone Stone is difficult enough to restore Read more...

Victorian Tiled Floor Repaired and Cleaned in Wellingborough

I was recently called down to a client's house in the market town of Wellingborough, situated approximately 11 miles from Northampton. My client's situation was an interesting one, as she had an old gas pipe sticking out of her Victorian tiled floor, very close to a doorway. Not only was this a bit of an eyesore, it was also significant trip hazard. The floor had been previously covered by carpet, so it is understandable that my client would have been initially unaware of the obstructive gas Read more...

Shine Restored on Dull Limestone Floor Tiles in Harrogate

I was recently at a property in the North Yorkshire town of Harrogate, undertaking what I initially thought would be the cleaning and polishing of a Cream Limestone tiled kitchen. However, as I began the cleaning process I quickly discovered that under the dirty grout lines someone had taken a Read more...

Dull Slate Tiled Kitchen Dinning Room brought back to life in Pontypool

This Slate tiled floor at this house in the Pontypool was laid over ten years ago in the kitchen/dining room. The floor had ground in dirt into the tiles and grout which the client wanted brought back to life. Repairing and Cleaning Dirty Slate Tiles I could see the tiles would need to be deep cleaned so I started the cleaning process with a strong combination of Tile Doctor Remove and Go to strip away the old sealer and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to get the tiles as clean as possible. The Read more...

Natural Slate Patio Stripped, Treated for Grout Haze and Sealed

Along with internal tiled floors at residential and commercial properties, we also specialise in the cleaning, restoration and sealing of all types of external tiled floors, including patios. This customer, who lives in the small town of Brackley in Northamptonshire, had made the unfortunate Read more...

Dirty Terracotta Tiled Floor Refreshed in Wickford

Not too long ago, I was contacted by a client in the town of Wickford, which is a fairly small, quiet town in the south of Essex. My client had a Terracotta tiled floor that was in dire need of a complete refresh in the form of a thorough clean and seal. You might not be aware of this but the word 'Terracotta' actually means 'burned earth', owing to the stone's fantastic natural orange-auburn colours. A strong, durable material,it has been in use for residential uses for over two thousand Read more...

Slate Tiled Wet Room floor in Ealing

This was a slate floor in a wet room in a house in Ealing W5. The black semi-riven slate had originally been sealed by the tiler on installation but had never looked how the customer wanted it to. Cleaning Semi-Riven Slate Tiles To strip off what was left of the old sealer we used Tile Doctor Remove and Go leaving it to soak into the floor for a while before working it in with a rotary machine fitted with a black buffing pad. The solution was then removed using a wet and dry Vacuum and the Read more...

Terracotta Tiled Conservatory in Cranleigh Deep Cleaned and Sealed

Cranleigh is the self-proclaimed largest village in England, sitting about 8 miles southeast of Guildford in Surrey. One of its villagers contacted me recently to see if there was anything I could do to improve the state of their Terracotta tiled conservatory. They were in the process of completely redecorating the conservatory, having just replaced the wood and glass and I was called in to restore the tiled floor back to looking its best. Terracotta is made from clay and is quite porous Read more...

Maintaining Sandstone Floor Tiles

These Indian Fossil Sandstone tiles (sometimes known as 'Yorkstone' tiles) at a property in the small town of Swanland near Hull were, on initial inspection, in great condition, with no cracks or damaged tiles. However, thanks to a lack of sealer, the tiles had become ingrained with dirt, resulting in a heavy soil buildup that dulled the appearance of the stone. Also noticeable were some unsightly cement splashes around the grout lines. The property owner contacted me with the problem and I Read more...

Polishing Marble Wall and Floor Tiles in Suffolk

Not too long ago I was called down to a house in the small village of Elmswell, Suffolk. I was asked to take a look at a Marble floor and wall tiles which had become dull and lifeless over time, especially in high traffic areas and now need to be burnished to bring the polish back. In addition, my client was unhappy with the beige colour of the grout lines, requesting that I change the colour to white following the clean and polish. Cleaning and Polishing a Marble tiles To get the floor clean and bring back the polish I used a set of four diamond encrusted burnishing pads which have different levels of grit, applied to the Marble tiles with a small amount of water. I started with a Coarse pad, before moving on to a Medium pad, a Fine pad, and finally a Very Fine pad to achieve the desired polished look. The floor was given a thorough rinse between each pad in order to remove any excess residue that had resulted from the burnishing process. Once I had finished the floors I moved onto the Marble wall tiles in the bathroom where the same process was repeated, for wall tiles however you need to use the smaller six inch burnishing pads fitted to a hand held buffer. Sealing Marble Floor Tiles I left the floor to dry for a few days before returning to seal it for which I used Tile Read more...

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Deep clean and seal of a dirty Limestone tiled kitchen floor in Icklesham

Earlier this year I was contacted by a lady in Icklesham which is a small village near Hastings. My client requested a deep clean for her Limestone tiled kitchen floor which had, over time, become quite dirty, with the grout in particular being very much worse for wear. Limestone is a popular choice for tiled floors however it needs to be sealed to ensure dirt doesn't get into the pores of the stone otherwise it becomes difficult to clean and if the sealer is not maintained it will wear down Read more...

Encaustic Cement Tiles Burnished and Sealed in Stockport

I'm often asked if you should seal a tile before grouting and the answer is a definite yes, and this Encaustic Cement tiled bathroom floor installation in Stockport is a great example as to why. The tiles had not been sealed before grouting and then, once the tiler went to grout the newly installed tiles with a grey grout, the colour ran into the tiles, staining them and leaving them looking grubby and dirty. Had the tiles been sealed it would of made the process of removing the grout from the surface of the tile much easier. If you haven't come across them before Encaustic cement tiles are often hand painted and are available in a range of beautifully artistic patterns, so it was a real shame that these tiles were allowed to be spoilt by an avoidable mistake. As you can imagine, the property owner was keen to have the tiles professionally restored, and she contacted me to get the job done. I took some photographs but I'm not sure that they do justice to the problem. Burnishing and Read more...

Refreshing the Appearance of Terracotta Kitchen Tiles

This Terracotta tiled kitchen in the village of Willingale near Maldon, in the Epping Forest District of Essex had lost its finish and looked slightly dull. The client wanted the tiles restored to a shiny finish and additionally wanted the two cracked tiles replaced in the kitchen doorway. Read more...

Deep Cleaning and Sealing and old Terracotta floor in Wing

We were asked to restore the Terracotta tiled floor at an old cottage in the village of Wing which was way overdue for a good deep clean and re-seal. In fact the tiles were so dirty they were black in some areas, which you can see for yourself in the photograph below. Cleaning Terracotta Floor Tiles Fortunately this sort of work is bread and butter to a Tile Doctor and the process is relatively straight forward. The first job was to apply a reasonably strong dilution of Tile Doctor Read more...

Heavily Worn Polished Limestone Floor Restored in Cowbridge

When given the right care, a polished Limestone floor can be an amazing asset to any house. If neglected, however, the tiles can quickly discolour from wear, especially in areas of high traffic, such as the kitchen. Such was the case at this house in the small, picturesque town of Cowbridge, in South East Wales. My client had contacted Tile Doctor to see what could be done to improve the condition of the tile and grout which, as you can see from the photographs had not been properly Read more...

Grubby, Unsealed Slate Tiles Revitalised in Lymm

One of the worst examples of bad tiling practice is to leave a newly installed floor unsealed and therefore unprotected. This is exactly the problem that had occurred at this property in Lymm, West Cheshire. A builder has installed a new Slate tiled floor in the kitchen of this property, but had neglected to seal it, leaning the tiles exposed to dirt, stains, and other general muck so they quickly lost their appearance. To be fair I could not fault the installation but the floor now looked Read more...

Cleaning Porcelain Tiles Ingrained with Dirt

These Porcelain floor tiles had been laid in the hallway of a block of flats in Luton and had seen a fair amount of foot traffic resulting in the usual build-up of dirt and grime making it well overdue for a deep clean. Cleaning Ceramic Floor Tiles To clean Porcelain tiles I would normally just apply Tile Doctor Pro-Clean however given the amount of dirt in the tile we needed all the help we could get so the Pro-Clean was mixed 50/50 with NanoTech Ultra Clean which results in the creation Read more...

Welcome to the West Sussex Tile Doctor

We are 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. Were professionally trained and have the equipment and experience to solve any problem, were also part of a national network that enables us to share industry knowledge and expertise. Get Read more...

Sandstone Tiled Patio Cleaned in Cambridge

Just so you know we don't just clean stone and tile floors we also do external patios as well and this particular job was at a property in Cambridge with a Sandstone patio. We have all the tools and products to clean most surfaces so cleaning patios and brick paved driveways isn't a problem. The process was quite straight forward and involved pre-soaking the driveway with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, it's a versatile cleaner that equally effective on Patios as well as Tile, Grout and Stone; being Read more...

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in South Wales

This Victorian tiled hallway floor at a house in Penarth needed a deep clean and seal but also there was the added complication of what to do with the under stairs area as you will see in the photographs below. There were many options to consider and after many visits to the property to discuss Read more...

Scratched Marble Tiled floor Polished in Olney

This was a Marble tiled floor installed in the kitchen of a house in Olney, Bedfordshire which had been scratched in places and was now overdue for some TLC. Cleaning Marble Tile and Grout The first job was to give the floor a general clean using a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to dwell on the Tile and Grout for a short while before being worked in with a rotary machine fitted with a scrubbing pad and a stiff hand brushes along the grout lines. The floor was then washed Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Shell Slate Kitchen Tiles in Lytchett Minster

This Shell Slate tiled floor was installed in the kitchen of a house in Lytchett Minster and had not been sealed after its installation over twenty years ago and had now become deeply ingrained with dirt which the owner could not remove however hard she tried. Cleaning Shell Slate Tiles To clean the tiles I used Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted one part cleaner to five parts water, the solution was applied it to the floor and then left to soak in for ten minutes before working it in with a Read more...

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Harston

These photographs are from a lovely old period property in the village of Harston near Cambridge which had an original Victorian Tiled floor installed throughout the hallway and stairwell. Considering its age the tiles were in a very good condition but they were looking dull and overdue for a deep clean and re-seal. Cleaning the Victorian Tiled Floor Working in sections the first step was to protect the beautiful skirting boards with clear plastic fixed with decorator's masking tape. This Read more...

Maintaining And Polishing Travertine Tiles in Lincolnshire

This fantastic Travertine tiled kitchen floor was in a bad way. Not only had it not been treated to a proper clean and seal in a long while, but it has also suffered from natural pitting, leaving lots of little holes that damaged the overall appearance of the floor. Travertine is very aesthetic, Read more...

Refreshing the look of Ceramic Floor Tiles

Moving into a new home is a stressful but rewarding experience. This customer had just recently moved into a property in the neighbouring and historic Flintshire town of Mold, and was keen to make some renovations. High on the agenda was the restoration of a large number of Ceramic floor tiles Read more...

Sealing Limestone Floor Tiles at Canford Cliffs

Slightly unusual job this one involving a Limestone tiled floor at a house in Canford Cliffs which is a beautiful part of Dorset near Poole overlooking the sea. The tiles had only recently been laid and then sealed by a tiler, unfortunately however too much sealer had been applied and it had been allowed to dry on the surface of the tiles causing a smeared and messy appearance. Removing Sealer from Limestone Floor Tiles To remove the sealer from the floor the surface needs to be cut back and Read more...

Rebuilding and Restoring a Damaged Victorian Tiled Floor in Earlsdon

The Warwickshire team recently visited a customer in Earlsdon, a village near Coventry, who wanted a Victorian tiled floor rebuilt before being cleaned and sealed. Sometimes our work goes well beyond simple cleaning and sealing services, especially when tiles are damaged, broken or completely missing however we have done several rebuilds before and always welcome a new challenge. Upon closer inspection, I could see that up to 70% of the tiles were damaged in some way, and the screed was Read more...

Renovating A Badly Stained And Hole-Marked Travertine Tiled Floor In Oundle

I recently completed quite a substantial cleaning job at a house in the small, historic market town of Oundle, Northamptonshire. My client had a badly stained Travertine tiled floor that ran throughout her hallway, kitchen, utility area, and toilet. Travertine is a fantastic choice for tiled floors because it has distinct features which no other stone can offer. It's not surprising, then, that is popularly used for both residential and commercial flooring. In this case however the appearance Read more...

Filling a Cracks in a Terrazzo Floor

A few months ago I was called down to the coastal town of Southend to restore a damaged Terrazzo tiled floor. Terrazzo is a very beautiful type of stone of Italian origin, and has been used for hundreds of years for residential flooring. The problem with this floor was a significant crack in the surface that was not only spoiling the appearance of the Terrazzo, but also posed a potential hazard for anyone walking in and around this area. I was also commissioned to give the floor a thorough Read more...

Heavily Soiled and Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in Pontcanna

Pontcanna is a popular residential area in the western district of Cardiff, in South East Wales. Known for its rather large houses and spectacular foliage, interestingly enough roughly a quarter of the population are English folk. I was called down to a property in the area to take a look at a Victorian tiled floor which was in quite poor condition. Along with the typical amount of dirt and muck seen on poorly maintained tiles, there were a number of missing tiles and a fair bit of cement Read more...

Deep Cleaning and Sealing and old Terracotta floor in Wing

We were asked to restore the Terracotta tiled floor at an old cottage in the village of Wing which was way overdue for a good deep clean and re-seal. In fact the tiles were so dirty they were black in some areas, which you can see for yourself in the photograph below. Cleaning Terracotta Floor Tiles Fortunately this sort of work is bread and butter to a Tile Doctor and the process is relatively straight forward. The first job was to apply a reasonably strong dilution of Tile Doctor Read more...

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Deep Cleaning And Sealing Stained Terracotta Tiles in Derbyshire

Having an effective sealer in place is essential for ensuring the long term condition of tiled floors in fact a lack of sealer can make cleaning the tiles exceptionally difficult as the sealer prevents dirt becoming ingrained in the tile. This property owner, living in the former spa town of Read more...

Deep Cleaning Porcelain Tiles

Our customer in Beaconsfield had been having great difficulty cleaning a textured Porcelain tiled floor that was installed in the kitchen and adjacent dining room; despite numerous attempts whatever she tried never have the desired effect. During the home survey we demonstrated on a single tile how using our cleaning agents we could remove the soiling and restore the original colour of the tile which hadn't been seen for a number of years. Scrubbing Micro-Porous Textured Porcelain Tiles Read more...

Welcome to the West Yorkshire Tile Doctor™

We are 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. Were professionally trained and have the equipment and experience to solve any problem, were also part of the largest specialist tile and stone cleaning network in the UK that enables us to Read more...

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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 Read more...

Dealing with Deep Soiling on a Limestone Patio

This patio, at a house in Windermere was made of fantastic Green Indian Limestone that despite sounding exotic is widely available in tile shops and building yards. But while it is a very good quality stone, it doesn't always make for a good patio tile. Tiled patios are rarely easy to keep Read more...

Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Harston

These photographs are from that lovely old period property in the village of Harston near Cambridge, you may recall an earlier post where I worked on the Victorian Tiled hallway. These photographs are from the Slate Tiled Kitchen floor which they asked me to clean and re-seal as well. Cleaning the Slate Tiled Floor The process for cleaning and sealing slate is very similar to Victorian and Quarry tiles so this was as they say a bread and butter job for a Tile Doctor. The beauty of working in Read more...

Thorough Clean And Seal Of Dirty Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor In Crowborough

I was recently contacted by a client who had just moved into a house in Crowborough, a town in East Sussex which by the way was once home to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories. The riven Slate tiled floor in the kitchen had trapped bits of dirt and also food which had become ingrained in the tile. Needless to say, the new homeowner wanted to give the kitchen floor a thorough clean. However, she had tried every cleaning product she could find in Read more...

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Removing Paint from a Victorian Hallway Tiles in Oxfordshire

When you decide to undertake a complete renovation of a property, it's inevitable that floors will be in some way affected by the decorating. At this property in Oxford a renovation had just recently taken place, leaving the black and white patterned Victorian tiled floor covered in concrete Read more...

Contact Us

Why not take advantage of our free local survey service and arrange for us to visit you at your home or premises where we can listen to your needs and use our knowledge and experience to put new life into your tiles. Remember prevention is cheaper than the cure so do talk to us about grout sealing and regular maintenance. Complete the form below or call us on 0845 652 4652 and we will be in touch. What Our Recent Customers Have to Say Click here to read more feedback Other Tile Doctor Web Sites Read more...

Grout Cleaning And Re-Colouring A Ceramic Tiled Floor In Canvey Island

Here's a quick grout cleaning and re-colouring job I completed in the town of Canvey Island, Essex. Canvey Island lies on the south east coast, and lies just above sea level which in my job is always worth noting as the area can be prone to flooding. This wasn't the problem here though, simply put, my client was unhappy with the colour of their grout, and wanted it re-coloured to a darker shade to match the grey Ceramic floor tiles. Cleaning the grout before re-colouring is essential Read more...

Polishing Marble Wall and Floor Tiles in Shropshire

For this job I travelled to the town of Albrighton, which is actually the most easterly settlement in the whole of Shropshire. My client had an issue with their Marble tiled floor which was installed in the kitchen and hallway. They had dropped and broke a bottle of vinegar in the kitchen, and the substance unfortunately came in contact with the tiles. Since Marble is highly sensitive to acid, the vinegar (an acetic acid) had basically etched the surface of the tiles make it impossible clean chemically. Although the tiles were a nice, expensive Marble, the person who had first installed them had done a poor job, leaving lippage of up to 5mm in some areas, which would make work trickier. Undeterred I could see it would be possible to restore the floor using a combination of burnishing for the tiles and cleaning with a high alkaline product for the grout lines. I demonstrated this to my client on one tile which went well and I was then given the go ahead to restore the entire floor. Cleaning and burnishing acid damaged Marble tiles My first task focused on cleaning the grout lines using a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked in with a stiff grout brush. Pro-Clean is a high alkaline cleaner suitable for use on most types of natural stone floor. It helped to alleviate most of Read more...

Repairing and Cleaning a Checkered Victorian Tiled Hallway in West Byfleet

Victorian floors are known for their intricate and interesting patterns - so when tiles are in need of replacement, sourcing ones which are consistent with original pattern can be a difficult task. This was the case when recently I quoted for a clean and seal of a large black and white Checkered Victorian tiled hallway at a property in the town of West Byfleet, Surrey. The customer informed me they had engaged a tiler to lay black tiles in the door thresholds to match the others. I queried Read more...

Glue and Paint Stained Quarry Tiled Hallway Restored in Abergavenny

It's almost inevitable that tiled floors which have been covered by carpet, paint, or linoleum for many years will be in a sorry state when they are finally unveiled. However, many property owners and renovators are keen to restore original tiled features, and in the majority of cases require assistance which is where we step in. These Quarry tiles were in particularly bad condition: the property owner had been unable to remove the old red paint and carpet which had stuck to the tiles with Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of a Brick Driveway in Pertenhall

While most of our work involves the restoration of interior tiles, our equipment is also suitable for exterior stonework, including driveways and patios. Here's a quick example of a brick driveway I restored recently in the old parish of Pertenhall, famous for its old Norman-age church, near Bedford. The driveway hadn't been cleaned in a long time and had a serious problem with overgrown weeds and dirt. Needless to say, the property owner was keen to give it a new lease of life and this is Read more...

Restoring a Well Worn Travertine Kitchen Floor

This customer, who lives in East Byfleet had been experiencing difficulties in keeping her fantastic Travertine tiled kitchen floor in good condition. Over the years it had suffered from a heavy build up of dirt and oily stains, not to mentioned a number of cracks and small holes. Needless to Read more...

Customer Testimonials

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Restoring the Appearance of Floor Tile Grout in Lancashire

Well maintained grout is fundamental to achieving a great looking tiled floor, whatever your choice of tile or stone. Even if the tiles themselves are in reasonably good condition, dirty and damaged grout lines can really upset the overall appearance of the floor. Such was the case with this Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of Old Yorkshire Flagstones

This Yorkshire flagstone floor was about 20m2 in size and was well overdue a deep clean, additionally a lot of the pointing was loose or missing which would need to be resolved. The location of this job was at a house in Haworth village which is situated at the edge of the Pennine moors in West Yorkshire, the area is known as Bronte country after the famous Bronte sisters who lived here in the local parsonage in the 19th century. Cleaning Yorkshire Stone To deep clean the floor the sandstone Read more...

Grout Colouring and Cleaning for Quarry Tiles in Appleton

It's always a good idea to double-check any tile cleaning advice you receive with a professional. Sometimes advice can be inaccurate and cause more problems than good. Such was the case with this customer, who lives in the small town of Appleton near Warrington. He had been advised by his builder to use brick acid to remove carpet glue from a newly discovered Quarry tiled floor. Taking the advice, he had washed the floor several times with a solution of brick acid diluted with water. But Read more...

Emery and Cie Cement Encaustic tiles Restored in Ealing

This unusual Emery and Cie Cement Encaustic tiled floor in Ealing W5 had been poorly installed by the tiler with grout haze on the tiles and the wrong sealer used. Cement encaustic tiles are quite delicate and difficult to restore. Cleaning Semi-Riven Slate Tiles I used a red burnishing pad fitted to a buffing machine to cut into the tile surface and remove the grout haze and old sealer. The next step was to apply a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean letting it soak into the tile before Read more...

Dirty Quarry Tiled Floor in Hitchin

We were asked to work our magic on these dirty Quarry tiles at a residence in the historic town of Hitchin. The tiles had been sealed on a number of occasions but had not been deep cleaned beforehand which effectively trapped the dirt under the sealer making it difficult to get clean. Stripping Quarry Tiles To get them clean the coatings on the surface of the Quarry tile had to be stripped off back to the original surface. To do this we mixed a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go 50/50 Read more...

Getting the Best Our of Black Brazilian Slate Tiles

Tenuous link I know but I worked on this semi riven Black Brazilian Slate Tiles in the kitchen and dining room of a house in the seaside town of Thornton-Cleveleys around the time of the Rio Olympics. I love working on Slate as although it's appearance can degrade without proper maintenance due Read more...

Dirty Quarry Tiled Floor in Hitchin

We were asked to work our magic on these dirty Quarry tiles at a residence in the historic town of Hitchin. The tiles had been sealed on a number of occasions but had not been deep cleaned beforehand which effectively trapped the dirt under the sealer making it difficult to get clean. Stripping Quarry Tiles To get them clean the coatings on the surface of the Quarry tile had to be stripped off back to the original surface. To do this we mixed a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go 50/50 Read more...

Cleaning micro porous Porcelain tiles in Gamlingay

Most Porcelain tiles are non-porous making them an ideal floor covering especially in high traffic areas, the porcelain tiles fitted at this house in Gamlingay however featured small pits in the surface and over the years the pits had become engrained with dirt which proved difficult to clean. The porcelain tiles had been fitted throughout the ground floor and this was a reasonable sized house so it was going to take some time to clean. Cleaning Micro Porous Porcelain Tiles To speed the job Read more...

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Deep Cleaning Travertine Floor Tiles in Oundle

Although at first glance this Travertine tiled floor in Oundle appeared to be in decent condition, upon closer inspection however it became very clear that it was suffering from significant pitting issues and had become very dull for a polished stone. While they can't necessarily be seen in the Read more...

Power Cleaning a Patio in Achurch

These photographs were from earlier in the year at a residence in Achurch which had a number of paved areas and patios which like any patio in the UK had discoloured over winter and the colours in the stone had become grey and un-inviting. Being a Tile Doctor and Carpet Cleaner requires an investment in high pressure cleaning equipment which lends itself well to external patio cleaning. Patio Pressure Washing With less preparation required when working outside to protect other surfaces I was Read more...

Deep Cleaning Dirty Travertine Tiles at Cranfield University Hotel

This rather dirty Travertine tiled floor is located in the reception area of the hotel and conference centre of the Cranfield University, apparently the tiles had been laid ten years prior and had not been properly cleaned and resealed since. Cleaning Tumbled Travertine Tiles Before starting we covered all the area around the floor with masking tape and plastic sheeting to protect it from any splashing which can happen when you're using high speed floor machines. The tiles were in need of a Read more...

Bombed Damaged Victorian Floor Rebuilt in Coventry

The Warwickshire team recently visited a customer in Earlsdon, a village near Coventry, who wanted a Victorian tiled floor rebuilt before being cleaned and sealed. Sometimes our work goes well beyond simple cleaning and sealing services, especially when tiles are damaged, broken or completely Read more...

Welcome to the Worcestershire Tile Doctor™

We are 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. Were professionally trained and have the equipment and experience to solve any problem, were also part of the largest specialist tile and stone cleaning network in the UK that enables us to Read more...

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Slippy Porcelain Floor Tiles Solved

We were contacted by a builder who had recently laid Porcelain Tiles in an office reception in Wimbledon. Although he has laid this type of tile in various art galleries around London without problem, in this particular lobby which is situated next to a shopping centre the tiles were extremely slippery and the facilities manager wanted the tiles changed at the expense of the builder. Obviously this would have been an expensive option and so the builder contacted Tile Doctor for help. Read more...

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Dull Marble Bar Top Rejuvenated at Manchester Club

Revolucion de Cuba is one of the biggest and busiest bars in Manchester. With the sheer amount of customers that visit the bar, the Marble counter top had become very worn and dull. Stains and spillages are inevitable in an environment like this, but this can cause long lasting damage to the sensitive natural stone if proper maintenance is not provided. The bar owners hold very high standards for the appearance of the venue and as such were keen to get the Marble bar top back to looking its Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of Terracotta Kitchen Tiles in Monmouthshire

Terracotta may be one of the most aesthetically pleasing types of tiled floor, but as many of our customers will tell you can be particularly difficult to keep clean. This is due to the naturally high porosity of clay, which allows dirt to become very easily trapped. Quite commonly this Read more...

Shower Cubicle Cleaning and Re-Colouring in Dane Bank

Shower and bathroom mould and soap scum growth are probably the most common, annoying and frustrating tile-related problems. Wet and high humidity areas with poor ventilation provide the perfect breeding ground for mould and stains. Soap residue and body oils also create a food source for soap scum, mould to grow. My customer in Dane Bank had the exact problem with dirty and mouldy grout lines in her shower cubicle. She had tried scrubbing the grout lines herself with a toothbrush and standard supermarket cleaners but never got the result she wanted. Fortunately she was lucky to find Tile Doctor from the internet and I was asked to pop over and take a look to see what could be done. I was confident we could make a big difference so I went through the options with her and give her price for the job. She was happy with the price and we agreed a date for me to return and complete the work. Cleaning a Ceramic Shower Cubicle For grout lines cleaning I used Tile Doctor Grout Colorant Read more...

Maintaining Marble Tiled Floors

The photographs before are of Marble floor installed in the kitchen of a house in Melton Mowbray, that we recently refinished. The honed matte marble tiles had previously been finished with a water-based topical floor sealer by the customer to create a polished finish; unfortunately the coating had become damaged, worn and now soiled. To restore the finish with something more durable we recommended the removal of any remaining coatings, then re-finishing with our restorative diamond encrusted burnishing pad system and then re-sealing with an impregnating rather than topical sealer. Our quote was accepted and we returned on the agreed date to restore the floor. Deep Cleaning Marble Tile and Grout The first step was to remove the old coating and clean the grout using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline formula that is safe to use on stone. The solution was scrubbed into the grout using a stiff brush and also worked into the Marble floor using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The now dirty cleaning solution was then rinsed away using water and extracted with a wet vacuum. Burnishing a Marble Tiled Floor The next step was to burnish the floor using a set of Tile Doctor burnishing pads starting with a coarse pad to strip the Read more...

Deep Cleaning Bathstone Window Cills

Bath Stone is a material that we don't often encounter. A variation of Limestone, its distinctive yellowish or 'honey' colouring is best associated with historical buildings in the City of Bath - hence the name 'Bath Stone'. However, it has commonly been used as a building material throughout Read more...

Restoring the appearance of Chinese Slate floor in Dorset

The photographs below are of rough Chinese Slate floor tiles installed at a house in Dorchester; they had not been deep cleaned in a long time and the combination of pets and grandchildren had taken its toll on the floor. Rough Slate from China is a relatively inexpensive product and although Read more...

Badly Stained Quarry Tiles Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Splott

These Quarry tiles at a house in Splott, a small town not too far from the city of Cardiff, had certainly endured a hammering after what appeared to be recent decoration in the room. The tiles were heavily soiled, with sand and cement mixed up and splattered across the floor, along with deep paint and plaster stains. Quarry Tiles Before Restoration in Splott Cardiff The customer had already scraped off as much of the cement and other stubborn stains off - as much as they could, at least. Read more...

Cleaning a Stone Fireplace in Canford Cliffs

This fireplace at a house at Canford Cliffs near Poole, Dorset and was constructed from a mixture of Limestone and Sandstone, both of which had suffered from ingrained soot damage in the forty plus years since in had been installed. The owners of the property wanted it cleaning up and although we tend to focus on tiles the methods and products we use work equally well on stone fireplaces so I was happy to take it on. Removing Sealer from Limestone Floor Tiles The first task was to protect Read more...

Customer Testimonials

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Terracotta Floor Tile Restoration in Clapham SW9

We had our work cut out for us restoring this Terracotta floor installed in the kitchen of a house in Clapham, south west London. Over the years it had been covered with many layers of metallised emulsion polish, this had been put on without a primer and Terracotta being porous it had soaked into the tile. Various efforts to remove it in the past had not been successful and had resulted in some damage to the floor. This had been covered by yet more layers of metallised emulsion which had Read more...

Travertine Tiled Kitchen With Badly Stained Grout Cleaned in Northampton

Earlier this month I was in the town of Northampton, to see a client who had reported a problem with her Travertine kitchen tiles. Basically the grout between the tiles was badly stained, to the point of appearing almost black. The Travertine tiles were also in need of some maintenance, and so I was commissioned to provide a clean, polish and a fresh seal. Travertine is a popular choice for kitchen flooring due to its relatively high durability and distinct features. My task was to get this Read more...

Restoring Old Terrazzo Kitchen Tiles in Cheshire

This post is from the small Cheshire village of Bosley where I had received an enquiry from the owner of the old station master's house. The house was quite old and the owner had been modernising it whilst keeping many of the original features. This includes some fantastic Terrazzo kitchen tiles which unfortunately were not looking their best due to an abundance of ingrained dirt. The floor was well overdue to be restored by a professional, so we were called in to get the job done. Terrazzo Read more...

Victorian Bathroom Wall Tiles Deep Cleaned

The Warwickshire team recently visited a customer in Earlsdon, a village near Coventry, who wanted a Victorian tiled floor rebuilt before being cleaned and sealed. Sometimes our work goes well beyond simple cleaning and sealing services, especially when tiles are damaged, broken or completely missing however we have done several rebuilds before and always welcome a new challenge.


Upon closer inspection, I could see that up to 70% of the tiles were damaged in some way, and the screed was cracked from movement which given how old the house was may have been caused by the Blitz of Coventry during World War II, more than 70 years prior.

Repairing and Rebuilding a Damaged Victorian Tiled Floor

To begin the restoration, we had to remove all the tiles, determining in the process what could be salvaged and discarding any that were beyond repair. I happened to have a set of replacement Victorian tiles reclaimed from the floor of a local house and thankfully they matched perfectly. After stripping the floor of tiles the holes and cracks had to be filled and a new screed was laid to ensure the base would be level and stable.

Once the screed had set we started fixing the tiles to the floor using a mixture of the original and reclaimed tiles.

Once laid the tiles were grouted and by the end of the fifth day the floor was rebuilt.

Cleaning and Sealing a Victorian Tiled Floor

The next task was to give the new floor a deep clean which we did using Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This product is a heavy-duty stripper and coatings remover designed to tackle heavy soil build-up and remove old sealers in the process. The product was left to soak into the tiles and then scrubbed in using a black buffing pad fitted to a rotary machine. The soiled cleaning solution was rinsed off with water and extracted using a wet vacuum. The floor was then given a thorough acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel, which is a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids in an easy-to-use gel form. This helped to remove grout smears, efflorescence and mineral salts. Once clean, the floor was rinsed thoroughly with water to neutralise the chemicals, before being speed dried. Finally, we sealed the tiles using four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. This sealer is a special acrylic based formula which allows moisture vapour transmission and is ideal for old floors which do not have a damp proof membrane installed.


We were really pleased with the outcome and it felt rewarding to salvage this fantastic Victorian floor and give it a new lease on life after suffering significant damage. The customer was overjoyed with the fully restored original feature.





Source: Victorian Tile and Grout Cleaning and Restoration Service in Warwickshire

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Why not take advantage of our free local survey service and arrange for us to visit you at your home or premises where we can listen to your needs and use our knowledge and experience to put new life into your tiles. Remember prevention is cheaper than the cure so do talk to us about grout sealing and regular maintenance. Complete the form below or call us on 0845 652 4652 and we will be in touch. What Our Recent Customers Have to Say Click here to read more feedback Other Tile Doctor Web Sites Read more...

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Welcome to the East Cheshire Tile Doctor™

We are 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. Were professionally trained and have the equipment and experience to solve any problem, were also part of the largest specialist tile and stone cleaning network in the UK that enables us to Read more...

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