Travertine Kitchen floor Cleaned and Sealed in Brixworth

This house in Brixworth near Northampton had Travertine tiles fitted in the kitchen and Ceramic tiles in the hallway, both of which were in need of a deep clean. It was clear that the sealer on the Travertine tiles had stopped working allowing dirt to become ingrained in the surface causing it to become very difficult to clean, you can see this quite clearly in the photographs below, the grout had also become darker. Cleaning Travertine Tile Travertine is a very hard surface so normally it's Read more...

Lifeless Victorian Tiled Hallway Cleaned and Sealed in Weybridge

Details below of a tired and lifeless looking Victorian tiled hallway that I was asked to deep clean and seal at a house in the suburban town of Weybridge. The tiles were laid in a chequer pattern of Red, Yellow and Black tiles and if you look closely at the photographs you can cleanly see the ingrained dirt on the yellow tiles. Cleaning a Heavily Soiled Victorian Tiled Floor I started the process straight away with an aggressive diamond encrusted coarse 200 grit burnishing pad fitted to a Read more...

Office Floor Clean and Polish in Essex

These photographs are from the cleaning of a Travertine tiled floor installed in an old house in Dunmow that had been used as offices by employees of a Ford dealership. The house was empty when we started the cleaning process and you could see that the dirt had become ingrained into the tile and Read more...

Protecting Limestone Patios from the Elements

This beautiful Limestone patio had been installed in the back garden of a house in Nuneaton and then covered with some form of acrylic coating to protect it. Unfortunately the coating wasn't able to defend against the ravages of the UK weather and had become loose leaving the Limestone exposed Read more...

Marble Tile Replacement and Sealing

Polished Marble Care in Felixstowe This large 52m2 marble tiled floor located in the Entrance Hall of a property in Felixstowe had been laid when the property was renovated in 2002. Unfortunately 15 of the tiles were cracked and so our first job was to carefully remove and replace them. Polished Marble Tiled Floor Care and Restoration The floor was then burnished using a set of Burnishing Pads and then sealed using two litres of Ultra-Seal which is a no-sheen, natural-look penetrating sealer that offers maximum stain protection. All in this Marble Floor Care job took 3 days and should now keep on looking good for some time to come. Source: Polished Marble Care, Felixstowe Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing soiled Sandstone flags

This sandstone flagstone floor measured around 15m2 and was installed in a house in the village of Boxford, Suffolk, you can see how dark the stone had become from the build-up of dirt and soil over time, clearly they were in need of a deep clean and seal. Cleaning Sandstone We cleaned the floor using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted with 10 parts warm water and worked in using a Black Scrubbing pad. This action certainly gave the floor a good clean but there were some staining that was proving Read more...

Large Victorian Hallway Deep Cleaned and Sealed near Daventy

The pictures below were taken of a Victorian tiled hallway floor in a large property in the old village of West Haddon. The tiles were in good physical condition for its age but required attention as it was looking very dull and dirty due to not being sealed for many years allowing a build-up of Read more...

Deep cleaning dirty Terracotta tiles in a Kitchen

This Terracotta tiled floor was in the kitchen of a house in Didsbury near Manchester. The tiles had never been sealed before and so had become ingrained with dirt making them very difficult to clean. Cleaning Terracotta Tiles To get the Terracotta tiles clean I soaked tiles in a dilution of Read more...

Deep Cleaning Slate Tiles in Glasgow

Slate is a hard-wearing product ideal for floors however it does need a sealer to bring out the best in it and sealers do wear off after a few years and this had happened with the Slate tiled floor in this post. The floor was now looking dull and the grout had also discoloured so time to call Read more...

Welcome to East 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...

Restoring damaged Limestone shower tiles

This call actually came from a cleaning company where one of their cleaners had been to a customer in the village of West Hanney near Wantage and tried to clean the walls of this Limestone Shower using a supermarket Limescale remover, which as you can see from the photograph below didn't work Read more...

Cleaning Tumbled Travertine Kitchen Tiles

This Tumbled Travertine kitchen floor in Twickenham, Middlesex was in need of a deep clean including stripping out the old sealer and re-sealing to ensure easy maintenance in the future. The floor had not been professionally cleaned and re-sealed for over 10 years and being in a high traffic Read more...

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in West Haddon

The pictures below were taken of a Victorian tiled hallway floor in a large property in the old village of West Haddon. The tiles were in good physical condition for its age but required attention as it was looking very dull and dirty due to not being sealed for many years allowing a build-up of soil to embed in the surface of the tiles making cleaning very difficult. Deep Cleaning a Victorian tiled hallway floor My first course of action was to vacuum the floor to remove light dust and Read more...

Maintaining a Sandstone flagstones

This customer in Hannington had a badly soiled and stained rough sandstone tiled floor which they were finding extremely difficult to keep clean. It was apparent that the previous sealer was no longer working well and so the only solution was to strip and clean the floor then re-seal. Cleaning a Rough Sandstone Tiled Floor I stripped the floor using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean combined 50/50 with NanoTech UltraClean to produce a strong stripper and cleaning solution that is Read more...

Removing layers of wax and oil from Terracotta tiles

These photographs are from a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen at a house in the historic town of Warwick. You should be able to see from the photographs that the tiles had a heavy build-up of wax and oil coating which besides being very unsightly made them difficult to clean. Removing Wax and Oil from Read more...

Putting the life back into Slate Floors

Details below of a tired Slate and Flag Stone floor installed in a house in Cookham, Berkshire; the client was actually the son of an existing client whose floor we had also cleaned recently. The existing sealer had been wearing away over time and the floor had becoming increasingly ingrained Read more...

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Northamptonshire

The pictures below were taken of a Victorian tiled hallway floor in a large property in the old village of West Haddon. The tiles were in good physical condition for its age but required attention as it was looking very dull and dirty due to not being sealed for many years allowing a build-up of soil to embed in the surface of the tiles making cleaning very difficult.

Deep Cleaning a Victorian tiled hallway floor

My first course of action was to vacuum the floor to remove light dust and debris, this was followed by applying Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted with warm water spraying several metres at a time. The solution was allowed to soak in for a short while before being agitated with a rotary machine fitted to a rotary machine and a stiff grout brush which was run along the grout lines. The section of floor was then rinsed with water and then this was extracted with a wet pick up machine. This process was then repeated through the entire area. I then switched to a new cleaning process for Victorian tiles that was taught on a recent Tile Doctor training course. Basically it involves using a special diamond impregnated burnishing pad fitted to a rotary machine to resurface the tiles using just water. Again I worked in small sections until I had covered the entire area. A common issue with these old Victorian floors is they were usually laid without a damp proof course; as a result it’s not uncommon for white salt deposits (efflorescence) to appear a few days after cleaning. To counteract this I gave the floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel, leaving it to dwell before rinsing. This helps neutralise the tile and will combat any salts rising up through the floor later.

Sealing a Victorian tiled hallway floor

I returned the following day to carry out repairs and to re set a couple of loose tiles which is not unusual for a floor of this age. The floor was then left to dry for a further day with a dehumidifier on site before returning to seal the floor with a breathable sealer for which we used two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. Colour Grow does a really good job protecting tiles as it soaks into the pores of the tile enhancing its colours whilst protecting from within however it leaves a matt finish and the customer wanted a sheen finish. This would not be a problem to achieve however it would require the application of another product and I was still concerned about potential efflorescence issues which would be more difficult to resolve with the application of a further sealer so I agreed to return several weeks later to finish the job, As agreed I returned a few weeks later which allowed the floor to dry and guard against any damp issues and on my return I was happy to confirm the floor had fully dried using my damp meter and further there were no signs of efflorescence. I then applied 5 coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go to give the customer the required finish she was after.



I also left the client a free sample of our cleaning solution Tile Doctor Neutral Clean together with written maintenance instructions to help keep the floor looking its best for years to come.




Source: Tile Cleaning and Restoration in Northamptonshire

Rebuilding a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The photographs below are from a Victorian tiled hallway floor at a property in Stoke Newington in London. The floor was in need of repair with a large area very uneven and partly sunk in the middle of the pattern. The repairs were made using as many existing tiles as possible. Cleaning Read more...

Marble Tiled Bathroom Cleaning and Grout Colouring

These Marble Tiles were installed in the bathroom at a residence in Earls Court, west London; the Marble certainly gave a luxurious effect but had dulled over time, on top of that the grout had stained in places and both were in need of really good deep clean. Cleaning Marble Tiles We set about cleaning the Marble Tiled floor using a mild dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked in with Deck Brushes. Once we were happy the floor was rinsed with clean water to remove and chemical residue and we then began polishing the floor using a buffing machine fitted with a green burnishing pad, the green pads are encrusted with very fine diamonds and used with a small amount of water to produce a high shine finish. Applying Grout Colourant The last step was to colour the grout which is easily done using a bottle of Grout Colourant. This is applied into the grout lines using a tooth brush; as well as changing the colour the product provides an epoxy coating on top of the grout protecting it against future discoloration. The customer was certainly pleased with difference and said the "the results are amazing" when she returned home from work that evening. Source: Cleaning and Polishing Marble Bathroom Tiles Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Chinese Slate Floor in Kingsthorpe

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Cleaning Chinese Slate Tiles The first thing we do is to protect anything that can't by moved by wrapping it in a plastic sheet once this was done we set about scrubbing the slate tiled floor with Tile Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of Brazillian Slate Tiles

This beautiful Brazilian Slate tiled floor was installed in the kitchen of a house in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria; the slate has been previously sealed with a number of products including Varnish and the overall effect was inconsistent making the floor dull and had done little to bring out the Read more...

Grout Cleaned and Recoloured in Manchester Office Toilets and Kitchens

We recently received a request from the Manchester headquarters of a global engineering and construction company which was founded in 1911 and now operates in over 160 countries. The company contacted us because they were keen to restore the tiled walls and floors in 20 different toilets and kitchens throughout the offices. It would be a big job, but we were more than happy to respond to the enquiry. We agreed a complimentary visit to the office for us to test clean one of the floors to show what kind of results could be achieved. The management team at the offices was very impressed with the results of the test clean and asked us to complete the whole job. There was talk of replacing some of the grout completely and I explained that it would be less expensive and time consuming to restore the discoloured grout through cleaning and recolouring and they were happy to let us proceed on that basis. Cleaning Discoloured Grout Lines As there were 20 different rooms to clean and Read more...

Rebuilding a Victorian Tiled Hallway

This Victorian floor was discovered at a house in Swiss Cottage in the London borough of Camden when the current owner took the old carpet up. It was in need of substantial restoration to bring it back to its former glory however we have had really good results from restoring similar floors so Read more...

Maintaining Commercial Limestone Flooring

We were engaged by a commercial maintenance contractor to clean the large Limestone reception floor area of a very prestigious office building in the centre of Cardiff. The office's main tenant is a bank and the owners were keen to restore the floor as they were letting out the remaining office Read more...

Customer Testimonials

Customer Testimonials Read more...

Deep Cleaning Travertine Tiles

Another Tumbled Travertine kitchen floor, this time in Teddington and much dirtier than the previous post. The grout was badly stained and dirt had built up in the pores of the tile causing it to go black and very un-appealing. Normally a sealer would stop this from happening and I suspect these Read more...

Scratched Marble Floor Repolished

We were asked to polish this marble floor in Eaton Square which is in Belgravia one of the most historic residential parts of London, a short distance from Buckingham Palace and Knightsbridge. Cleaning a Marble Tiled Floor There were a lot of scratches in the Marble floor and it was also looking dull, so we set about first by giving it a good clean using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is an strong alkaline product designed for use on stone floors. It's important to clean the floor before polishing to ensure there's no dirt or grit on the floor which might get ground into the floor during polishing making the problem worse. Polishing Marble Tiles Once the floor was clean we started the polishing process with a Red Burnishing pad fitted to a rotary machine, the pads are diamond encrusted and can remove deep scratches. We went over the floor carefully covering every tile four times and then followed up with the white, yellow and then green polishing pads, each one polishes the floor to a higher degree. The next step was to apply Tile Doctor Shine crystallising powder with a little water polished in with our polishing machine fitted with a natural fibre pad; this step gives the floor a tough durable finish. The floor was then thoroughly rinsed to remove any residues left on the Read more...

Expert Sandstone Cleaning in South London

Details below of a Sandstone floor installed in the Kitchen of a house in Clapham, South London. The client had not been happy with the floor since it had been installed because the tiler hadn't applied the seal correctly. The owner had also had a quote from a stonemason who had recommended grinding off the top later of stone. I explained that that would not be necessary and went on to explain the process to restore it. As it turns out my quote was 500 cheaper that the Stone mason but I was Read more...

Removing Efflorescence from Terracotta Floor

I was contacted by the owner of a Terracotta floor at a house in the old village of East Tytherley near Salisbury, the floor was in good condition and was just in need of a regular deep clean and seal with extra attention along the grout lines which had darkened, additionally there appeared to Read more...

Victorian Hallway Restored in East Sussex

This beautiful Victorian hallway had been left to suffer under the wear of rugby boots and dogs for many years. There were also some broken tiles in the doorways leading to other rooms, and there were clear paint splashes where decorators had neglected to clean up after themselves. To cut a long Read more...

Deep Cleaning Dirty Travertine Kitchen Tiles

This Travertine tiled kitchen floor in Ottershaw, Surrey, was in need of a deep clean, strip out the old sealer and re-seal to ensure easy maintenance in the future. Being a high traffic area the tiles had accumulated a high amount of soil over the years. There was also marking from breakfast Read more...

Cleaning and Polishing Marble Mosaic Tiles

Installed on an external balcony these black and white Marble Mosaic tiles had been exposed to the elements resulting in an accumulated of dirt. Cleaning Marble Mosaic Balcony Tiles Marble is a very tough product so for best results we recommend using a set of burnishing pads fitted to a rotary machine that can cut through the grime and re-polish the stone. There are four pads in the set and you start with the Red pad together with a little water, this removes any remaining sealer; next you move on to the White pad again with a little water and this will remove any ingrained dirt. The next two pads, Yellow then Green complete the polishing process and produce a high shine finish. Between pads you need to rinse the floor with clean water to remove loose dirt and grime, I can recommend the use of a Wet Vacuum for this they are excellent at removing surface water quickly. Sealing Marble Mosaic Tiled Floor We left the floor to dry overnight and came back the next day to seal the floor. Luckily the weather held out, being external we wouldn't have been able to seal the Marble if it was wet and it was forecast to rain that day. We sealed the Marble Mosaic tiles using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which really does bring out the colour of natural stone, it's also rated for Read more...

Levelling and Restoring a Flagstone Kitchen Floor in Lancashire

Flagstones are a durable Sandstone based material that give a solid feel to any floor, however while large and impressive to look at they can be very rough and un-even. This isn't so much of a problem when Flagstones are used externally for patios and pathways, but rough surfaces trap dirt and when these tiles are used internally, they are much easier to maintain if the stone is smooth and sealed. This customer, who lives in the Lancashire town of Haslingden, had this problem with their Read more...

Tips for Laying Granite Floor Tiles

Granite floor tiles are beautiful and durable. They can also be expensive. You can reduce your costs by installing the tiles yourself.

Measuring the Area

Use a measuring tape to determine the length and width of the space that you will be flooring. Multiply the two measurements together to find the amount of space that requires tiles.

Determining the Amount of Materials Required

Granite floor tiles are available in various sizes. The typical size is one foot by one foot. Divide the space you determined by one tile in order to determine howmany tiles you will need. Check the grout container for the amount you will need. Add about 15 percent to your tile and grout totals for any wastage.

Marking the Area

Use a chalkline to mark the center of the space to be covered. Mark the middle of the floor from one wall to the wall on the other side of the space. Continue with the other two walls. The intersection of the lines is the mark for beginning the installation.

Applying the Mortar

Use a trowel to apply the mortar to the beginning spot. Work in small areas at a time. Lay the tiles on the mortar. Press them into the adhesive to be sure they are sitting level. Place spacers between them. Continue working outward from the center of the space until the entire floor has been covered. Use a tile cutter for any spaces that require smaller tile pieces. Allow the floor about a day to dry completely.

Grouting the Tiles

Remove the spacers from between the tiles. Apply the grout to the floor with a grout float. Be sure to push the grout into all of the spaces between the tiles. Work in small areas. Wipe any excess grout from the surface of the tiles with a damp sponge. Allow the grout about a day to dry. Wipe away any grout that still remains with a damp sponge.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Repairing Cracked Limestone Floor Tiles

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

Deep Cleaning Old Slate Tiles

A customer in Telford recently bought this barn conversion in the village of Ince, Cheshire. The building had Riven Slate floor tiles installed on the ground floor from hallway and corridor through to the utility room and downstairs WC. The tiles were not looking their best and in fact the old Read more...

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Towcester

The photograph below is from a Victorian tiled hallway floor that we were asked to restore in the historic town of Towcester, Northamptonshire; the owner wanted the tiles restored as an original feature. You can see from the photograph below how dull and neglected the tiles were so we had our work cut out. Cleaning Victorian Tiles We set about cleaning the tile using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a powerful alkaline cleaning product that is safe to use on tile and stone. It was applied Read more...

Milling and Sealing Uneven Flagstone Flooring in Haslingden

Flagstones are a durable Sandstone based material that give a solid feel to any floor, however while large and impressive to look at they can be very rough and un-even. This isn't so much of a problem when Flagstones are used externally for patios and pathways, but rough surfaces trap dirt and when these tiles are used internally, they are much easier to maintain if the stone is smooth and sealed. This customer, who lives in the Lancashire town of Haslingden, had this problem with their Read more...

Quarry Tiles From the 1850s Rejuvenated at a Church in Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury, the town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, is famous for the Tewkesbury Abbey, a Norman abbey church dating back to the 7th century so it has a lot of history and some very old buildings. Although not one of the oldest buildings in the town I was recently called to a small church in Tewksbury to restore the Quarry tiled entrance way dating back to the 1850s. The tiles had become very heavily ingrained with pigeon droppings, paint, cement, and general dirt over the years - and Read more...

Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout in a Shower Cubicle

As you can see from the photographs below the ceramic tiles and grout in this Shower Cubicle in East Sussex were in need of a deep clean. Ceramic tiles are very easy to clean however the grout was very discoloured and so we decided to apply a grout colourant. Cleaning Shower Tile and Grout To clean up the ceramic tiles and grout we sprayed on Tile Doctor Oxy-Pro which is a specialist Shower Tile and Grout Cleaner, the spray allows the cleaning agent to mix with air making it lighter and Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Terracotta Tiles in Shrewsbury

Details below of a Terracotta tiled hallway and kitchen at a house in the historic town of Shrewsbury. The floor had been laid a couple of years previously but the customer had found it difficult to maintain the appearance especially in the kitchen in fact the customer's description on their Read more...

Restoring the look of Travertine tiles

I was recently asked to pop over to a large house on the Wynyard estate near Wolviston where a customer with a beautiful Travertine Tiled Kitchen floor needed some help to put the shine back on their tiles. It seems their cleaner had been using the wrong cleaning product on the tiles and it Read more...

Restoring Quarry Tiled Steps at a Gloucestershire Church

Tewkesbury, the town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, is famous for the Tewkesbury Abbey, a Norman abbey church dating back to the 7th century so it has a lot of history and some very old buildings. Although not one of the oldest buildings in the town I was recently called to a small church Read more...

Restoring old Church Steps in Gloucestershire

Tewkesbury, the town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, is famous for the Tewkesbury Abbey, a Norman abbey church dating back to the 7th century so it has a lot of history and some very old buildings. Although not one of the oldest buildings in the town I was recently called to a small church Read more...

Refreshing A Very Dirty Slate Tiled Floor

This Multi-Coloured Slate tiled floor in the kitchen of a property in Barnard Gate near Witney was in good solid condition with no damage but had been poorly maintained with layers of sealer applied to un-clean tiled; the new home owners were keen to make this floor into a talking point as you Read more...

Victorian Tiled Path Restored in North London

At first sight, this Victorian tiled pathway in Palmers Green, N13 did not appear to need too many repairs, with just a few obvious broken and loose tiles to be fixed. On closer inspection however it became clear it was in need of a deep clean and fresh seal. Repairing, Cleaning and Sealing Read more...

Resolving Problems With Rough Textures Sandstone Tiles

Sandstone is generally a rough textured surface requiring regular cleaning and sealing to keep it looking good, I've also known customers to complain that the rough texture can shred mops during regular cleaning. This Sandstone tiled floor installed in a house in Lancaster was no different and so with the owner's approval we decided to gently grind the sandstone to produce a smoother more manageable surface. At Tile Doctor we refer to this process as Milling and it's especially useful for Read more...

Marble Tiles restored in Busy London Corridor

This Marble tiled floor was installed in the corridor of a very smart block of apartments in the Victoria area of Central London. The corridor was the main access route in and out of the apartment block and was constantly being used by residents, as a result there was a lot of foot traffic and decorators had contributed to the state of the floor which was now looking worse for wear with dirt, varnish and paint spots. Having struggled to get it clean the managing agent was considering replacing the floor, that was of course until the contacted us. Cleaning Marble Tiled Floors To remove the paint and varnish we used Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is an effective coatings remover designed for use on most types of tile and stone, we left it to soak and penetrate into the floor for 45 minutes before scrubbing it into the floor with rotary machine fitted with a black pad scrubbing pad followed by a hot water rinse to remove the cleaner. We followed this with the application of 1 to 4 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean again scrubbed in with a scrubbing pad; Pro-Clean is a Cleaner and Stripper so this step removed any remaining sealer and dirt from the Marble floor. Last step was to wash the tile down again to remove any chemical and neutralise the floor. Polishing Marble Tile The Read more...

Resolving uneven Limestone Kitchen Floor Tiles

This customer had recently bought a house in Shrewsbury and was in the process of refurbishing it including replacing the kitchen which when I arrived had been removed leaving an area of flooring which was a different shade to the rest. Additionally the floor has been very badly laid resulting Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Black Welsh Slate Floor in Whilton

The photographs below are taken from a job in the village of Whilton near Daventry where we were asked to clean and seal a black Welsh Slate tiled floor that was installed in a Kitchen and adjacent dining area. The customer was concerned that the floor was very dull and proving difficult to keep clean additionally she was having a new kitchen fitted and didn't want to replace the floor but wanted to achieve a shiny finish that was easy to maintain. On the initial survey I found the sealant Read more...

Deep cleaning Terracotta and Quarry Tiles

These photographs were taken at a recently purchased cottage in Alveley, Bridgenorth and the new owner was keen to refurbish the floors. The quarry tiles in the lounge had grout haze and general dirt on also the grout needed replacing in several places. The remaining areas were covered with Read more...

Travertine Tile Polishing in Hampshire

Travertine floor tiles look amazing when they have just been installed but after a few years the polish wears down, dirt starts to become ingrained in the stone and they start to lose their appearance. They do need regular maintenance and potentially re-polishing and these tiles installed in Read more...

Deep Cleaning, Sealing a Slate floor

This was a straight forward refresh of a Slate Tiled floor that had been installed in the kitchen of a house the village of Malmesbury. You can see from the photo below how the Slate had become dull with wear and how the grout had become discoloured; it was clear that the previous sealer was Read more...

Restoring the shine on Limestone flooring

I was asked by a customer in Leatherhead, Surrey to clean the Limestone tiled floors that had been installed throughout the ground floor of his house. I popped round to take a look at the job and could see that the Limestone tile and grout was quite dirty; it was clear that the sealer had broken Read more...

Damaged Victorian Hallway Restored in Cardiff

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 Read more...

Cleaning a Sandstone Fireplace Surround in Oxfordshire

Details below of a Sandstone Fireplace surround from a house in Thame, Oxfordshire. The fireplace had never been cleaned as the customer did not know where to start and so gave us a call. Sandstone Fireplace Cleaning To clean the fireplace I used a diluted mixture of Tile Doctor Pro Clean and NanoTech Ultra Clean which combines the cleaning power of Pro-Clean with the tiny abrasive particles in Ultra Clean to produce a very effective cleaning product that is safe to use on Stone. This was Read more...

Limestone Tiled floor cleaned and polished in Hastings

Photographs below of a job we did restoring the shine on a Limestone tiled floor at a house in the town of Hastings which is down on the south coast of England and well known as the location for that famous battle in 1066. The homeowner wanted an easy to maintain low sheen Limestone floor; we advised that Limestone is a soft sedimentary Stone and is not usually classed as a low maintenance surface however with the right treatment and equipment they should be able to maintain it which is a Read more...

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Marble Tile Polishing in Buckinghamshire

A customer recently purchased a property the village of Chesham and hoped we could improve the appearance of her textured marble tiled floors which had over a number of years become dull and lost the polished marble look one would expect from a floor of this quality. Marble Tile Cleaning and Polishing For polished stone like Marble and Limestone the only way to restore the finish is to burnish the floor and this floor was no different. The burnishing pads are diamond encrusted and come in a setup of four seventeen inch pads for use with a heavy rotary machine, each pad having a different purpose. So we started with the Red pad which is designed to remove sealers together with a little water, we then took the opportunity to clean up the grout by applying a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and scrubbing it into the grout lines to get them clean. Next step was to remove the soiled cleaning solution and wash the floor down with water before moving onto the white burnishing pad which will grind off ingrained dirt and is the first step in polishing the floor. We then completed the floor polishing using the Yellow then Green polishing pads which smooth down the surface and produce a shiny finish. Sealing Textured Marble Tiles Once the floor was polished we applied Tile Doctor Read more...

Kitchen Quarry Tile Cleaning and Sealing in Daventry

Apologies for the poor quality of these grainy Quarry Tile Cleaning photographs taken in the kitchen of a residential property in Daventry but it was the middle of winter and I was using my phone camera which doesn't have an effective flash. Hopefully you can see from the photograph below how dirt had become ingrained into the tile and stains to the grout. Cleaning Quarry Tiles To get the floor clean I removed the kick boards around the base of the kitchen units and applied a dilution of Read more...

Black Slate tiled floor cleaned and sealed in East Sussex

This black slate tiled floor installed in a hallway of a client's house in East Sussex had seen its share of foot traffic and as you can see from the photograph below the tiles had dulled and grout become stained. Cleaning black slate floor tiles We set about scrubbing the floor with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad together with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is an effective Tile and Grout cleaner especially recommend for stone floors due to its alkaline Read more...

Restoring Old Portland Limestone Flagstones

Apologies in advance for the quality of the photographs below, they were taken in the sitting room of an old 18th century cottage near Weymouth and the lighting was not its best, although I'm sure fans of the TV series Poldark would have loved it. The floor was 20m2 Portland Limestone flags Read more...

Stone Tile Maintenance

Details below of a Natural Riven Stone tiled floor installed in the Kitchen of a house in Boston, Lincolnshire. The client had previously sealed this floor with a commonly available sealer and found the results unsatisfactory; the floor had a riven surface and that combined with two large dogs made cleaning was a constant burden. Natural-Stone Tile Cleaning The first step was to remove the existing sealer and give the floor a thorough clean; fortunately we were able to do this using a Read more...

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Refreshing a Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

Pictures below of a slate tiled kitchen floor that I recently maintained at a house in Burton on Trent. The problem was the usual one that the sealer had worn down and the floor had lost its polished look leaving it dull and the owner of the house wanted it looking new again. Cleaning black Read more...

Cleaning and Polishing Marble Tiles

These photographs were taken at a house in Ealing, West London where the customer had requested a deep clean and polish of the marble tiled floors installed in a kitchen and conservatory which had become dull and dirty over a period of time. Marble Tiled Floor Polishing The first step was to give the Marble floor a thorough clean throughout with a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is an industrial strength Tile Cleaner safe to use on natural stone floors, we also took this opportunity to use a stiff brush along the grout lines to get them nice and clean, the soiled cleaning solution was removed using a wet vacuum and the floor rinsed with clean water. The next step was to use a set of diamond encrusted Twister Burnishing Pads fitted to a rotary buffing machine to polish the floor. The pads come in a set of four; you start with the Red pad together with plain water and this cuts through and removes surface grime and any surface seal. You then progress through one by one until you get to the final Green polishing pad which provides a high polish, we managed to complete most of this process before the end of day. Polishing and Sealing Marble Tile The next day we completed the polishing process with the Green pad which really brought a deep shine to the floor. To Read more...

Deep Cleaning Dirty Terracotta Tiles

This customer in North Chailey, near Haywards Heath and Uckfield, contacted me asking for her Terracotta tiled kitchen floor to be cleaned and sealed. To quote the customer she said the tiles were 'horrendous' and upon inspection it was hard to disagree. However I thought that most of the floor Read more...

Burnishing Polished Travertine Tile

The photographs below are from a house in Lymington where the Travertine Tiled floor had become dull and were now in need of a re-polish. It's a fact that depending on the amount of foot traffic they receive all polished stone floors will lose their shine over time and require a re-polish. Read more...

Deep Cleaning Victorian Hallway Tiles in Middlesex

Apologies in advance but I forgot to take the usual before photograph of this Victorian tiled hallway in Twickenham that I worked on recently. It's a shame really as it was certainly in need of a good clean and re-seal after years of inadequate maintenance and I'm sure a photo would have helped. Read more...

Cleaning a Sandstone Swimming Pool Surround

These Indian Sandstone floor tiles were installed around an indoor swimming pool at a magnificent residence in Oxford. As you can see from the photograph below the Sandstone was not looking its best and given its proximity to the pool care needed to be taken not to contaminate the pool with dirty water from the cleaning process or chemicals Swimming Pool Tile Cleaning We made a decision early on that we would not use any chemicals to clean or seal the tiles to ensure the water in the pool Read more...

Removing Old Coatings From Slate Tiles

These slate tiles had been laid in the kitchen of a farmhouse in the village of Little Hampden around twenty years ago and since that time had become heavily soiled with a build-up of dirt and over applied sealants. Cleaning a Slate Tiled Floor To get the floor clean a strong dilution of Tile Read more...

Mexican Terracotta floor tiles in Lewes, East Sussex

Mexican Terracotta is a lot more porous than typical Spanish or Italian clays, because of this it's more prone to trapping dirt and needs to be sealed to protect it. These Mexican Terracotta floor tiles installed in a house in Lewes, East Sussex were no different and were proving difficult to keep clean; apologies in advance for the photographs, on refection they are not my best. Cleaning Mexican Terracotta Tiles The dirt was quite engrained and so a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed Read more...

Removing Glue from a Portland Limestone Patio

This Portland Limestone patio on Round Island in Poole Harbour had, together with a sun room indoors, been covered in a thick layer of carpet glue which had set hard in the warm sun over the years and the owner had found it impossible to remove themselves. There's no bridge so the island is Read more...

Deep Cleaning Clay Tiles in Sussex

Similar to Terracotta these clay floor tiles had been installed throughout the ground floor of this house in Billingshurst including the hall, utility, WC and kitchen. The owner of the property had recently moved out into a new house and was planning on renting it out however none of the tiles Read more...

Ceramic Tile Information

Glazed ceramic tiles are a popular option these days due their durability, water and scratch resistance. Originally tiles were hand-made, thus each was a work of art in its own right. Ceramic tile was used almost everywhere - on walls, floors, ceilings, fireplaces, in murals, and as an exterior Read more...

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored back to Health in Twickenham

Apologies in advance but I forgot to take the usual before photograph of this Victorian tiled hallway in Twickenham that I worked on recently. It's a shame really as it was certainly in need of a good clean and re-seal after years of inadequate maintenance and I'm sure a photo would have helped. Victorian tiles are porous and do need a sealer to stop dirt becoming ingrained, as once that happens they can be difficult to clean and a Hallway is an especially high traffic area that will see a Read more...

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Kettering

The following photos are from a Victorian tiled hallway floor at a residence in Kettering Northants which had been covered with carpet for the last thirty odd years; to make matters worse the carpet had been stuck down with adhesive which was proving very difficult to remove. The customer phoned to see if it would be possible to restore the floor back to its former glory as it was very dirty and the colours were dull not to mention the glue. After a home visit and testing a small area to Read more...

Bathroom Tile and Grout Facelift in Didsbury

This Ceramic tiled bath with shower was installed at house in Didsbury, this customer wanted to give the bathroom a facelift and not usually it was the grout rather than the ceramic tile that had discoloured, the silicone also needed to be replaced due to the mould build-up and if you get mould on silicone it's impossible to remove and can only be replaced. Unfortunately mould build-up in bathrooms is quite common in the UK due to our damp climate and modern insulated homes that restrict air flow. If you're having this problem yourself consider installing a more powerful extractor fan or simply leaving the door to the bathroom open more often. Cleaning Tile and Grout The Ceramic tiles and grout were treated using a strong 2:1 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a highly recommended Tile and Grout cleaning product; being alkaline it's safe to use on all sorts of tile and stone surfaces. For vertical tiled surfaces I recommend the mixture is decanted into a bottle with a Read more...

Reparing Damage to Travertine Tiles

The photographs below probably don't do this job justice but in summary recent high winds had dislodged tiles from the roof adjacent this conservatory at a house in Oldham causing them to smash through the glass roof and damage the Travertine Tiles on the floor below. Cleaning, Filling and Read more...

Rebuilding and Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway

As you can see from the photographs below this Victorian tiled hallway was in quite a state and not only needed a thorough clean and fresh seal but needed to be rebuilt in parts. Leamington Spa or Royal Leamington Spa to give its full name is one of the original UK Spa towns where people would Read more...

Multiple Marble Wall And Floor Tiles Cleaned

This job was to refresh the Marble tile installed in a house in Woking. There were a number of different marble tiles installed on the wall and floor including two shower cubicles, a bathroom floor, a small cloakroom floor and the kitchen floor; the pictures below show before and after photographs for each job. Cleaning a Marble Tile Shower Cubicle I started with the shower cubicles using Tile Doctor Oxy-Pro which is a specific product for cleaning showers and comes with a spray attachment that mixes the cleaning agent with air making it lighter and helping it stick to vertical surfaces. This was left to dwell on the surface for a while and then the tiles were scrubbed before being rinsed down. This action not only cleaned the dirt and soap scum off the tile it also got rid of some mould that had started to grow. In one shower there was a build-up of limescale on the wall so to get rid of this I used a little Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up, this product is usually for removing grout smears from tile however it's also good at removing most types of mineral deposits such as Limescale, you do have to be quick though as it's an Acid based product I had to be quick and to thoroughly rinse because I didn't want to damage the marble. Marble Mosaic Bathroom floor tile cleaning The next Read more...

Removing ingrained dirt from Terracotta Tiles

This Terracotta Tiled Floor in the lounge of a house in Edinburgh was ingrained with dirt from what must have been years of use since it was last given a thorough deep clean and seal. Cleaning Terracotta Tile and Grout This floor was very dirty so to get them clean a strong dilution of Tile Read more...

Dealing with Mouldy Ceramic Shower Tile and Grout in Cumbria

One of the first issues people have with shower rooms is the Silicone needs to be replaced, even a good quality Silicone like Mapei Ultra-seal which is fully waterproof and stain and mould resistant can still succumb to persistent damp issues. In fact it can get so humid in these areas the warm Read more...

Welcome to the South East Wales 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...

Deep Cleaning Kitchen and bathroom Vinyl floors in Worcester Park

When I discuss tile cleaning with customers they normally think of the ceramic or stone tiles you find in Tile shops. Interestingly our equipment, products and techniques also work well on other hard surfaces as well including Vinyl floor tiles. Things brings me nicely onto this customer in the London suburb of Worcester Park who had chequered Vinyl tiled floors in the bathroom and kitchen that were well overdue a deep clean. Cleaning Heavily Soiled Vinyl Tiled Floors I approached cleaning Read more...

Cleaning, Filling and Burnishing Travertine Tiles 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 Read more...

Limestone Tiled Floor Maintained at Manchester Country Club

This beautiful Limestone tiled floor was installed at a busy country club in Hale, Manchester around eighteen months prior and had seen significant foot traffic with around 500 people traversing it daily. The floor was taking a significant amount of punishment and although regularly cleaned the dirt had started to become ingrained into the stone and the maintenance team were struggling to keep it looking good, I also suspect that the cleaning product used on the floor may have accelerated the degradation of the sealer leading to the premature ingress of dirt. Cleaning Limestone Floor Tiles The floor was given a quick wash with Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner in order to remove any surface grit and then cleaned using a set of Burnishing pads fitted to a rotary machine. The burnishing pads come in four different types and you work your way through them starting off with a course stripper pad with a little just water and then carry on with the white pad and then the yellow pad until the Read more...

Cleaning a Block Paved Driveway in Hove

Although we are Tile Doctors primarily we have the right equipment to tackle external brickwork as well and in this case were asked to clean a brick driveway in Hove which is near the famous seaside town of Brighton on the south coast. This is especially relevant for the elderly where paths can become slippery and treacherous with moss etc. if not cleaned regularly. Cleaning a Block paved Driveway The process for cleaning the driveway was really straight forward; to start with we diluted Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Indian Sandstone

These beautiful Indian Sandstone tiles were installed on the ground floor of a house near Macclesfield and as you can see from the photographs had become heavily soiled which was masking the true natural colours in the stone resulting in a dark grey appearance. Cleaning Indian Sandstone Floor Tiles To get the tiles clean I let them soak in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean for a while before working the cleaning agent in with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The Read more...

Maitaining a Slate Fireplace Hearth

I thought you might find this post interesting as it's a little unusual. I had arrived at a client's house in Boars Hill near Oxford to do a travertine floor and she asked if I could also take a look at her fireplace where one of her dogs had urinated on it. Urine is acidic so if not quickly Read more...

Regular Maintenance Cleaning of Limestone Tiled Floors

If you have ever had to look after a polished stone floor you will appreciate that it needs a bit of attention if you want to keep it looking good. This was this case with the small Limestone tiled kitchen floor that had been installed in a house in the old village of Hartfield which is famous Read more...

Removing Limescale from Tumbled Marble

This Tumbled Marble mosaic wet room floor was installed in a house in London, SE1 four years before prior and was now looking a little tired. This was mostly caused by a build-up of Limescale which had then become grimy. Stripping a Tumbled Marble Floor To treat the Limescale I used Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up which managed to remove most of the scale and to remove the remainder I steamed the tiles using an Earlex Steamer and carefully scraped any remaining Limescale residue away with a Stanley window scraper. To restore the marble itself I used Tile Doctor burnishing pads to re-polish the tiles using 17' pads on the main area and 8' pads on a hand-held Clarke polishing machine in the corners. These diamond encrusted pads come in a number of different colours and are applied one after another with each pad being a finer grade than the last. After thoroughly rinsing the stone again and removing the waste water with a wet vacuum. As the marble was naturally fast drying I used an Earlex heat gun to speed dry the floor and repeated this after lunch to ensure the floor was entirely dry before sealing. Sealing Tumbled-Marble Tiles Once the Marble tiles were dry I started to seal them using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer which is a great choice for natural stone as it Read more...

Polished Marble Floor Covered in Grout Haze in Irthlingborough

These photos are from a newly installed Polished Marble floor in the kitchen at a residence in Irthlingborough Northants which had been left covered in grout haze. The customer called the builder back as they were unhappy with the finish but he could not rectify the problem, so the customer contacted Tile Doctor to see if anything could be done. This is a problem we often come up against where a builder or tiler does a good job of laying the tiles but for some reason doesn't remove all the Read more...

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway Hidden under Carpet

It's always a great surprise to find old tiled flooring hidden underneath carpet or linoleum which appears especially common with 19th century properties where it's not unusual for the owners to uncover fantastically patterned, original Victorian tiled floors and, naturally, they want to restore Read more...

Shower Room Tile and Grout Restoration in Kendal

One of the first issues people have with shower rooms is the Silicone needs to be replaced, even a good quality Silicone like Mapei Ultra-seal which is fully waterproof and stain and mould resistant can still succumb to persistent damp issues. In fact it can get so humid in these areas the warm atmosphere is akin to a tropical rain forest. To avoid the build-up of mould I recommend you rinse the wall tile and silicone down with plain water from the shower head after every shower and then Read more...

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Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Horwich

This customer from the town of Horwich near Bolton had just had a new kitchen fitted and was considering ripping up the Terracotta tiled floor but thought they would contact Tile Doctor first to see if anything could be done. I went round to take a look and could see that the floor had lost its vitality and managed to convince the owner it was really just in need of a good deep clean and seal Cleaning the Terracotta Tiled Floor The Terracotta tiles still held some sealer so the first job was to remove that using a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was worked into the floor using a buffing machine fitted with a black buffing pad. Once the floor was clean and I was happy the sealer was removed I rinsed the floor three times using clean water to neutralise the floor and remove any remaining cleaning product before sealing. I may have mentioned this before but I highly recommend the use of a wet vacuum at this stage as it makes the job of removing liquids from floors much Read more...

Marble Tile Restoration at a Neoclassical Palladian Mansion

This Marble tiled floor is located in the pantry of the historical Kinross House which is a late 17th-century country house overlooking Loch Leven that was built by the architect Sir William Bruce as his own home in 1686. You can see from the photograph the floor was in quite a state and given the history it was an honour to be asked to work on the floor. Marble Tile Cleaning and Polishing We brushed out the floor to remove all the loose debris and then proceeded to restore the floor using a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads which fit a rotary buffing machine. The burnishing process is designed to grind out dirt in the stone and smooth /polish the floor, you start with a course pad and work your way through the four pad set until you get to the finer polishing pad. This may sounds simple but it does take time to complete. Sealing Marble Tiles Once the floor was polished we applied a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Pro-Seal which is a non-sheen premium sealer recommended for natural stone that provided the natural matte look the client was after and will protect the Marble and keep the floor looking good. Source: Marble restoration in Perth and Kinross, Scotland Read more...

Ceramic Tiles and Grout Lines Rejuvenated in a Gloucester Hallway

Ceramic tiles are usually glazed and therefore non-porous, so when the floor starts to lose its appearance there's a good chance the problem relates to the grout. This is because the top layer of the Cementous grout is rough and will attract a build-up of dirt over time. Once dirt becomes ingrained into any porous surface, tile or grout, it isn't easily removed using supermarket cleaning products. In fact, many standard cleaning products are acidic which can have a negative impact on many Read more...

Maintaining Victorian Floor Tiles

This Victorian tiled floor at a house in Fulham was in an absolutely horrendous state. As you can see from the first photograph, the tiles were caked in layer upon layer of muck, including paint and glue stains. This was due to the floor being unknowingly hidden for many, many years under Read more...

Reviving Dull Travertine Tiles

I recently carried out a clean and diamond polish of a Travertine tiled floor in Surbiton for a customer who had been fed up with the floor since she and her husband had moved in 2 years ago. The floor was the last job on their list of things to be done and they wanted to make sure that it was Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of a Ceramic Tiled Hallway

Ceramic tiles are usually glazed and therefore non-porous, so when the floor starts to lose its appearance there's a good chance the problem relates to the grout. This is because the top layer of the Cementous grout is rough and will attract a build-up of dirt over time. Once dirt becomes Read more...

Cleaning Sandstone Tiles

These Sandstone floor tiles installed in the front room of a house in Bramhall were looking grey with no natural colour due to heavy soiling from family pets and muddy boots. Cleaning Sandstone Floor Tiles Cleaning the Sandstone was a straightforward process of applying a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a commercial grade alkaline tile cleaning product designed for use on natural stone floors such as Sandstone, being an alkaline it doesn't eat into the stone like acid cleaners. Read more...

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Deep cleaning Terracotta tiles

The photographs below show a Terracotta Tiled floor we maintained that was installed in the kitchen and conservatory of a house in the Northamptonshire village of Holcot. The tile and grout was in good physical condition but had become ingrained with dirt and were now in need of a deep clean Read more...

Cleaning Dirty Limestone Kitchen Tiles

The photographs below are of a Limestone tiled floor installed in the kitchen and dining area of a house in the historic town off Hastings. The house was being put on the market for sale and with two dogs, a cat and four adults having left their marks on this floor it was looking rather grubby Read more...

Restoring the Look of a Chinese Slate Tiles

I recently made a trip down to South Molton, a small town which sits on the River Mole. The river, actually a tributary of the River Taw, gets its name from the two small towns it runs by, North Molton and South Molton. Anyway I digress, my client asked me to take a look at a Chinese Slate floor Read more...

Kitchen Quarry Tile Cleaning and Sealing in Rushden

This job was to strip and re-seal these Quarry tiles installed in a commercial kitchen which was undergoing refurbishment at a canteen in Rushden, Northamptonshire. The tile finish had dulled and there was a lot of staining to the grout. Cleaning Quarry Tiles As there was little in the way of kitchen units to protect I go straight down to stripping down the floor using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a multi-purpose cleaner/stripper that's safe to use on stone, tile and Read more...

Resolving limescale problems on black slate tiles in Hove

Recently we were asked to resolve an unusual problem with Limescale deposits on Black Slate floor tiles installed in a WC at a house in Hove on the East Sussex coast. You can see from the photograph below how Limescale has left an unsightly white haze and water marks on the surface of the slate tile. Cleaning Limescale from a Slate Tiled Floor The first step was to remove the Limescale and any other sealer products from the floor using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean scrubbed Read more...

Terracotta Floor Deep Cleaned For New Owners

I was contacted just before Christmas by a couple who had bought a house in the southern resort of Bognor Regis that they hoped to spend the festive season in; apart from a new coat of paint and carpet their main concern was the state of the Terracotta tiled floor in the hall, kitchen and dining Read more...

Cleaning Very Dirty Riven Slate Kitchen Tiles

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 Read more...

Putting the shine back on water damaged Yorkstone tiles

The photographs below are from a Yorkstone flagged floor at a house in the market town of Devizes in Wiltshire. The customer had contacted me as the floor was quite dirty and was overdue for a deep clean. Cleaning Yorkstone Paving Flags The floor was quite dirty so I started by making a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-clean mixed 50/50 with NanoTech Ultraclean to add more abrasive power; the solution was spread liberally all over the floor and was left to soak into the stone for a good Read more...

Power Washing Paving Slabs in Great Oakley

This was a straight forward request to Power Wash Paving Slabs outside a house in Great Oakley. I wouldn't normally add this to my blog however it occurred to me that a lot of my customers don't realise Tile Doctor's have invested in high pressure equipment that can be used externally as well as internally. In the photograph below you will see a picture of our van which contains a very high pressure truck mounted cleaning system which can generates pressures far in excess of a domestic Read more...

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Restoring the Polish on Travertine Kitchen Tiles in Buckinghamshire

Travertine is a type of Limestone which unique and distinctive features, making it a highly sought after and expensive type of natural stone tile. Not only is it a very attractive stone, it's also a very useful building material. In fact, it's been used since Ancient Roman times when it was the Read more...

Tumbled Travertine Tile vs. Honed Tile

Homeowners who enjoy travertine tile often find themselves deciding between tumbled travertine tile and honed travertine tile. Below, you will find usable comparisons between these two tiles.

Travertine Finish

In honed travertine tile, holes in the stone from which this tile is cut are filled with epoxy resin. Then the stone is given a flat finish by honing it. This process leaves the honed travertine tile with edges that are even. By contrast, these holes are left unfilled in tumbled travertine tile. Tumbled tile surfaces remain unpolished. The holes are left intact, giving the tumbled tile a more natural and rustic appearance.

Strength and Durability

Limestone, from which travertine tile is formed, is a naturally soft stone. With pockets and holes that are created from gas bubbles when the limestone is still in a molten state, this stone is left in a more weakened and vulnerable condition. When these holes are filled with epoxy resin, as done by the factory, the tile is strengthened. Tumbled travertine, with holes left unfilled, remains more vulnerable to breakage. This vulnerability in tumbled travertine can be reduced by filling the holes and cavities with grout during installation. In addition to strengthening the tile, this filling with grout also prevents the build up of debris in the stone when it is used as a decorative tile.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Anti-Slip Tiled Floor Cleaned at Manchester Country Club

You may recall a Limestone job I did recently at a Manchester Hale country club, this Anti-Slip porcelain floor was installed at the same location in the passageway on route to the toilets and in the toilets themselves. Slips and falls can be a huge problem for buildings with public areas and so tiles which have been etched to make a normally smooth surface rough make perfect sense, the downside of course is that those rough surfaces trap dirt and are difficult to clean. Tile Doctor have a chemical Anti-Slip alternative that only activates when the tile get wet that doesn't require the tile to be etched but it does need to re-applied every few years. Cleaning Anti Slip Floor Tiles The floor tiled need a deep clean to bring out the ingrained dirt so we applied a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean using two parts water to one part Pro-Clean and left it to soak into the tile for twenty minutes. The solution was then scrubbed into the tile using a rotary machine fitted with a Read more...

Dealing with Scratched Marble Floor Tiles

This Marble Tiled floor was installed in the conservatory of a house in Woodhall Spa who had asked if we could remove the scratches from their inherited marble tiles around the door area and where furniture had been dragged across the tile as shown in the photos. Interestingly our customer is a chief engineer on cruise ships all over the world and knew what this floor could look like if restored professionally. Burnishing Mable Tiles Other than the scratches the majority of the floor had been well maintained so the solution was to burnishing the marble back to its original condition using a set of diamond encrusted pads fitted to a slow speed machine and lubricated with a little water. The burnishing pads come in a set of four and applied to the floor with a little water one by one using a rotary machine running at slow speed. The process starts with the coarse pad which strips back the top layer and removes sealers and dirt from the surface of the stone. The pads then become finer and finer with the last pad being a final polish that takes the tile back to near it's originally intended shine. You can see from the photographs that we actually managed to resurface the marble, remove the scratches and we also filled in some small holes and then allowed the floor to dry Read more...

Abused Victorian Tiled Hallway Repaired and Refurbished in Cardiff

This is an original Victorian tiled hallway floor in Cardiff that dated back to when the house was built in the year of 1890. The previous householders of which had a radiator installed serviced by laying pipes right through the middle of the floor destroying the tiles as they went, they then back filled the channel with cement. On top of that many of the other tiles had been splashed with cement and paint. Repairing Victorian Floor Tiles My first job was to carefully remove the cement from Read more...

Cleaning Ceramic Tiles

These ceramic tiles situated in a large flat in Bravington Road W9 which is near Kensal Town in the City of Westminster, London. The tiles had been in place when the client moved into the flat some years ago and were badly in need of deep cleaning, attempts to remove the dirt using a steam Read more...

Restoring Victorian Tiled Lobby in Derby

Victorian tiled floors are timeless - despite first coming into popular use in UK houses during the 19th century, they've remained stylish in the eyes of many homeowners and interior designers. This fantastic black and white patterned example at a property in Derby dates back to 1929. However, Read more...

Resolving Limestone Installation Issues

I was recently asked to this property in Wimbledon in to see if there was anything we could do to resolve the problem with a recently laid Black Limestone tiled floor. The builders that had laid the Limestone did not cover or clean the tiles prior to sealing with an impregnating seal thereby Read more...

Quarry Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Cardiff

This Red and Black Quarry tiled floor was discovered underneath a laminate floor in the hallway of a house built in Cardiff around 1910. The customer was keen to restore it as an original feature and I was confident that despite the damaged tiles, cement and paint we would be able to do so. Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Floor The area around the doorway was in the worst condition and unfortunately those tiles were beyond rescue and needed to be replaced which wasn't a problem as with a bit of Read more...

Revamping Dirty Slate Tiles

The photographs below are from a property in the small village of Mayfield, located within the High Weald civil parish of Mayfield and Five Ashes in East Sussex. The village is perhaps best known for its annual carnival and torchlight procession however on this occasion I was there to revamp the Read more...

Putting the Life Back into Victorian Hallway Tiles in Monmouthshire

This Victorian tiled hallway at a house in the Forest of Dean had a very interesting pattern, consisting of an array of different colours, including shades of red, yellow and blue. Unfortunately, as you can see from the first photograph below, the tiles had lost all life, with the colours Read more...

Travertine Kitchen Floor Tiles Transformed in Aylesbury

Travertine is a type of Limestone which unique and distinctive features, making it a highly sought after and expensive type of natural stone tile. Not only is it a very attractive stone, it's also a very useful building material. In fact, it's been used since Ancient Roman times when it was the main component of temples, aqueducts, monuments, bath complexes, and amphitheatres. In the modern era it remains popular, but to keep Travertine in fantastic condition it is necessary to ensure Read more...

Cleaning Textured Ceramic Floor Tiles

We were asked to clean these textured ceramic floor tiles in Wendover Bucks which had become heavily soiled and ingrained with dirt leaving the tiles with a black appearance, the grout lines had also become stained and discoloured. Our customer had tried all types of cleaning agents but could Read more...

Maintaing Yorkshire Stone Kitchen Flagstones

The photographs below are of an 18m2 Yorkshire Stone floor in the kitchen of a barn conversion in the village of Hebden Bridge. The flagstones which appeared to be various shades of dark grey had lost any colour and vitality they once had, in fact they only seemed to come alive when wet and once dry the natural features and colours of the Yorkshire stone faded away. This was caused by the sealer being worn away allowing dirt to become ingrained in the stone making it difficult to properly Read more...

Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Installing Travertine Tile Floors

Travertine tile floors can offer advantages not found in other types of flooring, such as a more unique appearance and a more secure footing than you may find with ceramic tile. But in the installation of this tile you should be aware of common pitfalls you're likely to encounter if you're not aware of them.

Spreading Glue

In spreading the thinset glue that is typically used for adherence of this tile, avoid using any trowel except one with ½ inch teeth. Using any other trowel will result in applying too much glue that could ooze up from beneath the tile. Too little glue could inhibit the tile from adhering properly to the floor.

Choosing the Right Grout

When your tile has been glued to the floor and has dried, you'll need to use the proper grout to spread on it. A common mistake made in choosing grout is in assuming that there is a single, universal grout that should be used. Grout should be chosen according to the color that will match your tile, and the grout should be sanded.

Choosing the Right Sealer

Travertine tile, because it is porous, is easily stained by common household products that may be spilled on it. Choosing the wrong sealer will allow products such as coffee and wine to stain your tile, even after it is sealed.


Source: www.DoItYourself.com

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Regular maintenance of Terracotta tiles

Some great photo's below of Terracotta tiled floor in the kitchen of a house in Burbage which as you can see was overdue for a deep clean and seal. Terracotta Tile Cleaning The first job was to get the floor clean so it was covered in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left Read more...

Maintaining a Limestone Patio in Crowborough

A sealer for internal use had been applied to this external black limestone patio in Crowborough and as you can see from the photograph below it had become badly affected by weather and was basically looking a real mess. Cleaning a Limestone Patio Working outside does have advantages in that there is a lot less preparation to do to protect other surfaces so it wasn't long before we got to work with the application of a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a multi-purpose cleaner Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Travertine Shower Tiles

The pictures below are from a Travertine tiled en-suite bathroom at a house in the town of Horsham. A black mould had become ingrained in the pores of the shower tiles and the owner wanted it cleaned up before she rented the property out. The client had tried various well known supermarket Read more...

Victorian Floor Tile Cleaning

Details below of a Victoria floor tile renovation we did recently in the hallway of a house in Heaton Mersey, which is an old suburb of Stockport. The floor was an original feature in the house being laid sometime in the eighteen hundreds, some sealer was left on the floor to offer protection but most had been worn down and the floor was suffering from the impact of ground in dirt from recent building works. Cleaning the Victorian Floor The floor was cleaned using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a black buffing pad to loosen the soil that had built up on the floor. The floor was then neutralised to remove any remaining cleaning solution by rinsing it three times with water and then left to dry. Sealing the Victorian Floor Once dry the floor was sealed with 5 coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is ideal for sealing Victorian tiled floors as it brings out the colours in the tile whilst providing stain protection and allowing moisture vapour to breathe through. The owner Mr Mitchell was Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Kitchen Slate Tiles in Towcester

These photographs of a Slate tiled floor were taken in the Kitchen of a house in Towcester where the slate was looking rather dull and had lost its appeal. This does happen with natural stone floor where the sealer which can add a shine to the stone becomes worn down and ineffective. Cleaning Chinese Slate Tiles We removed the kickboards from the kitchen units and lined the skirting boards with green Frog tape in order to protect them from cleaning fluids. The next step was to soak the Read more...

Deep Cleaning Textured Limestone Tiles

This property near the town of Horsham was a converted from a pig barn many years ago and had a lovely textured Limestone tiled floor installed on the ground floor kitchen and dinning room. The Limestone tile and adjacent grout were now looking rather grubby and we were asked if we would give Read more...

300m2 Marble Tiled Floor Cleaned and Polished

Following on from a referral from a Property Management company I paid a visit it to this palatial property in Oxshott which had approximately 300m2 of Marble tiled flooring that they wanted cleaning and re-polishing, my initial quotation to do this mechanically was too high so I offered an alternative using diamond encrusted burnishing pads which reduced the cost significantly. I didn't receive an answer so I thought that was the end of it however five months later I got an email asking me to carry out the works. Marble Tiled Floor Polishing This was a very large area so we had two men working with burnishing pads in 10 metre sections. The pads come in a set of four; 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 final polishing pad which provides a high polish. Fortunately there were not many stains and the ones that were there came out quite easily. When we had completed a room using this system we then applied Tile doctor Shine powder which is a crystallising power worked into the floor using a white buffing pad and a little water; it adds an extra level of deep shine to the marble floor giving it that extra wow Read more...

Cleaning Limestone Floors for that Luxury feel

This was a substantial engagement at a luxury rental apartment in Brighton rejuvenating the Limestone tiles in two bathrooms and a hallway taking six days of hard work. In addition, I would be working around two decorators, making for even more testing work conditions. Cleaning Limestone Read more...

Dull Milled Sandstone Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed

This Milled Sandstone tiled floor was installed in the kitchen of a house in the village of Warsash on the south coast. The floor was looking washed out and lost most of its colour and the owner wanted it looking its best. Cleaning a Sandstone Tiled Floor The first job was to remove the kick boards from around base of the kitchen units a followed by the application of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted with 10 parts warm water. This was left to soak into the stone and then worked in using a black Read more...

Struggling With Wax On Terracotta

Traditionally Terracotta tiled floors were protected using wax and this floor at a house in Battersea had been protected with a number of treatments including wax and other sealers, without a full history of the floor it's not that easy to tell what you're dealing with. Wax isn't an ideal Read more...

Sealing Black Slate Tiles

I recently visited a client's house in the small town of Okehampton, an area with a lot of heritage. It was first settled by the Saxons, and like many other towns in the South West, grew as a result of the thriving medieval wool trade. The client asked me to take a look at the black Slate tiled Read more...

Red and Black Quarry Tiles Restored in Manchester

This Quarry tiled floor had been discovered under a carpet at a house in Manchester and the owner was keen to have it restored as an original period feature. The carpet had been stuck to the tiled floor using adhesive so glue was evident on the surface of the Quarry tile as were small spots of paint. Cleaning the Quarry Tiled Floor I started cleaning the Quarry Tiles with a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked into the floor using a buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. This good job cleaning the floor however there was still evidence of adhesive and paint on the floor; a stronger product was needed so I applied Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is an acid based product so you have to be very careful not to leave it on the floor for a long time. Once the floor was clean of glue and paint it was washed down three times using clean water in order to neutralise the floor and remove any remaining cleaning products before sealing. By the way to remove liquids from Read more...

Beautiful Victorian Hallway Restored in Warwickshire

This Victorian tiled hallway was one of the most beautiful Victorian floors I have ever had the pleasure to work on. With the wide range of patterns and colours they are available in, it seems no two Victorian tiled floors are exactly the same, and this uniqueness is part of what makes them so Read more...

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Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaning

These Marble Floor tiles were installed in the kitchen of a house in Didsbury where a lot of building work had recently completed. You can see from the photograph that the tiles were stained and the grout had darkened. Marble Tiled Floor Polishing To improve the look of Marble it's necessary to strip it right back and then polish which we are able to do with a rotary machine and burnishing pads. The pads come in a set of four; 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 final polishing pad which provides a high polish. Once this was done I got to work on the grout with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was worked into the grout lines by hand using a stiff grout brush. The tile and grout was then rinsed down three times with clean water to remove any dirt. To give the floor the final finish Tile Doctor Shine powder was applied using a white buffing pad and a little water; the crystallising powder adds an extra level of shine to the Marble floor giving it that extra wow factor together and also gives it a tough durable finish. I can recommend this last step and certainly the customer was very pleased with Read more...

Kitchen Quarry Tiles Cleaned and Sealed in Cardiff

This Quarry Tiled Kitchen floor had been laid in 2000 which is relatively recent compared to some of the floors I'm asked to deal with, the tiles are 150 x 150 mm Quarry tiles with a mixture of colours. A customer in Cardiff said that the Quarry tiles has been sealed by the tiler however it wasn't long after it was completed that the before became very grubby looking. You can see this for yourself in the photograph below where you should be able to make out the ingrained dirt and discoloured Read more...

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Travertine Floor Maintenance in East Grinstead

Pictures below of a Travertine tiled floor in East Grinstead which had been laid some years earlier and over time had become dull as it lost its polished appearance with wear. The customer had tried cleaning but could not get the floor looking the way they it used to. Cleaning Travertine Tile To restore appearance on polished hard stone floors such a Travertine and Limestone they have to be cut back and polished with floor burnishing pads, it's a similar process that you use on wood where Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Kitchen Slate Tiles in Corby

Another example of a tired Slate Tiled floor that was in need of a clean and seal, this time in the industrial town of Corby famous for its iron and steel works. Cleaning Slate Kitchen Tiles To get the Slate tile and grout clean the a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied which was left to soak into the tile for ten minutes before scrubbing it in with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and then using a stiff grout brush to clean along the grout lines. The floor was Read more...

Restaurant Tile Cleaning

The Ceramic floor tiles shown below were installed in a Luton high street restaurant, as you can see they were far from clean, deeply stained and even the grout had gone black. Cleaning Ceramic Floor Tiles Given the amount of dirt on the tile and grout we decided to apply a very strong Read more...

Maintaining Travertine Tiled Floors

This Travertine tiled floor was installed in the kitchen of a house in Oadby, Leicestershire. The sealer on the floor was starting to fail letting dirt become ingrained into the Travertine; it was now due a deep clean, burnish and re-seal which would improve the look of the stone and keep it Read more...

Resolving Travertine Tile Installation Problems

Incredibly this Travertine tiled floor had been laid just two weeks prior and unfortunately the tiler had not cleaned the floor prior to sealing thus trapping in dirt and dust that were present on the floor and now the tiles looked dull and dirty. Sealing floors can be a minefield and it's Read more...

Welcome to Dorset 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...

Commerical Marble Tiled Floor Restoration

Photographs below of a classic black and white Marble floor tile installation at premises in the city of Winchester. As you can see these Marble tiles had seen some traffic and were not in the best of condition following on from some building work that had been going on; fortunately we are quite used to dealing with these problem and have just the right products and equipment to restore them. Marble Tile Cleaning and Polishing For best results on hard stone surfaces such as Marble we burnish the floor using a set of diamond encrusted polishing pads. You start with a coarse pad which applied with a little water to remove surface dirt and sealers etc. before moving through a set of finer polishing pads until you reach a high shine glossy finish. Half way through the burnishing process we stopped to apply a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean along the grout lines and give them a scrub with stiff hand brushes repeating the process in stubborn areas. After the treatment the floor was washed do to remove any soiled solution before being buffed with a white buffing pad. Any trace of its previous condition was now gone and the floor was uniform in appearance, it took much of the day to do the polishing and a set of four burnishing pads to acquire the right lustre. Source: Mabrle Read more...

Deep Cleaning A Dirty Indian Sandstone Floor

This customer had bought a cottage in Cleestanton (Ludlow) six months prior which has a beautiful Indian Sandstone flagstone floor installed across the ground floor. The Sandstone slabs were however in an unfortunate state and had not been deep cleaned for some time, in fact it was very easy to see where the most foot traffic had been due to visible dark lanes in the stone. Cleaning Riven Sandstone Tiles I cleaned the floor with a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which was left to soak Read more...

Riven Slate Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Bury

If your hiring a decorator beware, for some reason were seeing an increase in floors splattered with paint due to a lack of care. This was certainly the case on this Riven Slate tiled floor in Bury, Greater Manchester where decorators had made a right mess of this floor with plaster and paint. Cleaning the Slate Tiled Floors I started the cleaning process by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a multi-purpose cleaner/stripper safe to use of natural tile and stone. The Pro-Clean was left to soak in for a while before being worked into the floor with a rotary machine fitted with a black pad; this worked well and removed all of the plaster and most of the paint. The remaining suborn paint spots were dealt with individually by applying Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a specialist coatings remover. The last step was to rinse the floor down with water three times in order to wash away any remaining chemical and neutralise they floor before sealing. Sealing Read more...

Terracotta Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Ringmer

This Terracotta Tiled floor was located in a house in the town of Ringmer, East Sussex, it had been a while since it had last been thoroughly cleaned and re-sealed and was now well overdue for some extra attention. Terracotta Tile Cleaning To get the tiles clean we applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a heavy duty alkaline cleaner/coatings stripper ideal for tiled surfaces. We let the solution dwell on the floor for 10 to 20 minutes before working it into the tiles Read more...

Cleaning Old Red Quarry Tiles in Treharris

This Red Quarry Tiled floor had been laid when the house was built back in 1910 so it was over 100 years old and had years of wear and tear to show for it including old cement and paint from some decorating work that had been done some years prior. The house was located in the town of Treharris just outside of Cardiff and being an original feature of the house the owner wanted it looking as good as it could be. Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Floor I first checked for any moisture as these old Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of a Slate Tiled Floor

Every now and again, I get called to work on tiled floors which have were laid some time ago and not properly maintained in a long time, as was the case with this customer in the town of Bedford at the heart of Bedfordshire. They had a twenty year old Slate tiled floor that was now in need of a Read more...

Tackling stained ceramic tiles

This was a rather unusual request we were asked to look at in the Oxfordshire village of Long Hanborough; they had recently laid a new Tarmac drive and unfortunately it had been walked into the Ceramic tiled kitchen floor leaving a lot of dark staining. After failing to clean the tiles with Read more...

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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 London. The tiles had suffered during the completion of extensive building works and as you can see from the picture below, the tiles were looking dull and had lost their vibrancy. Read more...