Boston Tile Cleaning Archives - South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor

Riven Slate Tiled Floor Renovation Boston

Replacing a Failed Sealer on a Riven Slate Tiled Flooring in Boston

The pictures below are of a Riven Slate Tiled floor in the Kitchen and adjacent Dinning area at a property in Boston. The customer was very unhappy with the state of the Slate flooring and was at the point of taking the tiles up as they couldn’t keep it clean.

I paid a visit to the property so that I could understand all the issues and work out a quote for restoring its appearance. Whilst there I was able to confirm that the existing sealer had worn away so much and was now letting dirt into the stone. The Slate also looked dull and permanently dirty.

Riven Slate Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Boston

The solution would be to remove the old sealer, deep clean the floor and then apply a fresh sealer that would give the desired finish. The new sealer will prevent dirt from becoming ingrained in the stone, keeping it on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Happy with the plan and quote the work was booked in.

Removing a Failed Sealer from Multi-Coloured Riven Slate Tiling

To remove what was left of the old sealer a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied to the tile and grout and then left to soak in for ten minutes. We find this gives the product time to break down the old sealer and soils and makes the cleaning easier.

The floor was then scrubbed with a Black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine working it into every part of the floor several times. The grout was also scrubbed by hand with a stiff brush and more Pro-Clean. The floor was then rinsed with water and extracted with an industrial wet vacuum.

With the soiling removed from the floor, the Slate and Grout was inspected and then the process repeated as needed until I was satisfied all the old sealer and dirt had been removed.

Once the cleaning was done I setup a Turbo Dryer so speed up drying times and left the floor to dry off overnight.

Sealing Multicoloured Riven Slate Floor Tiles

The following day I used a damp meter to test the slate and confirm it was dry before applying the sealer. The results indicated the Turbo Dryer had done its work and the floor was ready for sealing.

The sealer chosen for this floor was Tile Doctor Seal and Go, it works well on Slate and results in a very attractive deep shine. The area was a busy kitchen dining space so I applied enough sealer to ensure it was fully sealed making use of the Turbo Dryer to speed up the drying time. The sealer didn’t let us down and added a durable finish that brightened the whole area brought out the natural tones in the slate.

Riven Slate Tiled Floor During Sealing Boston

Riven Slate Tiled Floor Sealer Drying Boston

My customer was delighted with the results and before leaving I took time to discuss floor maintenance. I explained that with the fresh sealer in place it should only need a quick mop to keep the tiles clean. I also explained that its important to use a PH neutral cleaner when cleaning a sealed floor as anything overly strong will strip the sealer from the floor.

Riven Slate Tiled Floor After Renovation Boston

Professional Riven Slate Tiled Floor Restoration in Lincolnshire

Replacing a Failed Sealer on a Riven Slate Tiled Flooring in Boston Read More »

Replacing the Sealer and Polishing a New Travertine Tiled Floor in Boston

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning / Phil

A regular customer from Boston got in touch with us before Christmas to help with a Travertine floor they had laid in their front room. It turns out that they were so impressed with our previous work that they had decided to replace their lounge carpet with more Travertine.

Unfortunately, however the new travertine floor turned out dull and lack lustre despite the tiler putting a sealer on after fitting. Unhappy with the floor appearance I was asked if the floor could be re-finished to match their original Travertine floor that I had worked on previously.

Travertine Floor Before Cleaning Boston

I visited the property to survey the new floor and came up with a plan to strip off the current sealer, polish the stone and then re-seal with the same product that I used previously. They were happy for me to go ahead and we set a date for the work to start which would take two days.

Travertine Floor Before Cleaning Boston

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

I returned on the agreed date and spent the first day burnishing the new Travertine floor tiles with a set of burnishing pads of different grits. Work starts with a coarse 400-grit pad, attached to a rotary floor buffer. Using water to lubricate the process the pad is run over each tile several times removing the sealer and any remaining dirt in the process.

Afterwards the floor was rinsed using our Rotovac system which applies water under high pressure to the floor dislodging the soils and then extracts the dirty water off the floor at high speed. The burnishing process was then repeated with the finer 800-grit and 1500-grit pads which start building the polish on the stone.

After a final rinse the process was repeated using a very fine 3000-grit pad which is applied dry to the floor using only a little water sprayed onto the tile. This last pad is the final step in the polishing process and leaves a lovely, honed finish on the stone.

During the polishing however it became apparent that the Travertine tiles contained a lot more holes that the other floor. These holes or pits as they are often called are a natural feature of this stone however, they do trap dirt easily so I agreed to fill them. I use a flexible filler for this which is colour matched to the stone and then to go off, I also left a floor dryer system in place overnight to assist with this and further drying out the tiles.

Travertine Floor During Cleaning Boston

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

Returning the following morning the floor was tested the flooring with a damp meter to make sure it was fully dry. All was well and it was ready to seal with our quality impregnating sealer Tile Doctor Colour Grow which protects the floor from within whilst enhancing the natural colours and tones in the stone. Three coats of sealer were used to ensure the tiles were fully sealed and the result proved to be a good match to their other Travertine floor.

Travertine Floor After Renovation Boston

The customer was over the moon with the results and I took time afterwards to remind them about the best way to maintain the floor. For polished stone floors like this one I recommended Tile Doctor Stone Soap which will help maintain the patina on both Travertine floors.

Travertine Floor After Renovation Boston

Professional Tile Cleaning, Burnishing and Sealing for a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Sleaford

Replacing the Sealer and Polishing a New Travertine Tiled Floor in Boston Read More »

Victorian Tiled Floor Restoration Boston

Multiple Victorian Tiled Floors Restored in Boston

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Phil

I recently worked on several Victorian Tiled floors at a property in the Lincolnshire market town of Boston. With a few exceptions the tiles were generally in good condition and just needed a deep clean and fresh seal. The exceptions were a several areas of loose tiles that needed to be refitted before the cleaning process could begin.

Victorian Hallway Floor Before Restoration Boston

Lose tiles are a quote common with tiled floor of this age and something I am more than happy to deal with. Another issue was that some of the floors had been covered in carpet and there were still some remnants of underlay stuck to the tiles when I arrived.

Victorian Tiled Floor Before Restoration Boston

Old floors like this were not built with a damp-proof membrane under the floor to stop moisture rising up from the subfloor, as a result the tiles should be left to breathe and not covered up or this can result in a build-up of damp and the appearance of efflorescence. I had to consider this when planning the restoration and I made sure to point out to the owner that it would be necessary to use a fully breathable sealer.

Restoring Victorian Floor Tiles in Boston

On the first day I set about lifting the loose tiles, cleaning up the base and then re-securing the original Victorian tiles with fresh adhesive and grout. It’s always interesting when lifting old tiles as some manufacturers such as Minton marked their products underneath. After making the repairs I left the floor to set fully overnight.

Victorian Hallway Floor During Restoration Boston

I came back on day and setup my equipment ready for deep cleaning the tiles. Working in sections I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is our go to Tile and Grout Cleaner. This is sprayed into the tiles and then left to soak in for at least ten minutes before being worked in with a 200-grit and then 400-grit diamond pad fitted to a weighted buffer machine.

The pads are run over each part of the floor which generates a lot of soiling and then the soiling is removed using an industrial wet vacuum. Once complete each section is reviewed and any stubborn areas retreated to the same process or spot cleaned by hand as necessary until I was happy the floor was clean.

Once the initial clean was done I treated the floor to an acid rinse with an application of Tile Doctor Acid Gel. This step further cleans up the tiles, removes grout smears and will also dissolve any efflorescent salts lurking in the tiles. After a final rinse and extraction, the cleaning process was completed and the floor was left to dry out overnight.

Sealing Victorian Floor Tiles in Boston

On the third day the floor was first tested with a damp meter to ensure it had dried before starting to apply the sealer. This is an important check as applying a sealer to a damp floor can result in a patchy appearance.

I had discussed the different types of sealer with the owner when I came to survey the floor and it was clear they preferred a matt rather than glossy appearance; also given we needed to use a fully breathable sealer I decided to go with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which would also improve the colours in the tiles.

Several coats were applied, allowing time between each coat to dry. Fortunately, I had a couple of floors to work on so as one was drying, I was able to apply sealer to the other.

Victorian Tiled Floor After Restoration Boston

The floors were transformed by the work and the new sealer should keep them looking that way for many years to come. Before leaving I took time to discuss on-going maintenance cleaning with the owner and recommended they use a pH neutral tile cleaning products such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. I always mention this as other products are simply too strong and contain bleach which can damage the sealer reducing its life.

Victorian Hallway Floor After Restoration Boston

Professional Restoration of a Multiple Victorian Tiled Floors in Lincolnshire

Multiple Victorian Tiled Floors Restored in Boston Read More »

Riven Sandstone Tiled Floor Renovated in Boston Lincolnshire

Dirty Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Boston

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning / Phil

We were asked to restore a large 70m2 riven Sandstone floor in the historic market town of Boston where the customer had been sealing with an impregnator sealer but the stone just kept absorbing the daily dirt despite repeated cleaning. The Sandstone was now very dull with ingrained dirt and mopping just seemed to make it worse. Unhappy with the appearance they decided to call us in to resolve the issues and add a resilient finish with a slight sheen.

Sandstone Floor Before Renovation Boston

Something clearly was not right so after discussing the issue on the phone I arranged to visit the property and survey their problematic stone floor. I concluded that the sealer the client was using was not effective at sealing the floor properly and had let dirt get into the stone. This could be because the floor had not been cleaned well enough prior to sealing, insufficient sealer had been applied or perhaps the sealer wasn’t suited to Sandstone. Either way to resolve the problem the solution would be to deep clean the Sandstone stripping off the old sealer in the process and then use something more suitable for Sandstone such as Tile Doctor Seal & Go which would also give the subtle shine appearance they were after.

I worked out a quote to renovate the floor, which was accepted and a date agreed to do the work which would take two days, one to deep clean the stone and the second to seal.

Deep Cleaning a Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The first day started preparing the area which in this case was simply a case of removing the kickboards from under the kitchen units. Next, I created a strong cleaning, sealer stripper solution by combining Tile Doctor Pro-Clean with Remove and Go and then working in sections sprayed it on to the Sandstone and left it to soak in for ten minutes.

Sandstone Floor During Renovation Boston

The solution was then scrubbed into the stone using a brush pad fitted to a rotary buffer machine with added weight to improve contact. Using a brush pad is an important factor when cleaning riven stone as a normal flat pad would struggle getting into the grooves of the stone and works well on the grout lines as well.

The scrubbing action generated a lot of slurry which was extracted using a high pressure Rotovac system which is a great time saver. The Rotovac works by applying hot water under high pressure onto the floor to further force out ingrained dirt and muck from the stone whilst simultaneously extracting the soil back to a tank on our van.

Sandstone Floor During Renovation Boston

The results were amazing leaving the stone both clean and free of the old ineffectual sealer. After this the floor was inspected and stubborn stains were spot treated and the floor given a final rinse. Now satisfied the Sandstone was clean I left a couple of air movers in place to assist with drying overnight.

Sandstone Floor After Renovation Boston

Sealing a Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The following day the moisture levels in the floor were checked with a damp meter, its important the stone is dry before sealing otherwise the results can be patchy. Fortunately, the air movers had done an excellent job and I was able to start applying the sealer.

Sandstone Floor After Renovation Boston

Seal and Go is a water-based sealer (so no smell as it dries) that works by protecting the stone with an impermeable layer. It takes multiple coats to fully protect the stone but does give the Sandstone a lovely appearance and will protect the floor from everyday wear and tear as well as making it easy to clean.

The customer was over the moon and said it was better than when they first had it installed and mentioned they would definitely recommend our services going forward.

Professional Sandstone Floor Renovation Service in Boston

Dirty Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Boston Read More »

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaned Sealed Coningsby

Renovating Dirty Travertine Kitchen Tiles in Coningsby

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

A customer from the village of Coningsby was having trouble keeping their Travertine tiled Kitchen floor clean. Another company had sealed the flooring previously, but it clearly hadn’t lasted and dirt had now become ingrained in the pores of the stone. As a result, mopping the floor wasn’t effective at removing the dirt from either the Travertine or the grout lines.

This was a busy work kitchen that needed to have a floor that is easy to maintain; now frustrated with the way the floor looked they considered having it taken up and replaced but decided to contact Tile Doctor first looking for a remedy.

Travertine Floor Coningsby Before Cleaning

We visited the property to survey the floor and discuss the issues they were facing with the floor. It clearly needed to be deep cleaned and then resealed properly with a more effective product. I explained our process and discussed the result they were looking for. They were happy for me to go ahead and requested a Matt finish rather than a shine or gloss look as it was a high use kitchen.

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

I returned on the agreed date and spent the first day removing the old sealer that was no longer working and deep cleaning the flooring. To achieve this, I used a series for burnishing pads of different grits. After each pad the floor was rinsed using our Rotovac system which rinses the floor and extracts the dirty water off the floor at high speed. Although an expensive investment the machine makes light work of cleaning hard floors and saves a lot of time.

Travertine Floor Coningsby During Cleaning

After cleaning the floor, a turbo dryer was installed to speed up the drying process so the floor can be inspected, and any stubborn areas redone. The tiles looked nice and clean, but I could see some areas of grouting needed more work so these were hand scrubbed with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean followed by another rinse to remove the soil.

Travertine Floor Coningsby Floor Drying After Cleaning

At this stage I also noticed a few holes in the travertine that were filled for the customer with a matching colour. This is a common problem for Travertine and unfortunately, they easily attract dirt, so filling makes the floor much easier to clean going forward.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

We returned the following morning and tested the flooring with a damp meter to make sure it was fully dry. All was well and it was ready to seal with our quality impregnator Tile Doctor Colour Grow which protects the floor from within whilst enhancing the natural colours in the stone in the process. The Travertine proved more absorbent than usual for this type of stone and took three coats before a water test indicated the floor was fully sealed.

Travertine Floor Coningsby After Sealing Water Test

You can see from the photo above that the water beaded up on the surface and can be simply wiped away even after a few minutes. This shows maximum protection has been applied. Given my experience with this floor I suspect the previous company had not applied enough sealer and this would explain why it failed, had they conducted a water test then this should have been obvious.

We then gave a final polish with our buffer and a white soft pad to really strengthen the seal and give the best finish. I should mention that Colour Grow leaves a matt finish which matches the customer’s request.

Travertine Floor Coningsby After Cleaning

For aftercare cleaning going forward I left the customer a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner that looks after the seal better than any high alkaline or acidic cleaners like bleach or washing up liquid which will prematurely erode the seal.

The customer was delighted with the results, commenting on how much brighter the whole room looked.

Travertine Floor Coningsby After Cleaning

Professional Tile Cleaning, Burnishing and Sealing for a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Sleaford

Renovating Dirty Travertine Kitchen Tiles in Coningsby Read More »

Slate Floor Before and After Cleaning in Boston

Riven Slate Tiles Rejuvenated by Deep Clean and Seal in Boston

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

While fantastic to look at, Riven Slate tiles can be particularly difficult to keep clean. The natural unevenness of the stone causes dirt to become more easily trapped and more difficult to remove. Over time, heavy buildup of ingrained dirt can have the effect of dulling the colours in the stone. This was the case with this large area of Riven Slate tiles at a very busy farmhouse in the Lincolnshire port town of Boston, the original namesake for the perhaps more famous city in Massachusetts, USA.

Riven slate floor before cleaning at Boston farmhouse The property owner couldn’t figure out the best way to improve the situation and so called me in to see what could be done. Upon inspecting the tiles first hand I decided that the best course of action would be a very deep clean and the application of a fresh sealant to offer long-term protection against ingrained dirt.

Riven slate floor before cleaning at Boston farmhouse

Cleaning Dirty and a Dull Riven Slate Tiles

The cleaning process was split into two main components. Firstly, I scrubbed a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean into the tiles to remove the initial layers of soil buildup. Pro Clean is our go-to cleaner for most natural stone due to its reliability and the fact that, unlike a lot of supermarket floor cleaners, it isn’t acid-based and so won’t damage the stone.

Since the ingrained dirt problem was quite severe, I opted to also clean the tiles using our van-mounted pressure cleaning system. This very efficient system applies hot water under pressure to the to stone to penetrate deeply and eradicate particularly stubborn ingrained dirt. It then automatically extracts the soiled water back into a tank in our van.

Riven slate floor during cleaning at Boston farmhouse Satisfied that the floor had been cleaned as throughly as possible, I then installed several turbo dryers to thoroughly dry the flooring, allowing it to be ready for sealing the next day. Efficient drying was especially important here due to the amount of water used in the cleaning process; many tiled floor owners will already know that sealant cannot be applied if any moisture remains.

Riven slate floor during cleaning at Boston farmhouse

Sealing Riven Slate Tiles

To seal the tiles I used four costs of Tile Doctor Seal and Go. This is a topical sealer, meaning it forms a robust layer of protection on the surface of the tiles. Seal and Go also helps to enhance colour while providing a natural look matte finish that complements the natural stone.

Riven slate floor before cleaning at Boston farmhouse Looking at the photos of the floor before and after my work you can really get an idea of the transformation achieved in a short space of time. What a difference! The property owners were very pleased with the results, especially now that they are aware of the best way to keep their lovely Riven Slate tiles clean and protected.

Riven slate floor before cleaning at Boston farmhouse

Professional Riven Slate Tiled Floor Restoration in Lincolnshire

Riven Slate Tiles Rejuvenated by Deep Clean and Seal in Boston Read More »

Restoring a Stained Flagstone Tiled Floor in Boston

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

Recently, I was asked to visit a property in the small port town of Boston, Lincolnshire, to quote for a clean and seal. My client had recently moved into a new home, but the riven natural Sandstone flagstone floor had not been properly cared for or sealed by the previous owners and was now in need of a thorough clean. Sandstone flagstones are a popular choice for both residential and commercial use, and are especially popular in kitchens and hallways.

This particular floor was blemished by noticeable stains that had seeped into the stone. Further liquid stains were visible in other areas of the floor, as they had soaked into the stone due to the lack of a surface sealer. My primary tasks would be removing these blemishes and to provide a stain resistant surface seal to prevent damage in the future. My client also requested a natural look finish to the floor rather than a topical shine seal.

Riven Flagstone Floor Before Cleaning Boston

Cleaning a stained Flagstone tiled floor

This was a two day job. On day one, my main focus was on eliminating the stubborn stains on the stone tiles. I mixed a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, a high alkaline cleaner, with water to tackle the heavy soil build-up and applied the solution to the floor in sections leaving it to dwell for a short period first so it could get underneath the dirt and lift it to the surface.

I then used a combination of a stiff brush and a specialist Rotovac machine to scrub and clean the floor. The Rotovac uses water under high pressure to clean the floor and is highly effective in eliminating the difficult-to-reach dirt, particularly where it might be hidden due to the riven nature of the tiles. The cleaning process was repeated until I was satisfied with the results.

Sealing a Flagstone tiled floor

After finishing the clean I left the house, allowing the floor to dry off overnight. On day two, I returned to the house and ran damp tests to ensure that the surface was completely dry before commencing the seal.

Riven Flagstone Floor During Sealing Boston My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow. As an impregnating sealer, this product soaks into the stone to provide robust protection from within. It also contains a colour intensifier and so, as you can see from the photographs, it really helped to enhance the natural shades in the Sandstone.

Riven Flagstone Floor After Sealing Boston My client was delighted with the results and I think you will agree the floor looks transformed and much more appealing. Additionally the sealer is now protecting the stone from staining and liquids form puddles on the surface of the tile instead of soaking into its pores.

Riven Flagstone Floor After Sealing Boston

Tile cleaning and sealing for stained Flagstone tiled floor restoration in Lincolnshire

Restoring a Stained Flagstone Tiled Floor in Boston Read More »

Dirty Sandstone and Slate Floors deep cleaned and sealed in Coningsby

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Sleaford Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

We recently deep cleaned two different tiled floors at a property in the village of Coningsby in the centre of Lincolnshire. The floor was split into two areas one laid with natural Sandstone and the other Riven Slate tiles. Both tiled areas had been sealed previously but the sealer was clearly not doing the job as the floor had a very dull finish due to dirt being absorbed into the tile.

Sandstone Tiled Floor Before Cleaning in Coningsby

Riven Slate Tiled Floor Before Cleaning in Coningsby

Cleaning Terracotta Tiles

The floors were in need of a deep clean to remove the ingrained dirt and remaining sealer so the first step was to soak the tiles in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and then work it in using a rotary machine fitted with a black pad and a stiff brush along the grout lines. This did the job and there’s a great photograph below that shows the difference this made.

Sandstone Tiled Floor During Cleaning in Coningsby To extract the now soiled cleaning solution the floor was rinsed using water which was then extracted using our wet pick up system. Once the floor was clear we were able to see where more work was required and the process was repeated until we were happy the floor was thoroughly clean and free of any remaining sealer.

To get the floor dry a number of turbo air dryers were setup around the floor and we left for the day to allow the floor to thoroughly dry off overnight.

Sealing Terracotta Tile

The following morning we tested the tiles to make sure that both were dry which they were. We then applied Tile Doctor quality sealers to both floors; two different finishes were required for the different types of floor so we applied three coats of Colour Grow sealer to the Sandstone flooring as this impregnates the pores in the stone protecting it from staining and enhancing the natural colours to provide a natural look. We than applied four coats of Seal and Go sealer to the Slate floor, Seal and Go adds a nice subtle shine and works well on Riven Slate to highlight the different shades.

Riven Slate Tiled Floor During Sealing in Coningsby The customer was delighted with the results and left an excellent review which you can read below:
The floors look absolutely beautiful. I am very pleased with the service.
J. Gibbons, Coningsby

She wants us to return soon to seal the other stone areas in their property. As you can see from the photos the before and after is very striking. The floors were ready to take light use that same afternoon.

Sandstone Tiled Floor After Cleaining and Sealing in Coningsby

Riven Slate Tiled Floor After Cleaning and Sealing in Coningsby

Multiple tiled floors Cleaned and Sealed in Lincolnshire

Dirty Sandstone and Slate Floors deep cleaned and sealed in Coningsby Read More »

Natural Riven Stone floor stripped and re-sealed in Boston

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

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 Floor in Boston Before

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 strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a multipurpose cleaner/stripper. Pro-Clean was applied to the floor and then left to dwell for a good twenty minutes giving it time to break down the remaining sealer before being worked in using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. To get the grout clean we made up a further batch of Pro-Clean, this time with warm water and scrubbed it by hand into the grout lines using a stiff grout brush.

The soiled cleaning solution was removed using a wet vacuum and the floor given a thorough rinse using clean water. Stubborn areas were re-treated using the same process and the floor was left to dry overnight assisted with a turbo air blower.

Natural Stone Floor in Boston Stripped

Sandstone Tile Sealing

The next morning we applied three coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go to the tiles with each coat taking around twenty minutes to dry. Seal and Go is an ideal sealer for natural stone flooring and being water based there are no nasty smells to worry about like most solvent based products. Seal and Go also added a nice subtle sheen to the floor and will protect the tiles for years to come.

Natural Stone Floor in Boston Resealed The customer was delighted with the results.

Natural Stone Tiled Floor Cleaned and Re-Sealed in Boston

Natural Riven Stone floor stripped and re-sealed in Boston Read More »

Italian Riven Slate tiled floor cleaned and sealed in Boston

Boston Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

This Italian Riven Slate tiled floor installed in the dining room of a house in Boston, Lincolnshire was in need of a good clean and re-seal. If you look closely at the photographs below you should be able to see large areas where the surface has faded and become soiled which was probably due to the sealer wearing off allowing dirt to settle in the riven surface of the slate.

Cleaning Italian Riven 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 formula. It’s also quite good at stripping sealers from floors however this wasn’t too much of a problem on this floor.

The next step was to get into the grout lines with stiff brushes in order to give the grout a good scrub, this step has to be done by hand as the scrubbing pads can struggle to reach the grout. The next step was to remove the soiled cleaning solution with a wet vacuum and wash the floor down with clean water to remove any remaining cleaning product and neutralise the floor before the next step of sealing.

Sealing Italian Riven Slate floor tiles

Once the floor was dry we came back to seal it using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which really does help to bring out the natural colours in the slate and will protect the tile and grout from stains going forward.

Italian Riven Slate After Cleaning The job took two days in total and the customer was absolutely delighted with the improvement in the floor.

Italian Riven Slate tiles restored in Boston

Italian Riven Slate tiled floor cleaned and sealed in Boston Read More »

Quarry Tile Cleaning at a Public House in Boston

Boston Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

Great set of photographs here for a client in Boston this time in an old Public House. The floors were made up of stone and quarry tiles and looked to be over 100 years old, there was no evidence of a sealer being applied and they were in need of a good clean.

Quarry Tile Before Cleaining

Cleaning Quarry Tile Flooring

To start the Quarry tile cleaning we set about giving the floor a good scrub using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a rotary machine fitted with a buffing pad. We find machines can take a lot of the work out of the job but can only do so much, to reach those tricky corners you have to get down on your hands and knees with a scrubbing brush and add a bit of elbow grease. We worked at it for much of the day finishing by washing the floor down with clean water to remove any remaining chemical and neutralise the floor ready for sealing.

Quarry Tile After Cleaning and Sealing

Sealing the floor with a Quarry Tile Sealant

We let the floor dry overnight and came back the next day to apply the sealer. For this we used Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is ideal for older Quarry Tile floors which were probably laid without any form of damp proofing, the sealer is water based and as well as bringing out the colour in the tile and providing protection it allows the transmission of moisture vapour up though the floor.

The Quarry Tile floor required 4 coats of Seal and Go to get the job done, we find it always best to do a water test to discover if the right amount of sealer has been applied as too much will lead to the floor going sticky. To do this you wait for the sealer to dry and add a drop of water to the top of the tile, if the drop sits on top of the tile in a bubble then enough sealer has been applied.

Needless to say the customer was delighted with the results and the pub is now open for business.

Cleaning Quarry Tile at a Public House in Boston

Quarry Tile Cleaning at a Public House in Boston Read More »

Cleaning Terracotta Floor Tiles Near Boston

Boston Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

Details below of a terracotta floor cleaning job we did near Boston, that’s Boston in Lincolnshire which is small port on the east coast of the UK as opposed to Boston, Massachusetts which was given its name by emigrants from this area.

The tiles were expensive handmade terracotta tiles, a few of which contained finger prints that had been baked onto the tile during the manufacturing process. The owner had previously tried to seal the floor themselves using other products but was having difficulty and had delayed making use of their new kitchen extension until the floor could be sealed.

Terracotta Floor Tile Before Cleaning

Cleaning Terracotta Floor Tiles

To ensure a consistent finish we had to remove the previous sealer and make sure the Terracotta floor was clean it was scrubbed with a buffing machine assisted with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is an effective alkaline cleaner and sealer remover depending on the dilution. Cleaning the Terracotta floor tiles took a day to complete before being washed down with clean water to remove any remaining cleaner and neutralise the floor.

Terracotta After Cleaning and Sealing

Sealing Terracotta Floor Tiles

The floor was left overnight to dry and we came back the next day to apply a sealer to protect the tiles, sealing those pores that collect dirt and make them easier to clean. We used four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go for this; it’s recommend for Terracotta floors bringing out the colour in the tile whilst providing a Matt finish. The customer was over the moon with the results and can now move into their new kitchen and sealed tiles.

Cleaning and Sealing handmade Terracotta floor tiles near Boston

Cleaning Terracotta Floor Tiles Near Boston Read More »

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Lincolnshire Tile Doctor

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