grout colouring Archives - Edinburgh Tile Doctor

Ceramic Shower Cubicle Before and After Cleaning Edinburgh

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle in Edinburgh

This is a great example of the difference we can make to a Shower Cubicle which suffer from a build up of soap scum, mould and staining from the dyes in shampoos and soaps etc.

Ceramic Shower Cubicle Before Cleaning Edinburgh

This particular cubicle was installed at a property in the city of Edinburgh. The walls were Ceramic tiles which are ideal for shower areas as the glaze makes them completely water proof. However with grout being cementitious it does attract dirt and this shower was no different.

Cleaning Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

The first step was to remove the wire accessory holder and then soak all the tile and grout in a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. I find decanting into a spray bottle works best as it mixes it with air which makes it easier to stick to the wall.

With the Pro-Clean in place it was then hand scrubbed to get the tile and especially the grout clean of all the mould and other stains. The shower walls were rinsed down and the process repeated where necessary.

Grout Colouring Shower Wall Tiles

With the tiles and grout now clean we could see that the grout was still discoloured in some areas where it had been badly stained. One option at this point would be rake out the grout and replace with new however overtime it would only discolour again, so in agreement with the customer we applied a grout colourant in a Limestone colour to better match the tile.

The Grout Colourant would ensure all the grout had a consistent appearance while also adding an impenetrable barrier that will keep its appearance for a long time. It takes a little time to do but is easily applied with a small brush and then you wipe off any excess that gets onto the tile.

The next step was to strip out the mastic silicone sealant strip from around the base of the shower cubicle and replace with new. I used high quality silicone sealant that left nice lines and fresh look, don’t use cheap sealant as it will soon discolour and some have been known to shrink.

Ceramic Shower Cubicle After Cleaning Edinburgh

Deep cleaning and re-colouring the grout made a huge difference; the shower cubicle has been transformed and now looks like a new installation.

Stained Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Refreshed in Edinburgh

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle in Edinburgh Read More »

Edinburgh Bathroom Before and After Grout Refresh

Quick and Effective Bath Tile Refresh in Edinburgh

1 Comment / Edinburgh Tile Cleaning, Work History / Thomas Wilson

Here’s a quick example of an interesting tiled shower cubicle at a property in Edinburgh that was well overdue for a refresh, including deep cleaning and recolouring do the grout lines that had become stained and mouldy. This is a problem that the majority of property owners experience due to the simple fact that shower cubicles come into contact with damaging acid-based shampoos and soaps on a daily basis.

The short-term solution for this is to wash the shower cubicle down with water after each use, however busy people do not always remember to do so! The prognosis is bad discolouration, mould growth and staining if the problem if proper care isn’t taken. In this case, the problem had worsened to the point that the property owner decided to contact Tile a Doctor to provide a thorough refresh of the tiles.

Cleaning Stained and Discoloured Shower Cubicle Tiles

Our process for refreshing shower cubicles in a similar state to this one is simple, but highly effective. I started by mixing a strong solution of our high alkaline cleaner, known as Tile Doctor Pro Clean (diluted to an appropriate level with water), before applying it directly to the tile and grout.

Next, I worked it in using specialised handheld grout brushes , with the alkaline in the Pro Clean neutralising the acidic staining and mould growth had leaving the area clean and fresh. Pro Clean is suitable for use on all kinds of natural stone, and on both verticals and horizontal surfaces. Once satisfied the grout had been cleaned to the best of my abilities, I quickly dried the entire area using a heat gun.

Recolouring Shower Cubicle Grout

To restore the appearance of the installation back to it’s optimal appearance I chose to recolour the grout lines with our Light Grey grout colourant, which matched in very nicely. This is just one of ten different colours of grout colourant we offer. The colourant was left to dry for a short period before I cleaned off any excess. The final stage of the refresh involved stripping off the old discoloured silicone from around the bath and replacing it with fresh silicone.

The customer was very impressed by the speed and efficiency of the refresh. With the work completed to a high standard in just a few hours, she now has one less problem to worry about – and a very smart looking shower cubicle! Another satisfied customer.

Bathroom Tile and Grout Restoration in Edinburgh

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Kitchen Wall Tile Before and After Refresh in Edinburgh

Refreshing Kitchen Wall Grout in an Edinburgh Kitchen

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Edinburgh Tile Cleaning, Work History / Thomas Wilson

If you’re looking to give your kitchen a face lift then read on as the following post details a very simple grout treatment that I think you will agree really refreshed the look of this kitchen in Edinburgh. In fact if you’re thinking of selling your property this quick but effective grout treatment will really make your tiles look a lot more appealing.

Normally to get grout clean we recommend a good scrub with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean however in some cases the staining cannot be removed completely and sometimes the customer simply wants a different grout colour. In either case whether its wall or floor grout the solution is to re-colour the grout with a Grout Colourant which are available in ten popular colours.

Kitchen Wall Tile Before Refresh in Edinburgh

As you can see in the photographs above the Kitchen Wall Grout for this ceramic tiled kitchen in Edinburgh was a grey colour which looked dirty and was not very attractive.

Cleaning and Colouring Grout

The first step before grout colouring is to give the grout a good scrub with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to get it as clean as possible before applying the colourant. The grout was then wiped and then allowed to dry ready for the colourant to be applied.

Once the grout was ready the colourant was run evenly along the grout line in thin coats so it didn’t run, working the brush backwards and forwards and taking care to minimise the amount of colourant left on the tile. One coat is usually sufficient but you may need to apply a number of coats if the original grout colour was quite dark.

Kitchen Wall Tile After Refresh in Edinburgh

I think you will agree from the photographs the white colourant gave the tiles a really fresh feel and gave the impression the tiling was recent. The colourant also adds a barrier over the grout protecting it from staining and making it easier to clean in future.

Kitchen Tile Refresh Service in Edinburgh

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External Quarry Tile Steps Before and After Cleaning

External Quarry Tile Steps and Grout Cleaned in Kirkliston

1 Comment / Broxburn Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / Thomas Wilson

The photographs below are from a set of steps outside a house in the small West Lothian town of Kirkliston near Edinburgh airport and as you can see from the photograph the Quarry Tiled steps and Grout were looking tired and now in need of a good deep clean.

External Quarry Tile Steps Before Cleaning

Cleaning Quarry Tile and Grout

To get them clean we scrubbed in a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, it was a small area so this was done by hand using water to rinse away the soiled cleaning solution. The process was repeated until the dirt and grime had been removed and particular attention was applied to the grout using a stiff brush and plenty of elbow grease. Cleaning tiles outside does have its advantages as there is less preparation required but drying can take longer if it’s a cold day or shady spot.

Grout Colouring Quarry Tiles

Despite our best efforts to get the grout clean there was still evidence of staining so once it was dry the grout was coloured with 2 coats of grout colourant. The top layer of grout is actually porous so it will become ingrained with dirt over time that makes cleaning very difficult, the grout colourant product we use however forms an epoxy barrier over the grout which seals the grout and makes it easy to clean. Once complete and dry the steps were finished off with a wipe down using Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner.

External Quarry Tile Steps After Cleaning

Quarry Tile Steps and Grout Refreshed in Kirkliston near Edinburgh Airport

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