Neutral Tile Cleaner Archives - Edinburgh Tile Doctor

Limestone Hallway Floor Polishing Edinburgh

Impressive Grey Limestone Hallway Renovated in Edinburgh New Town

Our client located in Edinburgh’s New Town area had a large, impressive entrance hallway with a well-used Grey Limestone floor. The tiles had seen many years of traffic and were dull and marked with events of family life. The request was to restore the floor back to how it looked when it was originally laid.

Limestone Hallway Floor Edinburgh Before Cleaning

I visited the property to survey the floor and understand the issues in detail. I could see that the original sealer had worn off with use and dirt was now becoming ingrained in the pores of the Limestone making it difficult to clean effectively. The wanted a slight sheen, but not too glossy, and to have it re-sealed but with a tough sealer that could take the punishment from a young family.

Having measured up the area I was able to provide a firm price, which was accepted and a date agreed for the work to start.

Cleaning a Ceramic Limestone Tiled Hallway

To start the area was cleared of all furniture. The coir matting at the front door was covered and the doorways leading off the hall had their floor entrances protected from any potential water ingress during cleaning.

Limestone Hallway Floor Edinburgh Before Cleaning Adding doorway protection

Work then started with the application of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was diluted and spread across the floor. The Pro-Clean was then left to soak into the pores of the Limestone for ten minutes in order for it to break down the ingrained dirt. The floor was then scrubbed with a coarse 200-grit pad fitted to a rotary floor machine. After this clean, the resultant residue was removed using a wet vacuum.

The pad does clean into the recessed of the grout line but I always find more hand-scrubbing with Pro-Clean helps so after the initial clean I started on the grout. The floor was then rinsed with clean water and removed with a wet vacuum as before.

Limestone Hallway Floor Edinburgh During Cleaning

The next stage was to start the 4-step burnishing process where the floor is burnished and honed using increasing grits of pads from 400 grit up to 3500 grits. The pads are applied using the rotary cleaner with water for lubrication and after each pad the floor is rinsed and the residue removed with the wet vacuum. Once this process has been completed, the floor is left to dry overnight. The last pad is a super fine 3500-grit that really brings up the polish and this is applied dry with only a little water sprayed onto the tile.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Hallway

On my return the next day the sealer we chose for the limestone was Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. It penetrates into the pores adding protection it from within and enhanced the natural colours in the Limestone in the process. This sealer is oil based which helps to improve the structure of the stone giving it a rich finish with a slight sheen. Additionally, Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal allows for vapour transmission so any moisture building under the floor can pass through and evaporate at the surface.

After the work has been completed the client was advised about the care and upkeep of the floor. The floor needs cleaning with a neutral pH cleaner such as Tile Doctors Neutral Tile Cleaner. This lifts the soiling from the tiles without eroding the sealer and therefore extends the life of the sealer.

Limestone Hallway Floor Edinburgh After Cleaning Burnishing and Sealing

My client was very happy with the end result and felt confident it would stand up to the heavy family use and keep its appearance.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Hallway in Edinburgh

Impressive Grey Limestone Hallway Renovated in Edinburgh New Town Read More »

Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floor Renovation Edinburgh

Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Currie

1 Comment / Edinburgh Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning / Christopher Munro

The Terracotta tiles in the kitchen, living area and entrance vestibule of this property in the village of Currie, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, were reclaimed and had been installed by the owners several years earlier. The intention was to give the property to give a country cottage feel which was achieved and looked great however years of traffic on the tiles by the owners and their dogs had taken their toll and their appearance had degraded.

The owners were keen to have the reclaimed tiles renovated bring back the look which they had in the beginning and loved so much; so, after contacting Tile Doctor I was asked to pay them a visit and see what could be achieved.

Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Edinburgh

I paid a visit to the property and ran a few product tests on the tiles with cleaners and strippers to see what would work best to remove the years of dirt from the porous clay Terracotta. I found that the test clean with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was scrubbed into a couple of tiles by hand easily cleaned the tiles and grout with excellent results. With this I was able to produce a renovation plan and quote that would deep clean all the floors and then apply a hard-wearing impregnating sealer.

Happy with my quote a date was agreed for the work to start and the products needed were ordered in time for my arrival.

Deep Cleaning Reclaimed Terracotta Floor Tiles

On my return I set about deep cleaning the Terracotta and Grout with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean working it into the tiles using a Black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. Unfortunately, the Terracotta tiles had been laid with a bit of lippage between the tiles, this did give the desired country cottage floor effect however it did make cleaning the grout more difficult. I managed to get around this using a special grout cleaning brush.

The Terracotta tiles and grout was then rinsed, and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum. Once done the tiles and grout were inspected and any stubborn areas re-treated using the same process until I was satisfied the Terracotta, and grout was as clean as possible.

The final step in the cleaning process was to give the floor an acid rinse using a 1:3 dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. This was scrubbed the floor with a deck brush to remove old grout smears and neutralise the pH level of the floor, after using Pro-Clean which is an alkaline cleaner. Again, after the clean the floor was rinsed with water, and the soiling removed with a wet vacuum.
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Once the clean had been completed on all the floors they were left over night to dry out ready for sealing the next day.

Sealing Reclaimed Terracotta Tiles

Our customer was very clear about finish and specified a matt finish which didn’t take away the natural and reclaimed look of the tiles. To match this, I recommended
Tile Doctor Colour Grow, it’s a matt sealer that contains a colour enhancing formula which really brings out the lovely orange and red colours in the reclaimed tiles. Also being an impregnator that soaks into the tile, protecting it from within, it’s very hard wearing and ideal for someone who has dogs in the house.

Terracotta tiles are made from clay and as a result are quite porous, because of this it took a few coats of sealer before they were fully sealed. Once done though the floor looked so much cleaner and brighter and the new sealer will provide long term protection moving forward.

Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floor After Cleaning and Matt Seal Edinburgh

For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, which is a mild but effective, neutral ph cleaner. We recommend this as many of the products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong and bleach based which will slowly strip off the sealer and allow dirt back into the floor.

Professional Restoration of Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floors in Edinburgh

Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Currie Read More »

Terrazzo Hallway Floor Restoration Morningside Edinburgh

Carpet Covered Terrazzo Hallway Floor Restored in Morningside Edinburgh

1 Comment / Edinburgh Tile Cleaning, Terrazzo Floor Cleaning / Christopher Munro

The photographs below are of what was once a beautiful Terrazzo floor, it was recently uncovered in the hallway of a house in the Morningside area of Edinburgh. The floor had clearly taken a beating over the years, but the owners were eager to have it restored. Restoring period features like this Terrazzo floor is often a great idea, as they are highly sought after and can significantly increase a property’s value.

The Terrazzo floor had spent many years hidden under carpet, with nails hammered through to hold carpet gripper in place. There was also a substantial amount of glue and paint that needed to be removed. However, I was confident it could be successfully restored and I provided the customer with a quotation.

Terrazzo Hallway Floor Before Cleaning Morningside Edinburgh

The quote was accepted and eager to have the work done as soon as possible a date was scheduled for my return.

Terrazzo Hallway Floor Before Cleaning Morningside Edinburgh

Cleaning and Repairing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway

Work started by focusing on the removal of as much of the paint, glue, and other contaminants as possible. To do this a razor-sharp scraper was carefully run over the floor by hand to remove the bulk of the heavy paint and glue.

The remaining stubborn contaminants were then removed using an application of Tile Doctors Remove and Go solution, which is excellent for lifting paint and carpet glue. After leaving the solution to soak in for about ten minutes it was scrubbed into the Terrazzo using a coarse 200-grit diamond pad fitted to a rotary machine. After this initial cleaning, the floor was rinsed with clean water, and the residue extracted with a wet vacuum.

The pad was then changed for the first of four diamond burnishing pads of progressively finer grits. Starting with the coarsest 400-grit pad and moving to increasingly fine pads the pads cut through the top layer of the Terrazzo to remove remaining grime and gradually re-polish the floor to its former glory., I added water at each stage and used a wet vacuum to remove the soiling generated by the burnishing process.

As the original Terrazzo floor began to shine through, the vibrant Silver, White and Black shades became more pronounced, revealing a lovely example of this classic material. After a final rinse to remove any remaining debris, I turned my attention to filling the numerous holes left by the previously removed nails.

Sealing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in Morningside

The floor was left to dry overnight, and the following morning I returned to seal it with two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. This is a modern oil-based, breathable sealer and was chosen because it is fully breathable and will enhance the strong colours in the Terrazzo.

After leaving each coat on for five minutes the surplus sealer was then clothed off and the floor polished with a White buffing pad. It’s important to choose a breathable sealer for old floors like these as they don’t have a damp-proof membrane and it will allow for moisture rising from the foundation to evaporate at the surface. If the moisture were prevented from doing this it would build up under the floor where it would eventually reach out to the walls causing issues like rising damp.

Terrazzo Hallway Floor After Renovation Morningside Edinburgh

The Terrazzo floor was transformed by the whole process and it was great to see a period feature that was original to the house put back into regular use. Before leaving I tool tile to discuss after care cleaning for which I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This is a mild yet effective maintenance cleaner that won’t degrade the sealer which can be an issue with many of the products you find in supermarkets which are simply too strong for cleaning a sealed floor.

Terrazzo Hallway Floor After Renovation Morningside Edinburgh

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in Edinburgh

Carpet Covered Terrazzo Hallway Floor Restored in Morningside Edinburgh Read More »

Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor Restoration Morningside Edinburgh

Screed Covered Victorian Vestibule Floor Restored in Morningside

1 Comment / Edinburgh Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Thomas Wilson

Having seen some of our previous work on the restoration of Victorian tiled floors this customer from Morningside contacted us about the tiled floor in their vestibule.

You can see from the photos below that the tiles were in quite a state and barely recognisable as a Victorian tiled floor. The floor had until recently been covered with a linoleum which had been glued onto a cement screed to level the floor. There were also many loose tiles that would need to be secured before the floor could be cleaned.

Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor Before Restoration Morningside Edinburgh

I quoted for rebuilding the floor, removing the cement screed, deep cleaning and finally sealing to protect the tiles going forward. It was going to take a lot of work to restore the Victorian floor back to its original condition fortunately however it was only a small floor.

Convinced that once complete the period floor would amazing and be a great asset to the property my quote was accepted and we agreed a date to commence the work.

Restoring Cement Covered Victorian Floor Tiling

On the first day I scraped off as much cement from the tiles as possible and lifted those that had become loose. Although it’s a small floor the pattern is made up from a lot of individually cut tiles so I ended up removing over 120 pieces of tile in total. We wanted to r-use as much of these original tiles as possible to the old adhesive was grinded off from the back and edges of every Individual tile.

Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor During Repair Morningside Edinburgh

On the next visit the floor base was cleaned up and each of the newly grinded tiles were dry fitted to ensure the pattern was correct. This process also revealed where we had missing tiles so these were replaced with reproduction tiles cut to fit exactly.

Once happy with the dry fit, the tiles were put back in place with fresh adhesive and then grouted. Once complete the floor was left to set for three days.

Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor During Cleaning Morningside Edinburgh

On my next visit I started the cleaning process commencing with the application of Tile Doctor Acid Gel worked in with a 200-grit diamond pad. The acidic nature of the product breaks down the remaining cement stains and will take care of hold grout smears from the surface of the tile. Once done the floor was rinsed with water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

Next, Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel tile cleaner was applied using the same method to remove any remaining dirt, glues and adhesives which were still present. I then used more Tile Doctor diamond pads in 400, 800 and then 1500 grits to further refine the appearance of the Victorian tiles.

Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor During Cleaning Morningside Edinburgh

The floor was then wiped with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to neutral the ph level of the floor after using Oxy-Gel which is a strong alkaline product and left to dry out for ten days. The tiles had been covered with lino for over forty years so I wanted to give the floor as much time as possible to dry out. Old floors like this don’t have a damp proof membrane so can take a lot longer to dry out especially if covered with a non-breathable covering like lino.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor

When I returned, the floor was first tested with a damp meter to ensure it was dry enough to proceed with sealing. Applying sealer to a damp floor can lead to a patchy result so its always worth ensuring its dry before proceeding.

All was well with the moisture readings were fine so I was able to proceed and apply the sealer which for this floor we chose Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. This is a robust oil-based impregnating sealer that enhances colour that is externally rated so perfect for a vestibule floor.

Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor After Sealing Morningside Edinburgh

My client was over the moon with the transformation and left the following feedback for me:

“The amazing Thomas managed to save our beautiful floor which had been covered for years. We found the floor underneath layers of old linoleum and glue and I was unsure if anyone could bring it back to its former glory.
Can’t recommend his company enough! Xx”

Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor After Restoration Morningside Edinburgh

For the regular cleaning of sealed floors, I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is a gentle yet effective tile cleaner. It’s important to choose a neutral pH cleaner for cleaning sealed tiles as a lot of products you find in supermarkets contain bleach and are simply too strong for cleaning a sealed surface and will quickly erode the sealer with use.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Edinburgh

Screed Covered Victorian Vestibule Floor Restored in Morningside Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration Portobello Edinburgh

Victorian Tiled Hallway Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Portobello Edinburgh

1 Comment / Edinburgh Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Thomas Wilson

This Victorian Tiled Hallway floor at a property in Portobello which is on the coast, East of Edinburgh. It had not been deep cleaned for some time and was looking very neglected. The owner felt it was time to get it renovated so we were asked to do the work.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Portobello Edinburgh

Any sealer protecting the tiles had long since worn off resulting in dirt becoming ingrained into the pores where it’s very difficult to shift. The dirt had built-up in the tiles, and they were also stained with a few paint splashes from decorating.

Additionally, there were three small tile repairs that were needed and some grouting to do. Happy to assist I came up with a restorative cleaning plan for the floor that was considerate of its age and provided a quote for doing the work.

Renovating a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Portobello Edinburgh

Old floors like this one don’t have a damp proof membrane under the floor so you have to be wary of how much water you use during cleaning, if you use too much it could take a long time to dry out and you can seal it.

To start the cleaning I have the whole floor an Acid Wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. The product is applied to the floor and left to soak in for ten minutes before being worked in with low grit brushes fitted to a rotary buffer. Then after going over the floor a few times the floor was wiped with damp cloths and speed dried with air movers. The paint splashes had now been softened by the cleaning were be scraped off.

Victorian Tiled Hallway During Cleaning Portobello Edinburgh

Giving a floor like this an acid wash also has the advantage of neutralising any efflorescent salts in the tiles which can be an issue with old floors like this one.

With that complete I started with repairs which involved carefully removing the three broken tiles, cleaning up the base and then laying replacements which I had managed to source earlier. Your really have to be careful when removing tiles on a floor of this age as it doesn’t take much to upset the neighbouring tiles and before you know it your re-tiling a area much larger than you had originally planned for.

Once the replacement tiles had set and grouted in, I was able to move onto the next step of scrubbing the floor with a 200, 400 and then 800-grit Diamond burnishing pad. A little water is used to help lubricate the process which opens and then closes the pores on the surface allowing the dirt to be flushed out and makes the tiles slightly smoother. We find doing this also speeds up drying times. The water turns into a slurry which is removed with a wet vacuum after each pad is applied.

Victorian Tiled Hallway During Cleaning Portobello Edinburgh

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

With the floor clean it was left to dry off for a week before returning to seal the tiles, applying a sealer to a damp floor can result in a cloudy appearance so it’s always best to wait.

The sealer chosen for this floor was Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal, it’s an oil-based long lasting breathable impregnator that’s rated for external as well as internal use; these are perfect credentials for a Hallway floor at the front of the house which is likely to get wet often.

The sealer brought the floor to life enhancing the deep colours giving the floor hardwearing protection that should last many years to come. The fresh sealer will ensure dirt remains on the surface where it can be cleaned away easily.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning Portobello Edinburgh

Before leaving I took time to explain the importance of using a neutral pH tile cleaning product such as Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner for day-to-day cleaning. A lot of products you find in supermarkets contain bleach and are simply too strong for cleaning a sealed surface and will quickly erode the sealer with use.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Portobello Edinburgh

Victorian Tiled Hallway Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Portobello Edinburgh Read More »

Victorian Tiled Porch Floor Renovation Edinburgh

Victorian Porch Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Edinburgh

1 Comment / Edinburgh Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Thomas Wilson

This is a small job we did recently to renovate a Victorian Tiled Porch floor at a property in Edinburgh that was extremely dirty and stained. Situated at the front of the house the porch was exposed to most of the traffic coming into the property and over time the sealer had worn off the tiles allowing dirt to become trapped into its pores.

Victorian Tiled Porch Before Cleaning Edinburgh

Renovating a Victorian Tiled Porch Floor in Edinburgh

If you have read any of my posts before you will know I’m vary of old Victorian tiled floors like this one. Older floors don’t have a damp-proof membrane so you have to minimise the use of water otherwise it can take days or even weeks before the floor dries out, it can also exacerbate efflorescence issues.

To work around this issue, we have adopted a “Low Moisture Cleaning” system that uses Gel based cleaning products. To start we apply Tile Doctor Acid Gel which being a gel is very easy to control. The gel is applied to the floor and left to dwell for a while before it is worked in with a coarse 100-grit burnishing pad that opens the pores in the tile so the dirt can be flushed out. Then after going over the floor a few times with the pad the slurry was extracted with a wet vacuum.

The porch floor was then inspected and stubborn stains were spot treated until I was happy with the condition of the tiles. I also had to scrape off some paint splashes from decorating.

The next step was to further improve the condition of the Victorian tiles by applying 200, 400 and then an 800-grit burnishing pads. This closes the surface pores and makes the tiles slightly smoother. We find doing this also speeds up drying times. I used minimal water to help lubricate the burnishing process and wipe the floor after each pad using damp cloths.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Porch Floor

The floor was then left to dry off for a week before I returned to seal the floor using Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. This is a modern oil-based sealer that improves structure and is rated for external use so ideal for an area like a porch that gets wet, its also fully breathable so perfect for floors without a damp-proof membrane.

Victorian Tiled Porch Floor After Renovation Edinburgh

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Edinburgh

Victorian Porch Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Edinburgh Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Renovation Edinburgh

Victorian Hallway Renovated using Low Moisture Cleaning in Edinburgh

1 Comment / Edinburgh Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Thomas Wilson

Details below of a another Victorian Hallway floor restoration that we completed recently in Edinburgh. The owner of the property was unhappy with how dull the floor had become and was keen for it to be renovated back to health.

Old Victorian tiles are porous and so do need to be sealed to protect them from ingrained dirt and staining, unfortunately sealers don’t last for ever and do wear down with use so if you want to keep your floor looking clean you do need to maintain the sealer.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Renovation Edinburgh

I’ll add more detail below but in total this project took three days to complete as there were a lot of tiles that had to be lifted and fixed back down again, this was all done on the first day and once set the whole porch area had to be regrouted.

Renovating a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Edinburgh

As mentioned above the first day was spent ensuring the tiles were secure. This involved checking every tile by hand in the hallway and porch floor and identifying all the problems so they could be removed cleaned up and then re-laid with fresh adhesive.

It’s a lot of manual work but by the end of the first day the tiled floor was solid and ready for cleaning although I decided to come back to do the cleaning a few days later to give the repairs time to set.

Old floors like this one don’t have a damp proof membrane under the floor so you have to be wary of how much water you use during cleaning, if you use too much it could take days or even weeks before the floor dries out you can seal it. Fortunately, we have a solution and for situations like this we adopt a method called “Low Moisture Cleaning”

Victorian Tiled Hallway During Renovation Edinburgh

This method primarily involves giving the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which being a gel is very easy to control. The gel is applied to the floor and left to dwell for a while before it is worked in with a coarse 200-grit burnishing pad. Then after going over the floor a few times with the pad the slurry extracted with a wet vacuum. The process was repeated two to three times until I was satisfied that tiles were as clean as possible. I then wiped the floor using a damp cloth dipped in a bucket with a mixture of Grout Clean-Up and water.

This method allowed us to get the tiles as clean as possible without the need of any alkaline cleaning products which can cause efflorescence issues later when the floor dries. Efflorescence is a common problem on floors of this age where a damp-proof membrane has not been fitted; moisture rises through the sub floor and tile carrying salts which then get deposited on the surface of the tile as the moisture evaporates. Once complete the floor was left to dry off overnight with an industrial fan in place to help with the drying and to ensure it would be ready for sealing the next day.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

On the final third day we returned to seal the floor testing the moisture level first with a damp meter to ensure the floor was dry. The results were positive, and I was happy that it was within the correct tolerance for the sealer to be effective. To seal the floor, we used Tile Doctor Colour Grow, applying three coats and letting each coat dry before applying the next.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Renovation Edinburgh

The sealer enhanced the deep colours in the tile and gave the floor hardwearing protection that should last many years to come, the fresh sealer will also make them easy to clean. I should mention that Colour Grow is also fully breathable which is perfect for a floor with no damp-proof membrane, in that it won’t trap moisture under the tiles where is could eventually spread to the walls and lead to rising damp.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Edinburgh

Victorian Hallway Renovated using Low Moisture Cleaning in Edinburgh Read More »