Ceramic Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of Ceramic Tile and Grout Cleaning/Renovation work carried out in Hampshire

Cleaning Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tiles are usually fully glazed and so do not have any pores that dirt can become ingrained into, because of this they are easy to clean with Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner and are generally low maintenance. Textured ceramic tiles however are one exception, they have a rough surface in order to make them less slippery and are often used around wet areas such as swimming pools. Dirt is easily trapped in the textured surface and to get these clean requires a more intensive clean ideally using a rotating scrubbing pad.

Due to their low maintenance we rarely get called to deep clean Ceramic tiles however grout is a different case. The top layer of grout is actually porous and due to it being recessed we find when they are mopped it leads to a build-up of dirt on the grout causing it to discolour. This can be resolved using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and then once clean and fully dry, seal the grout with one coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal using a pipette.

Ceramic tiles are used a lot in bathrooms and shower cubicles where again we find it’s usually the grout or silicone sealant that discolours before the tiles do. In these cases we often find the appearance can be greatly improved with the use of a Grout Colourant and replacement of the silicone.

Below you will find detailed examples of work we have carried out in the past, it should give you some idea of what’s involved and what can be achieved with the right techniques and products

Limescale Removal Basingstoke Shower Cubicle Before and After

Limescale Removed From Ceramic Tiles in Basingstoke Shower Cubicle

1 Comment / Basingstoke Tile Cleaning, Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Work History /

The photographs below are taken from a house in the old market town of Basingstoke which is now the largest town in Hampshire. I was asked to address a very severe case of Limescale build-up in a shower cubicle. The wall tiles were Ceramic and a shocking amount of Limescale had deposited itself on them and the shower tray over the years; the owners were going to have to replace everything if Tile Doctor could not come to the rescue!

The photos below really demonstrate the extent of the problem and needless to say the Gauntlet had been laid down and I was ready for a challenge!

Limescale Removal Basingstoke Shower Cubicle Before Limescale Removal Basingstoke Shower Cubicle Before

Cleaning a Ceramic tiled shower cubicle

My first task was to provide the Ceramic tiled walls with an initial clean. I did this by firstly mixing a diluted solution of the high alkaline cleaner known as Tile Doctor Pro Clean and then applying this on the tiles and leaving it to dwell for a while before scrubbing it in by hand in order to remove any surface dirt and scum. This was then washed off and I set my mind to the main task at hand: the Limescale removal.

Removing Limescale from a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle

To remove the Limescale it is necessary to apply an acidic product. However, there is an issue for homeowners that most products readily available on the market come in a liquid form, which of course simply drips down the tile, and therefore does not work to the best of its abilities. Fortunately, Tile Doctor recently launched a new product by the name of Acid Gel. Since it’s in a gel form it stays put on the surface and does not evaporate or dry out too quickly. This allows it time to break down the Limescale and other difficult stains.

Acid Gel was thus applied to the affected areas and left to dwell for a short while. I then scrubbed it deeply into the tile and grout lines, and follow up with an application of steam to tackle the stubborn areas and help the Acid Gel to tackle the Limescale.

Limescale Removal Basingstoke Shower Cubicle After Limescale Removal Basingstoke Shower Cubicle After

The results were absolutely fantastic, and even the shower tray – which was in a very poor state indeed – came up very clean. Needless to say, my client was very pleased that they now do not have to replace the shower!

Dealing with Limescale Build-up in Hampshire

Limescale Removed From Ceramic Tiles in Basingstoke Shower Cubicle Read More »

Romsey Ceramic Tile and Grout Before and After Cleaning and Colouring

Kitchen Ceramic Tile and Grout Clean in Romsey

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Eastleigh Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Work History /

This was a straightforward request to deep clean the Ceramic Tile and Grout in the kitchen of a house in Romsey, Hampshire but as you will see from the photograph below the Grout was far too stained to be cleaned effectively. Kitchen grout gets a lot of abuse from spillages so this is not unusual and to prevent it the grout can be sealed or you can choose a dark grout colour.

Romsey Ceramic Tile and Grout Before Cleaning

Cleaning and Preparing the Tile and Grout

To get the tile and grout clean I applied a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and left it to soak in to the surface dirt for a while before scrubbing it with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and also a stiff hand brush along the grout lines. This was then washed down with warm water all of which was removed by a wet Vacuum. This cleaning process was repeated until the tiles were clean and the grout was a good as I could get it. Unfortunately the grout had stained quite badly and we were unable to get a good uniform appearance so after discussing this with the customer it was agreed that we would apply a white Grout Colourant.

Applying Grout Colourant

If it was a small area I could have considered using a Grout Pen however this required more than a touch up so this is where you need an epoxy grout colourant which forms a hard wearing epoxy barrier over the existing grout that looks natural and effectively protects the grout from further staining.

The grout needs to be clean and dry before you apply it so if you’re doing this from scratch make sure you clean the grout first with Pro-Clean or the Pre-Treater product that is available. The grout colourant is then easily applied using a toothbrush, it sounds easy but you have to be very methodical. The colourant dries in about an hour after which it’s worth double checking your work and then removing any excess by applying a little water and running over it with a white pad.

Romsey Ceramic Tile and Grout After Cleaning and Colouring
I think you will agree from the photographs the tiles look much cleaner and the floor transformed by the improvement in grout colour.

Kitchen Ceramic Floor Restored in Romsey

Kitchen Ceramic Tile and Grout Clean in Romsey Read More »

Kitchen Tiled Worktop in Brighton Before and After Cleaning

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Worktop in Brighton

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Waterlooville Tile Cleaning, Work History /

Following a referral from customer which is always nice to have, we paid a visit to a house in Brighton where the owner was having difficulty keeping their ceramic tiled kitchen worktop clean. As you can see from the photograph below the glazed ceramic tiles were in reasonable condition, it was the grout that was the problem; this is not unusual as glazer ceramics are very hard wearing but the top layer of grout is in fact porous and will trap dirt and become discoloured if not sealed.

Kitchen Tiled Worktop in Brighton Before Cleaning

Grout Cleaning

There were two ways this job could have been tackled, the first being to remove the top layer or grout using the flat blade of a screwdriver and then re-grout. It was a reasonably large area of worktop so this would have taken some time. The second and simpler option is to use a heavy duty tile and grout cleaning product such as Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and that is exactly what we did, it also has the added advantage of cleaning the tiles at the same time.

The Pro-Clean was diluted with water and then left to dwell on the tile and grout for about ten minutes before being scrubbed in by hand with a stiff brush. For the wall tiles the solution was decanted to a spray bottle and sprayed onto the tiles, the combination with air makes it lighter and more able to stick to a vertical surface.

The tiles were then washed down with water and any stubborn areas re-treated with more Pro-Clean and elbow grease, it wasn’t long before the tile and grout was looking like new again.

Sealing Grout

Now glazed Ceramic tiles don’t need to be sealed as the glaze provides an effective barrier however as I mentioned before the top layer of grout is porous and will attract dirt over time and should be sealed, especially considering kitchen worktops are used to prepare food. Tile Doctor have a range of sealing products any of which will seal grout however in this case I used Wall Tile and Grout Sealer which comes in a spray bottle.

Kitchen Tiled Worktop in Brighton After Cleaning

Cleaning Ceramic Worktop Tile and Grout on the South Coast

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Kitchen Worktop in Brighton Read More »

Floor Ceramic Tiles After Stockbridge

Kitchen Ceramic Tile and Grout Clean in Stockbridge

1 Comment / Andover Tile Cleaning, Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Work History /

The home owner of this house in Stockbridge had become increasingly unhappy with the state of their ceramic tiled floor and we were asked to come in and give the ceramic tile and grout a thorough deep clean.

Floor Ceramic Tiles Before Stockbridge

Cleaning and Preparing the Tile and Grout

To get the tile and grout clean I applied a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and left it to soak in to the surface dirt for a while before scrubbing it with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and also a stiff hand brush along the grout lines. This was then washed down with warm water all of which was removed by a wet Vacuum. This cleaning process was repeated until the tiles were clean and the grout was a good as I could get it. Unfortunately the grout had stained quite badly and we were unable to get a good uniform appearance so it was agreed that we would applying a white Grout Colourant.

Applying Grout Colourant

The grout colourant range sold by Tile Doctor are a huge improvement on those grout pens you will find in DIY stores, they come in a range of colours and form a hard wearing epoxy barrier over the existing grout that looks natural and effectively protects the grout from further staining.

The grout needs to be clean and dry before you apply it so if you’re doing this from scratch make sure you clean the grout first with Pro-Clean or the Pre-Treater product that is available. The grout colourant is then easily applied using a toothbrush, it sounds easy but you have to be very methodical. The colourant dries in about an hour after which it’s worth double checking your work and then removing any excess by applying a little water and running over it with a white pad.

Floor Ceramic Tiles After Stockbridge
I think you will agree from the photographs the tiles look much cleaner and the change in grout colour makes the floor look that much fresher, it will also be a lot easier to maintain going forward.

Maintaining Ceramic Tile and Grout

Kitchen Ceramic Tile and Grout Clean in Stockbridge Read More »

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