Pro-Clean Archives - Glasgow Tile Doctor

Renovating a New Slate Floor Ruined by Plasterers in Giffnock

This customer from the Glasgow suburb of Giffnock recently had a beautiful Brazilian Slate tiled floor put down and then had the kitchen plastered. Unfortunately, the plasterers hadn’t covered the new floor with any protection during their work, and it got stained in the process. They did try to wash it afterwards which improved things but couldn’t get it completely clean and left it looking dull and nowhere near how it looked just a week earlier.

Slate Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Giffnock Glasgow

Concerned their new floor was ruined I was asked to pop round and see what could be done to remedy the situation. Plaster staining was evident close to the walls where plaster must had dropped onto the tiles, and I suspect a strong cleaning product was used to clean the floor afterwards as the tiles were looking quite dull and flat indicating the original sealer had been impacted.

To rectify the floor would now need an intensive clean to remove the plaster and then resealing. I worked out a detailed quote for the work which was accepted and a date scheduled for the work to start which would take two days. I suspect the cost would no doubt be charged to the plasterer who clearly should have taken more care.

Slate Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Giffnock Glasgow

Cleaning Slate Floor Tile and Grout

To get the Slate floor clean a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was sprayed onto the tiles and left to soak in for ten minutes so allow the solution time to break down the staining. The solution was then scrubbed into the stone using a rotary bonnet machine fitted with a Silicon Carbide Brush. The scrubbing turned the cleaning solution into a slurry which was then rinsed off the floor with more water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

Next step was to treat the stubborn plaster-stained areas using another Tile Doctor product called Grout Clean-up. This is an acidic cleaner that is specifically designed for removing grout smears but also does well removing other cement type products such as plaster. Some areas had to be treated several times to breakdown and remove all the staining, but it did the job and after another rinse and extraction the Slate tilers were looking spotless.

Sealing Slate Floor Tiles

The floor was left to dry off overnight and then we returned on the second day to seal the Slate with Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is a water-based sealer (no smell) that adds a nice sheen to the tile and gave the desired finish. Slate is quite porous so five coats of Seal and Go were required to ensure the floor was fully sealed. As well as improving the appearance of the Slate bringing out the colour and features of the stone it also adds protection that will ensure dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Slate Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Giffnock Glasgow

When finished the Slate floor looked like a new installation and as you can imagine the owner was quite relieved. Regarding maintenance cleaning I like to recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for sealed floors, it’s an effective product with a neutral PH that won’t impact the sealer increasing its longevity.

Slate Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Giffnock Glasgow

Professional Renovation of Slate Tiled Floors in Glasgow

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Cumbernauld

Travertine Tiled Floor Restoration in Cumbernauld Kitchen and Utility

We were contacted by a homeowner from the town of Cumbernauld in Glasgow about cleaning their Travertine tiled floor. The travertine tiles had been laid throughout the kitchen and utility room some years prior and since that time had become dull and unappealing. Kitchens are a high traffic area and more prone to staining than most rooms, in this case the grout had become very discoloured.

Travertine Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Polishing Cumbernauld

I visited the property to survey the floor and check the extent of the problems. I could see that the original sealer and polish had basically been worn down with use over the years and to resolve it would need deep cleaning including the grout, stone polishing, and re-sealing. Having worked out a solution I explained the plan to my client and reassured him that the floor could be renovated, and we would soon have it looking good again. I gave them a price which was accepted and a date agreed for our return to do the work.

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen and Utility Floor

This work was carried out over 2 days, on the first day we deep cleaned the stone and grout using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a versatile tile and grout cleaning product. This product was left to dwell for a short while allowing it to soak in and get to work on the ingrained dirt. It was then agitated using the rotary floor cleaner fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Afterwards the dirt is then rinsed away with water and the soiling extracted using a wet vacuum.

Travertine Tiled Floor During Cleaning Polishing Cumbernauld

Next, a 400-grit diamond burnishing pad was applied to start the honing and polishing and is the first step in restoring the polished appearance of the Travertine. We worked our way through the 400, 800, 1500 then 3000 grit burnishing pads that day, slowly cleaning and re-building the polish. In between each pad the soiling was extracted, and grout scrubbed reapplying Tile Doctor Pro-Clean as required to remove any residues left by the pads. The floor was then left overnight to dry ready for applying the seal the following day.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen and Utility Floor

Returning the next day work began by checking the moisture readings of the floor using a damp meter. The readings were good and it confirmed the floor was dry and ready for sealing. If the floor proved to be damp then the seal would fail to cure properly.

To seal the floor, we had agreed on the use of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that contains a colour enhancer that will provide the stone floor with a lovely semi matt finish. The first coat of sealer was still visible after 10-15 minutes so the excess was buffed off with a White pad and then left to cure for an hour. We then went over the floor with the White buffing pad again just to bring up the shine on the Travertine. Sometimes it is necessary to apply several coats of the sealer, but this floor had taken it well, so this was not needed.

Travertine Tiled Floor Ater Cleaning Polishing Cumbernauld

One done the floor looked fantastic, it has a lovely light sheen and the natural brown tones of the floor looked fabulous. The client was over the moon with the work we had carried out.

Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare cleaning which for a polished stone floor like this, I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is a gentle cleaning product that won’t impact the sealer and will maintain the patina.

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen and Utility in Glasgow

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