Porcelain Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of the cleaning and renovation of Porcelain tiles carried out in Worcestershire

Cleaning and Polishing Porcelain tiles

Harder than ceramic tiles modern production methods have allowed a growth in the availability and design of Porcelain tiles which are known for their durability and water resistance making them a popular option for floors. Like Ceramic, Porcelain tiles are generally very easy to clean and need little maintenance however some are micro porous and do require sealing, you will need to ask you supplier which type you have installed as it can be very difficult to tell.

If your Porcelain tiles are of the micro porous variety then they will need to be sealed to avoid a build-up of dirt in the pores of the tile. For this we recommend Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which works by impregnating the pores to ensure dirt can’t become ingrained there without changing the appearance of the tile itself.

Apart from sealing the biggest issues with this type of tile are usually grout related. Either the adjacent grout discolours over time or the tiler has been unable to remove excess grout from the surface of the tile, an issue known as Grout Haze or Grout Smears. Modern grouts can be particularly susceptible to the grout haze issue due to shorter working times and polymers in the grout which make it difficult to remove once dry. If this sounds familiar do contact us so we can advise you on how best to remove it.

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.


Stained Grout Before After Colouring Kidderminster Worcestershire

Grout Colour Changed on Large Porcelain Tiled Floor in Kidderminster

I visited this property on the outskirts of Kidderminster which had Porcelain tiles laid throughout the downstairs. The owner was happy with the tiles but unhappy with the grout which had become stained. This is not unusual as Porcelain tiles are very resilient but the cementous top layer of grout is slightly porous and can attract dirt. As a result, the grout can become discoloured over time and if it becomes very stained no amount of cleaning will bring the grout back to its original colour.

Large Porcelain Floor Before Grout Colouring Kidderminster

After a careful inspection we both concluded that the best way forward would be to apply a Tile Doctor Grout Colourant in a darker colour to make maintenance easier in the future and give the whole floor a much needed, face lift. My quote was accepted, and the work scheduled.

The work would take four days to complete as there was 60 square metres of tiles where the grout needed to be recoloured, also some areas of grout needed replacing where the grout had perished.

Renovating Grout on a Porcelain Tiled Downstairs Floor

After re-grouting the areas where the grout had crumbled, I began to prepare the grout lines with the application of a Tile Doctor Grout Colouring Pre-Treater which is scrubbed into the grout lines and sponged away, the pre-treater cleans and etches the grout, so the colourant achieves a stronger bond.

To speed dry the grout I used a heat gun, so I could get on with the application of the grout colourant. It was a large floor, so I needed five tubes of 237ml Natural Grey Grout Colourant which was applied in stages so to minimise disruption to the owner. It’s very easy to apply, the trick is to make sure you wipe off any excess that gets on the tile before it dries.

The floor was then buffed with a white buffing pad to bring up the appearance.

Once completed the owner was extremely happy that the floor had been given a completely new look and looked as good as the day it was installed. The colourant will also form a barrier over the grout which will prevent staining in future and make it easier to clean.

Large Porcelain Floor After Grout Colouring Kidderminster

The customer was very pleased and left this review.

“I could not find anyone locally to carry out the work on the discoloured grout on my floor tiles – they were ruining the look of my new kitchen – so finding the Tile Doctor was a real godsend. Mark came promptly and was very reassuring – the work was done quickly and efficiently, and the finished result was amazing – I love my tiles again! Mark was pleasant and helpful – nothing was too much trouble and it was a pleasure to have him working in the house – he also gave me some good advice as to how to keep the tiles looking their best. Thanks to him an experience I had dreaded turned in to a very positive one – so a big thank you to Mark and the Tile Doctor – I would recommend you to anyone who has a problem with their tiles.
Mrs F, Kidderminster 19 July 2018”

 

Professional Grout Restoration of Large Porcelain floor in Worcestershire

Grout Colour Changed on Large Porcelain Tiled Floor in Kidderminster Read More »

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Worcestershire Tile Doctor

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