Slate Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of the cleaning and renovation of Slate flooring carried out in North Lincolnshire

Cleaning and Renovating Slate Floors

Slate is a very popular floor and wall tile due to its low porosity; there are many varieties and textures of Slate available as such Tile Doctor has spent many years researching the best cleaning and sealing methods and products. The semi-riven tile is particularly easier to maintain compared to the rough textured Slate commonly available due to its cheaper quarrying cost.

Porosity however small, is the main issue when maintaining Stone floors as dirt can easily become trapped in the pores and once that happens it becomes very difficult to clean. The solution is to prevent the ingress of dirt in the stone by applying a sealer such as Tile Doctor Seal and Go which works very well on Slate. However sealers do wear down with use and the application of unsuitable cleaning products, and so unless regularly maintained the floor will need to be stripped, deep cleaned and then resealed again every three to five years.

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.

Cleaning and Sealing Slate Floors in Wragby

Replacing a Blown and Sticky Sealer on Slate Floors in Wragby

1 Comment / Lincoln Tile Cleaning, Market Rasen Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning /

This client from Wragby contacted me because their Slate tiled shower room floor was covered in limescale and despite trying numerous products they couldn’t get rid of it. Also, for some reason the slate kitchen floor was always sticky, and they wanted this resolving as well. If you haven’t been, Wragby is just East of Lincoln on route to the Lincolnshire Wolds which is an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Slate Shower Floor Wragby Before Renovation

I went over to the property to survey the tiles and produce a quote for rectifying the problems. I discovered that the Kitchen floor had been over sealed with a solvent based topical seal and that had turned tacky, and in the shower room it wasn’t limescale that was the issue, in fact it was a moisture problem that had bloomed the seal. The tiles needed to be completely dry before applying a sealer or it can cause problems, also because the dining room followed from the kitchen it would need to be stripped as well of sealer and resealed otherwise the two floors would look different in colour.

Slate Kitchen Floor Wragby Before Renovation Slate Dining Room Floor Wragby Before Cleaning

I quoted for stripping and cleaning all three floors, and then re-sealing. The quote was accepted, and the job was booked in for a few weeks later.

Cleaning a Slate Tiled Kitchen, Dining and Shower Room Floor

To remove the sealer, I used a combination of Tile Doctor Remove and Go mixed with Tile Doctor Pro Clean. This was applied to the floor in the usual way, allowing it to soak in for ten minutes before being scrubbed in with a Black pad. This action removes the old sealer and further cleaned the floor.

The soiling was then rinsed away with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. A couple of the areas were more stubborn that others, so the process was repeated until I was satisfied the sealer was gone and the Slate was as clean.

Slate Dining Room Floor Wragby After Cleaning

I setup a couple of air blowers in place to assist with drying and then left the floor to dry out fully overnight.

Sealing a Slate Tiled Kitchen, Dining and Shower Room Floor

Returning the following day, I used a damp meter to take moisture readings and ensure the stone was dry before applying the new sealer, as mentioned earlier it is not a good idea to seal a wet floor.

My client wanted a shine on the floor so for the Kitchen and Dining room I used a topical water-based sealer called Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. For the shower floor I explained that due to the moisture it would have to be sealed with a fully breathable impregnating sealer however it would leave a matt finish, they didn’t want a repeat of before so happy to accept my recommendation the shower room floor was sealed with Tile Doctor Colour Grow.

Slate Dining Room Floor Wragby After Sealing Slate Kitchen Floor Wragby After Renovation

The whole process took 3 days, and all the floors were transformed by the work, certainly my clients were extremely happy with the result. For the aftercare cleaning of Slate floors, I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which an effective tile and grout cleaner but gentle enough not to effect the sealer.

Slate Shower Floor Wragby Before Renovation

 

Professional Restoration of a Slate Tiled Kitchen, Dining and Shower Room in North Lincolnshire

Replacing a Blown and Sticky Sealer on Slate Floors in Wragby Read More »

Multicoloured Slate Floor After Cleaning Caistor Lincolnshire

Beauty Restored to a Dull Multi Coloured Slate Floor in Caistor

1 Comment / Brigg Tile Cleaning, Grimsby Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Immingham Tile Cleaning, Market Rasen Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning /

I was contacted by a couple from the Lincolnshire market town of Caistor who had a beautiful multi-coloured Slate floor installed in their Kitchen, Hallway and WC. They had moved into the property a few years ago and during that time they had noticed how the appearance of the slate and grout had slowly degraded, they had tried to deep clean it themselves but gave up and decided to get some help.

Multicoloured Slate Floor Before Cleaning Caistor Multicoloured Slate Floor Before Cleaning Caistor

I arranged a time to go over to the property, survey the tiles and provide a quote for doing the work. I could see the sealer was wearing off and nothing was in place to stop dirt from becoming trapped in the pores of the slate. I provided a quote for stripping the old sealer off the whole floor, deep cleaning the stone to remove the dirt and then once clean and dry applying a fresh sealer. The quote was accepted, and a date arranged to do the work.

Multicoloured Slate Floor Before Cleaning Caistor Multicoloured Slate Floor Before Cleaning Caistor

Cleaning a Multi-Coloured Slate Tiled Floor

The job was very straight forward, and the type of job Tile Doctor carries out on a regular basis. On the first day I started by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and let it soak into the tiles for ten minutes. Then using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer the solution was worked into the stone to strip off what remained of the remaining sealer and pull the dirt out of the stone. At this point I also ran a stiff brush along the grout lines to get them as clean as possible.

The floor was then rinsed, and the soiled solution was removed using a wet vacuum.
At this point the floor was inspected and the process repeated on a couple of stubborn areas. The area was quite large, so we worked around methodically and once done the floor was thoroughly rinsed and dried again with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Multi Coloured Slate Tiled Floor

After rinsing I left the floor to dry out over a few days and returned a couple of days later to seal with 2 coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. I selected this sealer as it a colour intensifier so will bring out the best in the colours of the multi coloured slate. It has a matt finish so it is not too shiny, but is very hardwearing, giving great protection to these high traffic areas.

Multicoloured Slate Floor After Cleaning Caistor Multicoloured Slate Floor After Cleaning Caistor

The household is a busy one, so keeping the floor in good condition will ensure maintenance is easier. With this in mind, I also recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, this is pH neutral and is mild enough to use daily. A small amount of the product goes a long way, so the bottle will last, and it has a lovely fresh smell.

My client was over the moon with the results and wished she had had it done sooner.

Multicoloured Slate Floor After Cleaning Caistor Multicoloured Slate Floor After Cleaning Caistor

Professional Restoration of a Multi Coloured Slate Tiled Kitchen, Hallway and WC Floor in North Lincolnshire

Beauty Restored to a Dull Multi Coloured Slate Floor in Caistor Read More »

Slate Kitchen Floor Renovation Scunthorpe

Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Stripped, Cleaned and Sealed in Scunthorpe

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Scunthorpe Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning /

I was approached by the owner of a property in Scunthorpe, who wanted me to restore the appearance of the Slate tiles in their Kitchen and Hallway. They had previously another company to clean the floor but it was clear that they had little experience of cleaning sealed floors and had struggled to remove what was left of the original seal leaving the floor in a worse state.

Sealer wears in the busiest sections of a floor first, so to achieve a nice even finish its vital to strip off all the original sealer before cleaning and then re-sealing. To prove our ability to restore the floor, I conducted a demonstration on a small test area, which satisfied the owner that we were capable of the job. We scheduled a date for my return to do the work which would take two days, one to strip off the old sealer and deep clean the floor and the second to apply a fresh seal.

Slate Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Scunthorpe

Cleaning slate Floor Tiles in Scunthorpe

To strip off the sealer and deep clean the tile and grout I used a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is an alkaline product safe to use on natural stone such as Slate. We primarily use this product for removing coatings such as sealers, adhesives, and paint splashes however it’s also a good tile cleaner as well.

The product is applied by diluting it into an industrial sprayer and then spraying the solution onto the floor. It’s then left to soak in for ten minutes so it can get to work breaking down the coatings etc. The solution is then scrubbed into the tile and grout using a Black pad fitted to a rotary machine which is run over each tile several times.

The pads can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout lines so to get the grout clean Tile Doctor Pro-Clean is applied to the grout line and scrubbed in by hand with a stiff brush.

Finally, I gave the floor a through rinse with water and then extracted the soiling with a wet vacuum. The Slate tile and grout was then inspected and the process repeated where required until I was satisfied all the old sealer was gone and the floor was as clean as it could be.

Sealing Slate Floor Tiles in Scunthorpe

The next day I checked the floor was dry using a moister meter which thankfully it was and so I was able to apply the sealer which for this floor I had chosen Tile Doctor Colour Grow.

This product was chosen due its matt finish and its colour enhancing formula which brought out the deep rich tones in the dark Slate. This product is an impregnator which works by seeping into the stone, occupying the small pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. Its hard wearing, ideal for use in a Kitchen and will provide maximum stain protection for many years to come.

Slate Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Scunthorpe

My customer was happy to finally have the floor looking they way it was when it was installed and relieved to have found a local company that could maintain the floor for her in the future.

For aftercare I advised the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner, part of the problem with stone floors is the use of strong cleaning products which are not designed for use on sealed floors and will cause the sealer to erode prematurely.

 

Professional Slate Floor Renovation in Scunthorpe Lincolnshire

Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Stripped, Cleaned and Sealed in Scunthorpe Read More »

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North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor

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