This Victorian floor in Twickenham, Middlesex was in good physical condition for its age but needed a good deep clean. Our customer had informed us that they had never cleaned or sealed the floor in the sixteen years that they had lived there so it was well overdue. I went over to survey the floor and completed a test clean on a small section of tiling to see which products/techniques would work best. I like to do this as it demonstrates to the client what can be done, and it allows me to come up with an accurate price for doing the work. As you can see from the pictures, there was quite a difference in the test patch compared to the rest of the floor. Years of foot traffic from the street had taken its’ toll and the floor was very dirty. Luckily, the floor was in very good condition and had not worn too badly. Once they had seen the test patch, they were confident that it would be worth go ahead with my quote. It would ensure that the period feature was retained for many years to come. The colours on the floor were quite faded so it would be nice to get it restored. I started the cleaning process by first taping up the surrounding skirting boards and doors to ensure they were protected from potential splashing. Cleaning involved spraying the Victorian tiles with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a dedicated Tile and Grout cleaning product. This was left to soak in for about ten minutes and then scrubbed in using a black pad fitted to a heavy-duty rotary scrubber. This gives the floor a good mechanical scrub and works wonders releasing the ground-in dirt and soil from the tiles. The strong dilution of Pro-Clean will also remove any remaining sealers from the tile, however after sixteen years I doubted there would much trace of sealer left. Once done the floor was rinsed with water and all the soils removed with a wet vacuum. Following the initial clean the colours were already much stronger. Next step however was to improve on that by giving the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. This removes mineral deposits and generally brightens up the appearance of the tile. After another round of scrubbing the floor was rinsed with our high-pressure washer and then vacuumed, extracting all of the dirty water and dirt away in one go. The floor was looking a lot better and was left to dry overnight. After allowing the floor to dry overnight, we returned the next day to seal the floor. First, checking the floor was dry using the damp meter. Floors of this age can take a little longer to dry as there is no damp-proof membrane so it’s always worth checking as applying a sealer to damp tiles is not a good idea. Once I was satisfied it was dry eight coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go sheen finish sealer were applied. This takes a while to do as each coat needs to dry before applying the next. The sealer will protect the Victorian tiles for dirt and stains, it also enhanced the colours in the tile and will make it easier to keep the floor clean going forward. My client was very pleased with the floor and mentioned that they should have called me in sooner! For aftercare cleaning I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Clean which is an effective cleaner with a neutral pH, its designed for cleaning tiles without degrading the sealer. Jonathan Oldham South Middlesex Tile Doctor

I was contacted by a professional couple who were despairing over the state of their Victorian tiled hallway floor which was dull and uninviting. The property was in Newport which is on the south east side of Wales around twelve miles east of the bustling city of Cardiff. I went over to visit the property which was a beautiful Victorian period terrace house nestled amongst other properties of a similar age properties. The couple wanted their Victorian hallway floor to be brought back to life, so I demonstrated the cleaning process I intended to use on a small part of the floor. Immediately it had the desired effect and the floor looked much cleaner. I could see that there were no structural issues with the floor and the test clean proved it was just ingrained dirt that was the problem. The clients were happy with the result of the demonstration and subsequent quote, so we arranged a suitable date to come back and complete the work. When I arrived, I started by protecting the skirting boards with tape and then set about giving the Victorian tiles a deep clean. I applied a combination of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and Remove and Go leaving it to dwell for a short time to allow the products to soak into the pores of the tiles and start breaking down the ingrained dirt. After about ten minutes I scrubbed the floor with black scrubbing pad attached to a rotary floor buffer which released the years of grime and dirt. The floor was then rinsed with water and the soil removed using a wet vacuum. I repeated the process to ensure the floor was as clean as possible. A further inspection of the Victorian tiles revealed a few stubborn marks which were dealt with using handheld diamond burnishing blocks. These are also handy for getting into the corners of the floor which were difficult to reach with the rotary machine. The floor was then left overnight to dry out. The following day I returned, and I checked the floor was dry using a moisture meter to ensure it was dry. Once I was happy, I started to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Seal & Go which is a water-based sealer that works well on Victorian tiles. Several coats were applied building up layers to produce a stunning satin finish. Once I had finished the floor was looking so much cleaner and brighter and the addition of the sealer will protect the floor from dirt and keep it looking good for some time to come. My clients were over the moon with the floor! For aftercare I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, which unlike the stronger products you find in supermarkets is ideal for cleaning sealed floors and will ensure the sealer stays in good condition. Paul Wales Monmouthshire Tile Doctor

Custom console and oak framed mirror with pottery vase turned lamp base, wall and floor finishes. Photography: Kate Macpherson
Home design - contemporary home design idea in Wellington

Shipley is a town in West Yorkshire that was heavily shaped by the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian period. It became particularly well-known for its textile industry and some of the original mills in which textiles were manufactured still survive in the town today. Being in West Yorkshire, Shipley is also part of what is commonly known as ‘Brontë country’ – once home to the famous Brontë sisters. Many Victorian era properties still survive in the area too and all too often the original Victorian tiled floors contained within are not well maintained. I recently visited a customer in Shipley who had a Victorian tiled hallway that was in need of a deep clean and seal. What’s more, the customer told me that there were around 20 loose tiles in the hallway that would need to be reinstalled. On the first day, I started by refitting the 20 loose tiles in the hallway. The problem however was a lot worse than originally thought and, in the end, I had to take up 108 tiles, so I could rebuild the base of the floor, and then relay them. This process took up most of the day but at least the adhesive and grout would be set in time for cleaning the next day. On day two I focused on deep cleaning the tiles and removing any remaining sealer by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. Pro-Clean is a strong alkaline heavy-duty tile and grout cleaner that serves the purpose of both cleaning the stone and when used in a strong dilution will strip off sealers. I applied the Pro Clean liberally across the length of the hallway and left it to soak into the tiles for about twenty minutes. This allows the product time to breakdown the sealer and dirt before being scrubbed in with a black scrubbing pad. Special attention had to be paid to parts of the floor which had suffered paint splashes from previous decoration. I was also surprised to find that there were even some chewing gum stains marking the tiles. These were removed using the combination of a steam cleaner, more Pro-Clean and the careful use of a handheld scraper. The floor was then given a thorough rinse with fresh water and then dried as much as possible with a wet vacuum. It was then also left to dry off overnight. Upon returning to the property the next day I checked for any moisture issues with a damp tester. Thankfully, the floor proved dry and I could proceed with sealing the tiles which was done using four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go that leaves a deep satin finish that the customer had requested. Nigel Stoker North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

This detailed Victorian tiled hallway at a property in Camden was overdue some much-needed repair and maintenance. The owners of the property appreciated that original period features like this add a lot of value to a property and asked me to visit the property to quote for renovating it. The property was in a terrace of similar properties most of which appeared to have retained their Victorian character. I inspected the floor and found there were a couple of loose, cracked, worn and broken tiles that needed to be replaced. In addition, the floor tiles needed a deep clean and then seal to bring back the wow factor. I was confident we could renovate the floor but at that point unsure if we would be able to find exact match replacements for the damaged tiles. Fortunately, Victorian tiles are still in demand and I knew of several companies I could check with so I was confident they could be found. We discussed how long the work would take and assuming I could source the replacements agreed a price for the full restoration of the floor. After doing some research I managed to find suitable replacements with a company called Original Style and the work was scheduled for the following month. Firstly, we prepared all areas with protective tapes to threshold edges and skirting. This was followed by spaying the tiles with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go which is product designed to remove old sealers and coatings. After about ten minutes the tiles were scrubbed with black scrubbing pads and scrubbing brushes. Fresh water was used to rinse the floor and the slurry was extracted using a wet vacuum. The floor was inspected and then a second clean carried out, this time using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a Tile and Grout cleaning agent. The same process of application was used and after rinsing and extracting the dirt the tiles were given a steam clean. This ensured all the dirt was lifted out of the pores of the tile and the floor was now as clean as it possible could be. The next step was the remove the loose and cracked tiles using the reclaimed tiles we had sourced earlier. Some cuts were necessary to get the replacements to match the originals but overall the plan worked. A quick drying adhesive was used to secure the tiles so we could apply the grout shortly after. The whole floor was then re-grouted and cleaned off to ensure a good match. The floor was left to dry off overnight, and you could already see it was now looking considerably improved. Returning the next morning we checked the floor was dry using a moisture meter, this is important as to apply a sealer to damp tiles will lead to a patchy experience. All was well so we were ready to apply the sealer. To start a single base coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer was applied to the floor and left to dry. This sealer is an impregnator that protects from within by occupying the pores in the clay tile improving colour in the process. This sealer does leave a matt finish however and the client wanted a subtle shine so one dry it was followed by four coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go. The combination of the two sealers works really well to add long lasting protection to the tiles and provide the desired finish to the floor. The floor was much improved, and the client was delighted. The detailed pattern and colours were now much more prominent, and the hallway looked much more inviting for both the owner and their guests. For the aftercare of Victorian tiles, I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is pH neutral and won’t prematurely erode the life of the sealer. Nigel Voyce North London Tile Doctor

It’s fairly common for owners of older properties – especially houses those that are over 100 years old or more – to find original Victorian tiled flooring hidden underneath carpet. It can wait years for the tiles to be discovered, by which time they have amassed huge amounts of dirt and dust. Such was the case at this property in Bridlington, a Yorkshire town through which a stream known as the ‘Gypsey Race’ runs, before emptying in the North Sea at the Bridlington Harbour. Interestingly enough, folklore says that when the stream is flowing, bad fortune is at hand. The stream must not have been running on the day that we restored this Victorian hallway, as we managed to achieve some truly fantastic results!! The hallway had been severely dulled after going years without professional care. We set about giving it the thorough clean and fresh seal that I’d des partly needed. Here’s how we did it. Our first task was to remove any old, no longer effectual sealer. We did this by liberally applying a strong dilution of our alkaline-based Tile a Doctor Pro Clean, which doubles as a reliable cleaner and a stripper capable of stripping away old sealer. The product was worked into the tiles using a black stripping pad fitted to a 17″ rotary machine, and the process was repeated three times. I noticed that there was still some stubborn dirt and old sealer around the edges of the hallway, so I used some of our handheld diamond encrusted burnishing blocks to grind it away. To finish the cleaning process, we washed the floor with Tile Doctor pH Neutral Tile Cleaner, leaving it fresh and ready to be sealed once left to dry overnight. Upon our return to the property the next day, we ran some quick tests to check for any excess moisture (even a small amount could have damaged the performance of the new sealer). Once satisfied with the the condition of the floor, we proceeded to see it with an impregnating sealer, meaning a sealer that penetrates into the pores of the tile to fill them and therefore prevent trapped dirt and ingrained stains. Our impregnating sealer, Tile Doctor Colour Grow, has the added benefit of being colour intensifying, which really highlights the unique colourful patterns of the tiles. To give the floor a durable sheen finish, as requested by the customer, we also added a coat of Tile Doctor Seal and Go sealer. The result was a complete transformation of the condition and appearance of this great Victorian tiled hallway. Our customer is very pleased – the floor is now a complete asset to any property, and will now be easier to keep looking great in future. Ronnie Phipps East Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Victorian tiles are very hard-wearing and historically a popular choice for heavy traffic areas such as hallways. Still popular today they are nonetheless like most tiles and can become ingrained with dirt over time. This particular floor, located in a property in the old market town of Tewkesbury is a good example of a floor that was in good physical condition, but heavily ingrained with dirt due to a lack of regular maintenance. At a loss for how to remedy the situation by themselves, the property owner asked me to pay a visit to restore the tiles back to their best possible condition. In this particular scenario, I opted to mix and apply a solution of different cleaning products from our professional range, each serving a different purpose. These products were Tile Doctor Pro Clean, Tile Doctor Remove and Go, and Tile Doctor NanoTech HBU. Remove and Go serves the purpose of stripping away any old sealer on the tiles, while Pro Clean is an alkaline cleaner that reliably removes dirt and staining. NanoTech HBU is a particularly powerful cleaner which utilises nano-sized particles to penetrate deep into the pores of the stone, get underneath difficult stains and lift them out. I spread this potent solution across the length and width of the tiled hallway and left it to soak for approximately 10 minutes, before using a black scrubbing pad fitted to my buffing machine to give the tiles a deep scrub. Next, I rinsed the soiled solution away and neutralised the chemicals with plain water, before extracting any residue using a wet vacuum. I repeated the cleaning process several times to achieve the best results possible, and I also employed the aid of a steam cleaner to spot clean any particularly stubborn marks. Cleaning the floor took two days in total. At the end of the second day, I gave the floor a thorough and final rinse before leaving it to dry completely overnight. The next day, I returned to the property to seal the floor after checking the floor was dry. Ensuring before sealing that the floor is completely dry is crucial – even the smallest quantity of moisture remaining can potentially cloud the sealer and damage its performance. My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow, an impregnating sealer that penetrates and fills the pores of the tile to prevent trapped dirt and makes regular cleaning much easier. Colour Grow is a great choice of sealer for Victorian tiles because it really enhances the colourful patterns which are characteristic of this type of tile. My customer was very impressed with the service and remarked on the huge improvement to the appearance of the floor. You can see this for yourself – just take a look at the before and after photos! Malcolm Crowther Gloucester Tile Doctor

I recently completed the renovation of a Multi-Coloured Slate tiled kitchen floor in Sutton Coldfield. I was actually at the property before Christmas to survey the floor and quote for the work however the owners had planned to have a new kitchen installed in the new year, so we decided it was best for me to wait until after the installation to complete the work. The slate was in good condition but like any stone floor you do need to maintain the sealer to prevent dirt becoming ingrained in the stone. Sealer do wear off overtime especially in the high foot traffic areas such as Kitchens and within a few years the tiles become dull and difficult to clean effectively. The kitchen was installed on schedule and I got the call to arrange a visit to deep clean and reseal the floor which would take to two days, one to clean and one to seal. To begin the restoration, I soaked the slate in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and left it to soak in for about ten minutes re-applying extra solution where it dried. Pro-Clean is a powerful tile cleaner that will strip old sealers when applied in concentrated form. I agitated the product using a black pad fitted to a rotary buffing machine. I paid particular attention to the grout which the customer had trouble keeping clean. The rotary pad struggles to reach into the recesses of the grout lines so I also made sure to scrub the solution into the grout with a grout brush. Once I was satisfied that the Slate and the Grout was clean and clear of old sealers, I gave the whole floor a thorough rinse with water using a wet vacuum to extract the soil and get the floor as dry as possible. The floor was then left to dry off fully overnight. Returning to the property the next day, I ran some quick damp tests to check for any excess moisture that might have prevented me from sealing the floor. We will always do this as excess moisture can affect the sealer curing. The customer was very happy with the clean and the floor was dry, so we discussed sealer options to find out their preference for Matt or Satin finish. With the decision made to go with a Satin finish I began the application of the Tile Doctor Seal and Go which enhances the look of the stone with an aesthetically pleasing low-sheen finish, as well as providing on-going protection against ingrained dirt and staining. A total of four coats of Seal and Go were needed to seal the Slate tiles and as you can see from the photos the sealer really put the life back into the floor. Trevor Preece Staffordshire Tile Doctor

Exterior, brick, lime, limewash, painted brick, architectural finish

Terrazzo is a quite a bit different from the natural stone floors we most commonly work with. It’s a type of flooring material that was made popular by Venetian builders in Italy in the 1920s, but is ultimately descended from styles of design that date back hundreds of years. A typical Terrazzo floor consists of chips of marble or granite set in concrete and polished to result in a smooth surface. This Terrazzo floor, installed in the hallway of a property in Bridgend, South Wales, was in relatively good physical condition, but it had clearly lost its shine due to the build-up of dirt and muck over the years. In fact, it was first installed in around 1940! The owner was keen to have it rejuvenated to its best possible condition, so they asked me to come in to see what I could do. My first course of action was to apply Tile Doctor Pro Clean liberally across the floor and leave it to dwell for a short period. This is a high alkaline cleaner that is designed to deal with light to moderate soil build-up, and to strip away any old sealer remaining on the floor. I scrubbed the product in using a black pad fitted to a rotary machine and vacuumed up the resulting cleaning with a wet-vac machine. Next, to restore the shine to the floor, I undertook a process known as burnishing, which involves the application of diamond encrusted polishing pads. We will typically start with a Coarse grit pad to level off any uneven areas of the floor and grind down any particularly stubborn marks and stains. Then, we gradually refine the polish on the floor using Medium and Fine grit pads. A small amount of water is used as lubrication with each pad. After I had finished applying the first three pads in our four-pad system, I gave the floor a thorough rinse and left it to dry overnight. I returned to the property the next day and immediately ran some damp tests to check for excess moisture issues, which one might expect with an old floor like this one. Thankfully, the floor proved dry – and I could finish the burnishing process with the fourth and final Very Fine diamond encrusted burnishing pad, which achieved a beautiful shine finish. Finally, I sealed the floor with three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, an impregnating sealer which provides robust protection and enhances the coloured patterns in the Terrazzo. As you can see from the photos above, the floor is looking so much more colourful and bright after a deep clean, polish and a fresh seal. The customer was over the moon! Julian Iancono South East Wales Tile Doctor

I recently visited a customer living in the village of Ravensthorpe, just outside Northampton to rejuvenate a 15-year-old multi coloured Chinese riven slate floor that needed a deep professional clean. Slate is a hard-wearing tile used for flooring high traffic areas but does need sealing to bring out its best features. In this case the sealer had long since worn off and dirt had become ingrained in the stone making it difficult to clean effectively. We discussed the client’s requirements and the cleaning process I planned to follow to rejuvenate the floor. I had to check on availability, so I e-mailed over a quote and some dates later that day. They were happy with my proposal and agreed for the work to be done whilst the customers were on holiday. My first task was to test a small area to determine which products would give the best results. In this case, I decided to start with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline cleaner/coatings remover that’s safe to use on Tile and Stone. I spread this solution across a section of the floor and left it to seep into the pores of the stone and lift out the ingrained dirt. After allowing the solution adequate time to dwell, I scrubbed the slate with a carbon brush fitted to a rotary machine to gradually reveal the fantastic natural colours of the Slate hidden beneath the dirt. Happy with my choice of cleaning product I repeated this process in sections until it had been carried out throughout the entire area. Following this, I rinsed the entire floor several times with clean water, before soaking up the resulting soiled residue with a wet vacuum. The next part of the cleaning process entailed paying attention to the grout lines which were scrubbed using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. The resulting residue was promptly extracted with the wet vacuum and I finished by giving the whole floor a rinse with Tile Doctor pH Neutral Tile Cleaner. This is a day to day tile cleaning product which is recommended for stone floors, many supermarket tile cleaning products are only suitable for ceramic tiles due to their acidic formula and can damage a floor over years of use so you should always read the label. However, I always leave my clients with a complimentary bottle of a suitable Tile Doctor product to maintain their floors. The floor was left to dry off overnight and I returned on the second day to seal the floor. Before starting I checked the floor was dry using a damp meter which confirmed the Slate was dry and ready to seal. The floor must be completely dry before sealing as any excess moisture has the potential to the damage the performance of the sealer. Since my client had specifically requested a silk finish, I opted to use Tile Doctor Seal and Go which dries to leave a lovely subtle sheen that really enhances the look of the stone. Five coats were applied to ensure a good hard-wearing protection. My client was very pleased with the results, particularly as they hadn’t realised how much colour it had lost over the years and left the following feedback on our website. ”I despaired of having a clean-looking floor again. Phil Vissian assured me that intensive deep cleaning and resealing could restore our fifteen year old, subtly coloured, Chinese riven slate kitchen floor. He has done a fantastic job. Looks like new, and I shall book Phil for an annual professional clean, so that it never gets as bad again.” Sally M, Northampton Phil Vissian Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

It’s been my experience that it’s not un-common to discover fantastic tiled floors hidden underneath an additional layer of flooring usually carpet or linoleum. This was the case with this property, situated in the town of Canley, Coventry, where the owner had found a Quarry tiled floor underneath Vinyl tiles which had been stuck down using an adhesive. Quarry tiles are typically hard wearing and very durable and a sensible choice for flooring in high traffic areas of both residential and commercial properties, a tiled floor is of course a difficult to remove so it’s not surprising that tiles do get covered over rather than replaced during redecoration. Taste’s change and like most property owners who unearth hidden tiled floors, my client was keen to restore them as an original feature. Despite the amount of adhesive and the poor state of the Quarry tiles, I was confident that the floor could be restored to new, so we agreed a date for me to come back to the property and complete the work. The process of cleaning the Quarry tiled floor – including remove large amounts of adhesive – took a total of two days to complete. I started by carefully removing the Vinyl tiles using a hand scraper which as you can imagine was a lot of manual effort and the adhesive proved quite difficult to remove. In the end I had to use a combination of a very coarse 50 grit pad fitted to a heavy rotary machine lubricated with water, to clear the area completely of the substance. The resulting slurry was rinsed away, and the floor was then given a thorough acid rinse with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. Grout Clean-Up is a cleaner which contains concentrated phosphoric acid, and is designed to dissolve minerals such as salts and cement left on the surface of the tile. This was followed by a final thorough rinse with water, and the excess moisture was soaked up with a wet-vac machine. After the cleaning process was complete, I left the floor to dry off completely for 24 hours. Upon my return to the house the next day, I checked for any dampness that could have damaged the performance of the sealer, thankfully, the floor was dry and ready to seal, and so I proceeded to apply several coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra. Seal & Go Extra is a fully breathable sealer that provides for effective moisture transmission. It provides durable surface protection against dirt and stains, and is suitable for most kinds of internal, natural stone tiled floors, including Quarry, Victorian and Flagstone. As you can see from the photographs the Quarry tiles came out really well and it’s hard to believe that this is the same floor. Mick Gayton Warwickshire Tile Doctor

It is exciting that warm weather is on the way. I know that it’s not likely you’ll be thinking about turning on your fireplace. But it is the time to be thinking about getting it checked and get any type of repairs done now so you can enjoy it when the weather cools off. Here are the top 3 chimney repairs to make this summer: Repair #1: Chimney Cap The chimney cap is a critical component to the chimney. It protects from debris, animals, water, snow, and wind from entering the chimney - Every chimney needs a chimney cap for the same reasons every home needs a roof! There’s another benefit many don’t consider... If you have a woodburning fireplace, sparks can go up the chimney flue and reach the outside causing a potential fire on the roof or any dry debris such as leaves and grass. The chimney cap also has spark inhibiting components that prevent the sparks from exiting the chimney cap. Repair #2 Masonry Mortar is the filling in between the bricks or stone in your chimney. Masonry or tuckpointing is the repair made by a masonry professional in order to build or fix the deterioration or missing mortar in between the bricks or stone. In a repair situation, not all mortar will be replaced. As a result, Superior Chimney works to match the color of the existing mortar so it all looks clean and uniform. It’s best to have the chimney inspected each year as the chimney is exposed to the weather elements on all four sides. If a homeowner waits too long to have repairs done on the masonry, it can lead to the need for a full rebuild of the chimney. Repair #3 Chimney Liner The chimney liner is a very important part of your chimney system. The chimney liner directs all smoke and gasses out from the home. If cracks appear in the chimney flue, this can be a safety hazard as fires can easily ignite adjacent home construction materials. Some older homes were built without chimney liners. We highly recommend getting a chimney liner installed, as required by code, by a certified chimney technician from Superior Chimney. Now that you have your chimney repair to do list, let’s get started by scheduling a chimney sweep. This will include a 14 point inspection with pictures (ever wonder what it looks like up there?). Now you’ll know the condition of your chimney cap, masonry and chimney liner. If repairs need to be made, you can get that done now over the summer so that when cool weather returns (sorry), you’ll be ready to fire up the fireplace.

Bridgwater is known to be one of Somerset’s liveliest towns. With a history dating back over 1000 years, it has many traditions, including a carnival which happens every November, and is hailed as the world’s largest illumination procession. What wasn’t looking lively, however, was this Limestone tiled kitchen floor at a house in the town. It had been laid five years previously but at the time of laying hadn’t been sealed with adequate amounts of sealer. As a result, the Limestone had absorbed a lot of wet footprints and other dirty stains. The sealer simply broke down after a while, leaving the homeowner with a floor that never looked clean no matter how much they cleaned it – using all kinds of products. In fact, the tiles looked blackened and mouldy, as you can see in the photos below. It was time for the homeowner to seek out professional assistance, so she decided to contact her local Tile Doctor. I was asked to completely restore the look of the floor – something the homeowner had deemed impossible at this point. In practice, I knew the floor could be restored using the right products and methods including a really deep clean and resealing with the right type of sealer for these tiles. I scrubbed in Tile Doctor Remove and Go, which is a powerful coatings remover which draws out ingrained stains and strips away any old sealer remaining on the tiles. The floor was then rinsed thoroughly with plain water to neutralise it, and the resulting soiled solution was extracted using a wet vacuum. I repeated the process on stubborn areas, eventually transforming the floor back to its natural and clean state. I allowed the Limestone to dry out completely overnight before returning to the property to seal the tiles. This is important as the slightest amount of excess moisture can damage the performance of the sealer, and we would’ve been back to square one! After checking with a damp meter, I could see everything was fine, so I proceeded to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is not only a robust impregnating sealer that will protect the floor going forward but also enhancing the natural colours in the stone at the same time. In the space of two days, the Limestone tiles had been completely transformed. Now it had been properly sealed, the floor will be much easier to clean and therefore should stay looking great for a long time to come. The customer was very happy to have finally resolved the problem with some assistance from the Somerset Tile Doctor! Dave Hurst Somerset Tile Doctor

Here’s a really interesting commercial job for you, which I recently completed in the town of Hinckley, Leicestershire. I was asked to take a look at a Victorian Geometric and Encaustic tiled floor in the historic Queen’s Head pub. This floor is over a century old and although in good condition for its age had suffered significant wear over the years, along with some cracked tiles and slight inherent moisture issues. What the pub landlord requested was a restorative clean to alleviate the aesthetically damaging effect of the wear, and to enhance the natural colours of the stone. I was also asked to seal the floor following the clean to achieve a semi-gloss finish. The first step in the cleaning process was to mix a strong solution of one part Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to four parts clean water. Pro-Clean is a high alkaline cleaner which also contains stripping properties, allowing it to break down old sealer and tackle heavy soil build-up. The solution was applied to the floor and left to dwell for 15 minutes, giving it times to seep into the stone, get underneath the dirt and lift it to the surface. I addressed several paint spots and areas suffering from glue contamination by using Tile Doctor Remove & Go, which is specially formulated to break down paint and adhesives on unpolished natural stone floors, amongst others. The entire floor was then scrubbed using a special floor cleaning pad, and the resulting slurry was vacuumed away using a wet-vac machine. The final issue to deal with was the inherent efflorescence staining. This was treated using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up, an acid-based product which removes not just efflorescence but also grout haze, mineral deposits, and rust stains. The solution here was one part Grout Clean-Up diluted with four parts water. After completing the clean, I thoroughly rinsed the floor with clean water to remove any trace of cleaning product and dried the floor as much as possible with a wet vacuum, then before leaving for the day i installed a couple of air movers to assist with drying overnight. Upon my return the following day, I checked the floor for any excess moisture before sealing it with our topical, semi-gloss finish sealer, known as Seal & Go Extra which due to its formula is ideal for external or old internal floors where there is unlikely to be damp from membrane. This unique product provides excellent protection, and allows the tiles to breath where floors are suffering from inherent moisture issues. It is suitable for both internal and external use, on Victorian floor tiles, Sandstone, Flagstones, Terracotta, and rough Slate. As you can see from the photo, I was able to fulfil my client’s request to a high standard, bringing the pub’s old yet characterful Victorian tiled floor back to life again. Kay Sylvester Leicestershire Tile Doctor

Pontcanna is a popular residential area in the western district of Cardiff, in South East Wales. Known for its rather large houses and spectacular foliage, interestingly enough roughly a quarter of the population are English folk. I was called down to a property in the area to take a look at a Victorian tiled floor which was in quite poor condition. Along with the typical amount of dirt and muck seen on poorly maintained tiles, there were a number of missing tiles and a fair bit of cement caked on the surface of the floor. It would require a robust clean, fresh seal, and several repairs to get this floor back into optimum condition. To begin, I checked for excess moisture problems using a damp meter in various places of the hallway floor and, thankfully, it was showing dry results. Any dampness could have potentially caused problems later on in the restoration process, so it was s good idea to run tests before starting. Next, I manually scraped as much of the dry paint and cement off the tiles as possible, with no lubrication necessary. I then proceeded to clean the floor with a solution I mixed early, consisting of equal parts Tile Doctor NanoTech HBU and Tile Doctor Pro Clean, rinsing as I went. Both products are designed to tackle heavy soil build-up, with the former uniquely using nano-sized particles (as the product name suggests) to penetrate deep into difficult to reach areas in the tiles in order to lift out ingrained muck. Following the initial clean, I removed all of the loose tiles and those heavily affected by cement, before retiling as necessary with fresh Victorian tiles, and grouting the whole floor. Of course, these replacement tiles were carefully sourced to ensure consistency, as far as possible, with the original pattern of the floor. The next day, I went over the whole floor with an application of the acid-based Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up, diluted with a little alkaline Pro Clean to form a cleaning solution. I then used a black pad to scrub the cleaner into the tiles, similarly to the previous day’s cleaning. This was followed by a through rinse with water to neutralise the floor. It was at this point that I noticed some stubborn cement stains remained so I set about breaking them down using a 60 grade hand held diamond polishing block, and this technique proved successful. After completing the clean, I left the floor to dry out for roughly 24 hours. Upon my return to the property to seal the tiles, I tested again for moisture. It is recommended to run damp tests before sealing, as excess moisture can cloud the sealer, affecting its performance in the long run. Fortunately, no dampness was detected and I was proceeded to seal the floor with seven coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go, which enhances the natural colours in the stone and provides a nice satin gloss appearance, as requested by the customer. I was extremely pleased with the results of this restoration, as was the customer. The extent of the soil build up and damage was such before the restoration that, after completion, the floor looked like it had been newly laid! Julian Iancono South East Wales Tile Doctor

These photographs below are of a Slate Tiled Kitchen floor taken at a customer’s house in Henley-on-Thames which, as its name suggests, sits alongside the River Thames in Oxfordshire. My client’s Slate kitchen floor had recently been cleaned with unsuitable cleaning products which I suspect impacted the sealer leaving it looking dull. Sealers really to improve the look of a stone floor so unsurprisingly once the sealer had been damaged my client had been unable to find a cleaning product that could have any kind of positive effect on the tiles. It’s fairly well known that many supermarket quality cleaners are only really designed for use on Ceramic or Porcelain tiled floors as they contain acids which strip away at sealers and acid sensitive stone floors, leaving the stone beneath vulnerable. So your select a cleaning product for your floor always read the small print on the back of the label and make sure you avoid anything that mentions not for use on acid sensitive stone; belter still Tile Doctor have a number of products for cleaning tiled floors including Neutral Cleaner and Stone Soap. To clean the floor and remove any remaining sealer I first made a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean which is a strong alkaline cleaner and then spread this over the floor, leaving it to dwell. This allows the cleaner to seep into the slate and get underneath, breakdown sealers and start to lift out ingrained dirt. Following a dwelling period of roughly ten minutes, I agitated the floor periodically with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and scrubbed along the grout lines with a stiff grout brush. I then used a wet vacuum to extract the resultant slurry away and then followed up by rinsing the floor with clean water, and once again vacuumed up the residue. Any stubborn areas were retreated until I was happy with the floor and then I left the floor to dry off completely overnight, in preparation for sealing the following day. Upon my return to the house the following day, I ran some damp tests on different parts of the floor to check for any excess moisture which could potentially damage the performance of the sealer. Once I was satisfied that the floor was completely dry, I proceeded to seal the tiles using Tile Doctor Seal & Go. This will provide a robust surface seal for the future, along with an aesthetically pleasing low-sheen finish. This sealer works particularly well on Slate tiles and, being a water-based sealant, additionally Seal & Go does not emit an unpleasant smell as it dries. Slate is quite a porous stone so I applied six coats of seal to provide long-lasting protection. Barry Woodward Oxfordshire Tile Doctor

Modern Italian Sleeper Sofa Apollo by IL Benessere. Seat or sleep with luxury comfort with this European sofa-bed. The Apollo convertible sofa features an innovational pull-out steel mechanism with a memory foam mattress inside, providing same as bed comfort. Italian sofa sleeper features cozy deep cushions for your perfect seating comfort. Apollo lounging collection also offers: small and large loveseat, even a sectional sofa with reversible storage chaise lounge. To add, all Apollo sofas can be order upholstered in premium quality fabric, microfiber, eco-leather or genuine Italian leather. All upholstery materials are available in a variety of colors to choose from. All covers are removable, making Apollo sofa super easy to clean. Stitching can be also made either in contrast or matching color, personalizing the sofa for your particular interior. Please, contact us to get upholstery color samples. Features: Hidden storage for cushions or bedding Partially removable upholstery Queen size sleeper Available in a variety of colors and materials Can be ordered as a sectional sofa with storage, 3-seater sofa, large loveseat and small loveseat The starting price is for the Apollo Sofa-Bed in Fabric (Cat. A.) upholstery. Dimensions: Sofa-Bed: W86.6" x D37.8" x H35.4" (Queen Size Sleeper W63" x D77") Large Loveseat-Bed: W78.7" x D37.8" x H35.4" (Full Size Sleeper W55" x D77") Small Loveseat-Bed: W71" x D37.8" x H35.4" (Sleeper Size: W47" x D77") Sectional Sofa-Bed: W119.6" x D35.4"/65" x H35.4" Write Review SEARCH INVENTORY Search Advanced Search Recently Viewed Modern Italian Sleeper Sofa Apollo by IL Benessere Italian Sectional Sleeper Sofa Gigolo by IL Benessere Modern Italian Sleeper Sofa Byron by IL Benessere INFORMATION Shipping & Returns Privacy Notice Conditions of Use Contact Us Site Map Gift Certificate FAQ Discount Coupons Newsletter Unsubscribe

We received a request to renovate Victorian tiled hallway floor at a house in the London borough of Harlesden NW10. My client had modernised the heating system and this unfortunately required a section of the tiled flooring to be dug up so new pipework could be laid. After speaking on the phone, I arranged an initial visit to the property so I could properly assess the work required and provide a price for restoring the floor. During my visit I could see there was another section of missing tiles at one of the door thresholds which would need attention. Except for the missing sections of floor I could see that the tiles themselves were in good condition for their age and would respond well to a deep clean and fresh seal. I was confident on being able to source matching replacements for the missing tiles and reassured my client that we would be able not only repair the floor but also renovate it to a good standard. I gave them a price to do the restoration which they were happy to accept, and the work was booked. After some research I managed to source replacement tiles from the Vintage Floor Tile Company in Kent; Victorian tiles are still popular so there a few companies that keep stock so we can usually find a match. With the replacements in hand, work started by removing the cement and loose material from the missing sections of flooring and backfilling with self-levelling compound to bring the exposed base up to the right level for tiling. The tiles were then cut to shape as required to match the existing patten and fixed into place with a quick setting adhesive and then grouted. The floor was left to overnight to allow the adhesive to harden fully, and I returned the next day to deep clean the whole floor. To give the tiles are deep clean a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go was sprayed onto the floor and left to soak in for ten minutes. It was then scrubbed into the floor using a rotary machine fitted with a with a black pad. This action lifted the dirt out of the tiles and the resulting slurry was removed with the wet vacuum. It turned out that the pores of the tiles were holding a lot of dirt, so the process was repeated until I was satisfied. Due to the age of the property, there was no damp-proof membrane installed so I do try to minimise the amount of water I use in this process as there is always a chance of exacerbating any latent efflorescence issues. Efflorescence occurs where moisture rises through the tile bringing with it salts from underneath the floor as it evaporates on the surface. This can lead to unsightly white marks appearing on the tile. To counteract this potential problem the cleaning was followed by an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel applied with a 100 then 200-grit pad, before finishing on a 400-grit burnishing pad. The floor was again rinsed with water after the application of each pad to remove the slurry and extracted with a wet vacuum. Once I was satisfied the floor was as clean as possible, we left site and the area was left to dry over the weekend ready for application of a new sealer. I returned on the Monday and started by taking a few moisture readings to check the floor was dry. The floor was in an acceptable range, so I applied the first of 4 coats of sealer. For this floor I chose Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is specially formulated product that provides stain resistance with a hard wearing low-sheen finish. This product is also breathable which is an important feature for old floors, anything that blocks moisture from rising through the tile will cause it to become trapped underneath where it will pool and eventually reach out to the walls and result in rising damp. Once complete the floor looked brand new and I’m pleased to say with the deep clean and a fresh sealer applied it was impossible to tell the difference between the original and repaired sections of flooring. For the aftercare of sealed Victorian tiled floors, I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner, it’s a mild day to day cleaner with a neutral pH that won’t damage the sealer. Many of the tile cleaning products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong. Andrew Newstead North London Tile Doctor