Search results for "Regular maintenance" in Home Design Ideas

Phoenix's food scene is vibrant and thriving, but also one of the most closely watched in the country. Health inspectors in Maricopa County are strict, and customers expect spotless dining spaces.
To stay competitive, restaurant owners and food vendors must stay on top of evolving health codes, sanitation protocols, and food safety benchmarks. That starts with a firm grip on restaurant cleaning safety standards. Ignoring sanitation rules risks more than bad reviews. It invites citations, customer complaints, and operational shutdowns.
Whether you're operating a food truck or a restaurant, following these Phoenix cleaning standards helps you stay compliant, pass health inspections, and build customer trust.
Importance of a Clean Phoenix Restaurant that Follows Food Health and Safety Standards
The restaurant industry in Phoenix operates under strict oversight. The Maricopa County Environmental Services Department conducts regular inspections, and violations can result in fines or closures. In this climate, restaurant cleaning is not just a hygiene standard. It is a business-critical measure.
Proper food handling and establishment cleaning protocols reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses, control pests, protect equipment, and keep your staff safe. Inconsistent practices, on the other hand, can quickly become liabilities.
Start With the Food Code
Phoenix food vendors must comply with the 2017 FDA Food Code as adopted by Maricopa County. This includes rules on:
- Sanitizing food-contact surfaces after each use
- Maintaining proper water temperatures for dishwashing
- Cleaning restrooms frequently and keeping them stocked
- Storing cleaning chemicals away from prep areas
- Daily: Wipe prep tables, mop floors, clean grills, sanitize cutting boards
- Weekly: Deep clean kitchen hoods, polish cooking equipment, disinfect drains
- Monthly: Check pest control measures, clean freezer coils, and inspect HVAC filters
- Using the right sanitizers and PPE
- Logging cleaning times and who performed the task
- Identifying signs of mold, grease buildup, or rodent activity
- Conducting thorough surface cleaning to ensure all food-contact surfaces are sanitized regularly
- Food-safe and non-corrosive
- Effective against norovirus, salmonella, and E. coli
- Clearly labeled and stored in original containers
- Seal gaps around doors and pipes
- Store dry goods in sealed, elevated containers
- Keep outdoor waste bins locked and distanced from entry points
- Record cleaning completion in real time
- Alert managers when tasks are missed
- Keep a historical record for inspections
- Is certified and understands the Arizona food codes
- Provides documented service reports
- Offers customized cleaning plans
- Offers flexible scheduling around your operating hours
- Cross-contamination prevention: Regularly clean food prep surfaces and tools, and use separate equipment for raw meats, vegetables, and ready-to-eat foods. Proper cleaning prevents any contact with food that could lead to cross-contamination and affects food quality.
- Temperature monitoring: While not directly related to cleaning, maintaining proper food temperature is essential. Hot foods should be stored above 140°F, and cold foods below 40°F. Regularly monitor temperatures and clean temperature gauges to ensure accuracy.
- Proper storage: Use clean storage containers and shelving for food storage, keeping items off the floor. Ensure all food is sealed and labeled to avoid contamination risks and comply with food safety standards.

It’s important to make sure that all trees on your property are healthy and in good condition. This means hiring professional tree trimming services to maintain your trees yearly in order to keep them looking beautiful and healthy. In late winter or early spring is the best time to trim your trees. Doing so will help to improve the new growth that happens later in the spring. But fruit bearing trees and damaged trees can benefit from careful pruning in the summer. It takes an expert to skillfully trim trees during the summer without damaging them or causing harm and our team at Five Star Tree Services is just a call away to help you with your tree trimming needs!
Why Trim Your Trees?
By trimming your trees annually, this will not only open up your landscaping, which allows more sunlight to get to your property, but there are many other benefits.
These can include:
-Keep Trees Healthy and Promote Growth
When you trim your trees in the spring, before they start producing buds, this helps to stimulate more new growth, which helps to keep trees in excellent condition. This can be especially important for saplings as it encourages them to fill out nicely and in a controlled and structurally sound way. If you are not maintaining your trees properly, they can become too dense, which causes a bunch of problems. One being that it restricts the amount of sunlight getting to all the leaves and it reduces the amount of nutrient circulation needed to support the tree.
Professional tree pruning properly aids in tree growth and its overall aesthetic. Cutting off unneeded or unwanted branches allows other parts of the tree to grow easier. Ridding the tree of these extra branches also stimulates more leaf and fruit production.
-Increased Safety
Your landscape is affected when you neglect to take care of your trees, along with everything else on your property. If you have any dead trees remaining on your property, not only are you putting yourself at risk of injury, but you are putting your family, neighbours, pedestrians, and guests at risk as well. Dead or damaged branches can also be a hazard as they could fall at any time and impact with anyone standing too close to it, or it can fall on your house, which is another issue altogether, if it causes damage. Luckily, you are able to avoid all of this by simply having regular trimmings that will keep your trees healthy. You also need to make sure that all branches close to power lines are cut. This especially, should only be done by a trained professional in order to avoid potential electrocution.
-Increase Production of Fruit
If you are lucky enough to have a fruit bearing tree, it is especially important to have it professionally trimmed before and after it fruits. Doing so helps to improve its overall health and ability to bear fruit by getting rid of unhealthy branches. New fruit also develops and spurs for bearing fruit for the following year.
-Manage Spreading Diseases
Tree branches that are damaged tend to be prone to diseases which are able to spread to other plants and trees in your yard. Branches that are dead also have the potential to easily fall with any wind and especially during a storm. Severely damaged branches can even fall without reason. When you get your trees trimmed and pruned regularly, this prevents these things from happening. It also prevents spreading disease to other trees. Any disease branches should especially be trimmed if they are close to where kids play, people walk, or by doors.
-Increase the Value of Your Property and Overall Appearance
Continuous maintenance and trilling will improve the aesthetic of your property. It controls clutter and opens up the space of the landscaping. Meaning that the curbside appeal to your property increases. This is especially important if you are planning to sell your house, which will actually raise the value of your property. The first step in enhancing the appearance of your property is properly taking care of your trees. The first thing people see when they pull up to or go past your house is the trees. By simply pruning your trees you can make a good impression on potential buyers and your neighbours as well.
-Safeguarding Your Property
Owning a house is the biggest investment you will probably ever make. Making the effort to maintain and increase its value by keeping it in good condition should be your first priority. By trimming your trees regularly, you will be protecting your investment. Not to mention this also allows you to enjoy a nicely manicured property.
Why Professionals Are Essential
Professionals help to improve the health and overall condition of your trees. Trying to trim or prune your trees when you don’t know how can be detrimental. This is why hiring a professional, who has the right knowledge and tools, is better than trying to do it yourself.
-Cost-Effective
Think of it as a short-term expense for a long-term return on your investment. Allowing professional arborists to do your tree maintenance can potentially help to negate the costs of injuries attained from DIY home improvements related to trees, replacements and repairs.
-Skilled and Experienced
Real tools required for trimming a tree need to be handled properly and by the appropriate people. If a regular person were to try and use these tools, the end result could be injury and property damage. This is especially true for any trimming required around power lines. All professionals will have the right experience and skills required to wield these tools in a safe way. This minimizes the likelihood of hazards, injuries, and life-threatening incidents.
-Proper Tools
Heavy-duty chainsaws, ladders, and protective gear are all needed to safely and properly trim a tree. When you hire a professional, they have all the required tools and more. Meaning that you won’t have to go out and buy these tools yourself. As a professional, they also make sure that their tools are reliable and well-maintained in order to efficiently get the job done well.
-Insured
Professionals are also always insured with liability insurance when doing jobs to cover any damages or injuries attained while working. They are able to also provide a guarantee for the safety of your property and belongings while they are doing a job for you.
How Five Star Tree Services Can Help
Although trimming your tree might seem like an easy job, it’s always best to trust the professionals. Proper execution of the task requires the right skills, experience, and knowledge. Our team at Five Star Tree Services have all of this and more! Give us a call at (416) 990-3355 to enlist us for all your Toronto Tree Trimming needs!

Latch hardware in upper cabinets.
Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula
Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula
Find the right local pro for your project

When it comes to selecting fixtures for your kitchen or bathroom, few options offer the blend of elegance, durability, and functionality like brass bridge faucets. These faucets, with their vintage charm and modern efficiency, bring a unique aesthetic and practical benefits to any space. This article explores the appeal of brass bridge faucets, their key features, benefits, and tips on how to choose and maintain them.
The Charm of Brass Bridge Faucets
Classic Aesthetic
Brass bridge faucets are known for their classic, timeless look. The warm, golden hue of brass adds a touch of luxury and sophistication, making these faucets a focal point in any kitchen or bathroom. Their vintage design can seamlessly blend with various décor styles, from rustic to contemporary.
Durability
One of the standout qualities of brass is its durability. Brass is resistant to corrosion and can withstand daily wear and tear, ensuring that your faucet remains in excellent condition for years. This makes brass bridge faucets a long-term investment for your home.
Versatility
Available in various finishes such as polished, brushed, or antique brass, these faucets can complement a wide range of design themes. Whether you want a shiny, reflective finish or a more subdued, matte look, there’s a brass bridge faucet to suit your taste.
Key Features of Brass Bridge Faucets
Elevated Bridge Design
The distinctive feature of bridge faucets is the elevated connecting pipe that links the hot and cold water lines. This bridge not only enhances the faucet's aesthetic appeal but also provides additional clearance, making it easier to clean large pots and pans or to accommodate larger sinks.
Dual Handles
Brass bridge faucets typically feature dual handles, allowing for precise control over water temperature. This functionality ensures a balanced mix of hot and cold water, providing you with the perfect temperature for your needs.
Classic Spout Designs
These faucets often come with high-arc or gooseneck spouts, which are both practical and stylish. The high spout design provides ample space for washing and filling containers, adding to the faucet’s functionality.
Benefits of Brass Bridge Faucets
Visual Appeal
Brass bridge faucets serve as a statement piece in any room. Their elegant design and warm finish add a touch of luxury and can elevate the overall aesthetic of your kitchen or bathroom.
Functionality
Beyond their beauty, brass bridge faucets are highly functional. The dual-handle design allows for precise temperature control, while the elevated bridge offers extra clearance for various tasks. This combination of form and function makes them a practical choice for busy households.
Hygienic Properties
Brass has natural antimicrobial properties, making it a hygienic choice for kitchen and bathroom fixtures. This can be particularly beneficial in spaces where cleanliness is paramount.
Choosing the Right Brass Bridge Faucet
Finish Options
When selecting a brass bridge faucet, consider the finish that best matches your existing décor. Polished brass offers a shiny, reflective surface, while antique brass provides a more vintage, weathered look. Brushed brass has a matte finish that hides fingerprints and water spots.
Coordination with Other Fixtures
Ensure that your brass bridge faucet complements other fixtures in your kitchen or bathroom. Coordinating the faucet with cabinet handles, lighting fixtures, and other hardware can create a cohesive and harmonious look.
Installation Requirements
Check the installation requirements before purchasing a brass bridge faucet. These faucets typically require a three-hole installation, so make sure your sink or countertop is compatible.
Maintenance Tips
Regular Cleaning
To maintain the luster of your brass bridge faucet, clean it regularly with a soft cloth and mild soap. Avoid using abrasive cleaners or scrubbers that can scratch the surface.
Preventing Water Spots
After cleaning, dry the faucet thoroughly to prevent water spots. This is particularly important for polished brass finishes, which are more prone to showing spots and fingerprints.
Addressing Tarnish
Brass can tarnish over time. To address this, use a brass cleaner or a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda to gently polish the surface. Regular polishing can keep your faucet looking its best.
Conclusion
Brass bridge faucets are a beautiful and functional addition to any home. Their timeless design, durability, and practicality make them a worthwhile investment for your kitchen or bathroom. By choosing the right finish and maintaining it properly, you can enjoy the elegance and charm of a brass bridge faucet for years to come. Embrace the classic appeal of brass and elevate the look of your home with this stunning fixture.

The colourful and diverse geometric patterns of a Victorian tiled floor can give a property a regal, elegant and timeless feel, making it a popular choice even in the 21st century. However, as time passes without regular care and maintenance, Victorian tiles can quickly lose their colour and appear deadened by the buildup of dirt and dust over several months (and sometimes years).
This property owner in Hebden a very small village in North Yorkshire of less than 300 people, had this common problem. Her Victorian tiled hallway had not been adequately maintained and was now more difficult to keep clean than ever. To add to the problem, most of the tiles along the edges were either broken, cracked, or filled with holes, probably I suspect from the installation of carpet grippers at some point in the past.
At this point, the property owner turned to Tile Doctor to see what could be done.
Before beginning a deep clean of the entire length of the hallway, it was first necessary to source and install replacement tiles for those that had been broken and damaged. I also relaid any that were loose.
When finished, I left the tiles to set and returned the next day to start the clean. My choice of cleaner in this situation was Tile Doctor Pro Clean, which was scrubbed into the floor with a special pad fitted to a rotary machine to break down ingrained dirt and stains. Pro Clean does this very effectively on all types of tile, including natural stone and of course Victorian tiles.
The floor was then rinsed with water and the soiled cleaning solution extracted from the floor using a vet vacuum. Stubborn areas were re-treated with more Pro Clean, and when I was satisfied with the condition of the tiles the floor was given a final but thorough rinse to remove any trace of cleaning product.
The floor was then left to dry completely overnight to ensure all excess moisture had disappeared, leaving it fresh to be sealed. I returned in the morning for a third day of work to seal the Victorian tiles with four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go, a topical sealer which provides a rich satin finish to really add depth to the colours in the tile while protecting it against dirt and stains.
The customer was delighted with the restoration and couldn’t quite believe the huge improvement in the appearance of the tiles, especially in regards to the enhancement in the different colours. Another satisfied customer!
Nigel Stoker
North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

NEW Viking Gas Cooktops | Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center
Designed to fit virtually any existing cutout, Viking Professional Gas Cooktops offer a hassle-free kitchen upgrade with superior cooking power. These surface units strategically deliver all the power you could want from your cooktop, giving you the freedom to not only cook whatever you like, but however you like.
To learn more about NEW Viking Gas Cooktops stop by Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center in Studio City and Calabasas.
BUILT-IN GAS COOKTOP FEATURES
Commercial-Type Cooking Power
- Highest combined BTU rating in the industry, featuring sealed burners with brass burner rings in a wide variety of sizes
- Powerful 18,000 BTU burner delivers commercial power for high heat sautéing, rapid boiling and quick recovery
- Simmer settings on all burners allows low BTU output for heating delicate sauces
- EXCLUSIVE SureSpark™ Ignition System ensures automatic ignition/re-ignition should flame extinguish at any time while cooking
Easy Maintenance and Cleanup
- Permanently sealed burners prevent spills from entering burner box
- Deep, seamless recessed burner pan retains liquid spills
- Updated beveled edge design provides sleek styling and easy cleaning
- Durable laser-etched graphics withstand the rigors of regular cleaning
- Removable knobs, grates, and burner ports/caps make cleanup easy
Safe-Easy Operation
- Child proof, push-to-turn metal knobs for safe use
- Automatic electric spark ignition means no standing pilot to re-light, waste energy or add extra heat to the kitchen
- EXCLUSIVE ScratchSafe™ Grate Design provides ultimate protection from scratches and ensures proper placement of the heavy-duty, porcelain-coated cast iron grates
Optional Accessories
- Porcelain-coated cast iron wok ring fits securely over grates to accommodate a traditional wok
- Portable non-stick cast aluminum griddle fits securely onto grates for griddling or defrosting food
The Industry’s Best and Most Comprehensive Warranty
- 3-year full – complete product
- 90-day full - cosmetic parts such as glass, painted items and decorative items
- Lifetime limited - stainless steel exterior
- 5-year limited - surface burners

Not too long ago I visited a client who had just moved into a lovely old cottage in Milton, Oxfordshire. She wanted to restore many of the antique features of the building, including a fantastic Quarry tiled floor in the kitchen.
Quarry is typically a robust, hard wearing stone, but in a high traffic area like a kitchen, the tiles will need regular maintenance. These tiles clearly hadn’t seen a thorough clean and fresh seal in a long time, and so I was called in to provide just that.
On the first day of work, I gave the Quarry tiles a deep clean using a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and water. Pro-Clean is a versatile alkaline cleaner that also helps to break down any old and no longer effectual sealer remaining on the tiles.
The solution was applied evenly to the floor and left to dwell for half an hour, allowing time for it to seep into the stone to get underneath and lift out the ingrained dirt. I then removed the dirt by agitating the solution with a scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor scrubber. I worked in small sections at first, and gradually finished the entire floor.
After completing the initial clean, I rinsed away the soiled solution and vacuumed up the excess moisture using a wet-vac machine. I then scrubbed the floor an acid wash using a dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up to remove grout smears and other mineral type deposits. The resulting solution was then removed in a similar fashion using a wet-vac.
The final step in the cleaning process was to rinse the floor with Tile Doctor pH Neutral Cleaner to remove any trace of product helps to tackle any remaining dirt and reset the pH balance of the tiles before sealing.
After leaving the floor to dry overnight, I returned the next day to the house to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Seal & Go, a water-based topical sealer which gives the floor an aesthetically pleasing sheen and a robust surface seal.
The photos demonstrate the results better than this short account can, needless to say the floor is now transformed.
Barry Woodward
Oxfordshire Tile Doctor

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Viking 36" Gas Cooktop - VGC536-6B
Available at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center.
Commercial-Type Cooking Power
- Gas 36" wide cooktop
-- Six sealed burners with brass flame ports and porcelain/cast-iron caps
-- Left front - 18,000 BTU high
-- Left rear - 10,000 BTU high
-- Center front - 12,000 BTU high
-- Center rear - 12,000 BTU high
-- Right front - 6,000 BTU high
-- Right rear - 8,000 BTU high
- Highest combined BTU rating in the industry, featuring sealed burners with brass burner rings in a wide variety of sizes
- Powerful 18,000 BTU burner delivers commercial power for high heat sautéing, rapid boiling and quick recovery
- Simmer settings on all burners allows low BTU output for heating delicate sauces
- EXCLUSIVE SureSpark™ Ignition System ensures automatic ignition/re-ignition should flame extinguish at any time while cooking
Safe, Easy Operation
- Child proof, push-to-turn metal knobs for safe use
- Automatic electric spark ignition means no standing pilot to re-light, waste energy or add extra heat to the kitchen
- EXCLUSIVE ScratchSafe™ Grate Design provides ultimate protection from scratches and ensures proper placement of the heavy-duty, porcelain-coated cast iron grates
Easy Maintenance and Cleanup
- Permanently sealed burners prevent spills from entering burner box
- Deep, seamless recessed burner pan retains liquid spills
- Updated beveled edge design provides sleek styling and easy cleaning
- Durable laser-etched graphics withstand the rigors of regular cleaning
- Removable knobs, grates, and burner ports/caps make cleanup easy
Replaces Most Ordinary Cooktops
- Overall/burner box dimensions designed to fit virtually all 36" wide cooktop cutouts
Optional Accessories
- Porcelain-coated cast iron wok ring fits securely over grates to accommodate a traditional wok
- Portable non-stick cast aluminum griddle fits securely onto grates for griddling or defrosting food
Exclusive Finishes
- Available in Stainless Steel (SS)
Warranty Highlights*
- Three-year full - complete unit
- Ninety-day full - cosmetic parts such as glass, painted items and decorative items
- Five-year limited - surface burners
*Warranty valid on Viking products shipped within the United States and products purchased and installed in Mexico and the Caribbean on or after April 1, 2013, excluding Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
Model Numbers
VGC536-6B - 36" wide cooktops

Dimensions: 128 "L x 39" D x 24" H Sectional Area: 64 " D
The Baseline sofa is in stock in the US for quick delivery at 128" x 63" with chaise in Gravel 26 and Tangent 16. Includes: Head Roll 6 3/4"dia x 23 1/2"w and three Back Cushions 21 3/4" x 25 1/2 x 2 3/4". Find fabric images Nueva, Bakar, Bubble II, Gravel, Plindy, Tangent, Desert, Herring and Nature, all available for special order with promotional pricing. Inquire for more info. Fabric samples are available upon request.
Comes in Left Facing or Right Facing
By Eilersen: Solid-wood frame with Nozag-spring seat-base, covered with polyurethane foam in a 600 g pre-compressed, fibre-fill wrap. Back cushion and neck-roll filling is 100% down and small duck feathers sewn into a ribbed, feather-proof cambric casing. To retain the feather cushion’s appearance and shape, regular fluffing-up and airing are recommended. 3 cushions and 1 bolster included.
Born a classic. Named after its expression. Clean lines and uncomplicated elegance make Baseline an obvious starting point for the interior decoration of your living room. Baseline is the epitome of quality, comfort, and classic design. Plus double the flexibility. With its stylistically consistent simplicity, Baseline glides effortlessly into any interior. Moreover, we have produced it in a varied series of corners, centre elements, stools and chaise-lounge which provide almost unlimited possibilities for individual combinations. Build the modules in systems - or choose them as free-standing furniture.
Both the seat and back are upholstered with a super flexible layer of pre-compressed fiberfill which optimizes sitting comfort and gives a soft, rounded look. You can easily purchase movable neckroll pillows and large down pillows, 55 x 65 cm, so Baseline invites even more relaxed enjoyment. The 25 cm broad armrest gives a balanced finish and also lifts the sofa which seems to float freely in the air on its legs of black-stained wood that are only a few centimetres high.
You can choose your cover from Eilersen's large fabric collection. The cover is removable and fitted with velcro so you can easily take it off and clean it (follow the care and maintenance instructions of the fabric). Under the cover, the sofa is further protected by a base cover in 100% cotton.

Dimensions: 128 "L x 39" D x 24" H Sectional Area: 64 " D
The Baseline sofa is in stock in the US for quick delivery at 128" x 63" with chaise in Gravel 26 and Tangent 16. Includes: Head Roll 6 3/4"dia x 23 1/2"w and three Back Cushions 21 3/4" x 25 1/2 x 2 3/4". Find fabric images Nueva, Bakar, Bubble II, Gravel, Plindy, Tangent, Desert, Herring and Nature, all available for special order with promotional pricing. Inquire for more info. Fabric samples are available upon request.
Comes in Left Facing or Right Facing
By Eilersen: Solid-wood frame with Nozag-spring seat-base, covered with polyurethane foam in a 600 g pre-compressed, fibre-fill wrap. Back cushion and neck-roll filling is 100% down and small duck feathers sewn into a ribbed, feather-proof cambric casing. To retain the feather cushion’s appearance and shape, regular fluffing-up and airing are recommended. 3 cushions and 1 bolster included.
Born a classic. Named after its expression. Clean lines and uncomplicated elegance make Baseline an obvious starting point for the interior decoration of your living room. Baseline is the epitome of quality, comfort, and classic design. Plus double the flexibility. With its stylistically consistent simplicity, Baseline glides effortlessly into any interior. Moreover, we have produced it in a varied series of corners, centre elements, stools and chaise-lounge which provide almost unlimited possibilities for individual combinations. Build the modules in systems - or choose them as free-standing furniture.
Both the seat and back are upholstered with a super flexible layer of pre-compressed fiberfill which optimizes sitting comfort and gives a soft, rounded look. You can easily purchase movable neckroll pillows and large down pillows, 55 x 65 cm, so Baseline invites even more relaxed enjoyment. The 25 cm broad armrest gives a balanced finish and also lifts the sofa which seems to float freely in the air on its legs of black-stained wood that are only a few centimetres high.
You can choose your cover from Eilersen's large fabric collection. The cover is removable and fitted with velcro so you can easily take it off and clean it (follow the care and maintenance instructions of the fabric). Under the cover, the sofa is further protected by a base cover in 100% cotton.

Sealers really do bring out the best in Terracotta tiles, however the catch is they will wear off over time and if you want to maintain that appearance you have to work out a regular maintenance plan. If you don’t maintain the sealer you will find that the sealer near the most heavily used areas such as doors etc. will wear away first and once that happens dirt will become ingrained in the tile and becomes difficult to clean resulting in a patchy appearance.
The remaining sealer on this Terracotta tiled kitchen floor at a house in the town of Wickford, Essex was no longer effective and had worn completely off in places. The solution was to strip off the old sealer, clean the Terracotta tile and gout and then re-seal with a fresh seal.
I started by giving the floor a deep clean with Tile Doctor Pro Clean diluted 2 parts water to 1 part cleaner. This is quite a strong dilution designed to allow the removal of the sealer and was left to dwell on the floor for ten minutes before working it into the floor using a scrubbing machine fitted with a black pad. Surprisingly the sealer was proving difficult to shift in certain areas and I had to repeat the process a few times and made sure to give the grout a good scrubbing as well.
I managed to get rid of most of the sealer using this process and for the remaining stubborn areas I used a stronger product called Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a very effective coatings remover that is safe to use on tiles. This did the trick and the floor was now free of sealers and the grout was looking much better too, the resultant slurry was removed using a wet vacuum and I then rinsed the floor several times with water before leaving it to dry for weekend.
Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that seeps into the pores of the tile to block them and prevent contaminates becoming ingrained in there and it also enhances the natural colours. Once this was dry I followed up with a number of coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is topical sealer that will protect the surface and adds a nice sheen to the floor and is a popular choice for Terracotta and Quarry tiles.
I’m not sure my photographs do this post any justice however hopefully you can see that floor was quite transformed, the grout is much cleaner and the colours in the Terracotta have really come to life.
Nick Murphy
South Essex Tile Doctor

If you want a polished stone floor to keep its appearance, then it will need a regular maintenance plan in place, without it the stone will lose its polish and start to look dull and un-inviting which was the story with this Travertine tiled floor installed throughout much of the grout floor of this house in the village of Great Wilbraham near Cambridge.
I was able to find out from the owner that the floor was last treated six years ago with Lithofin Stain Stop which is a solvent based impregnating sealer which like all sealers will wear off after a few years. Naturally this depends on the amount of wear the floor receives and what tends to happen is this process occurs more rapidly in the high traffic areas leading to an uneven appearance.
The best course of action now would be to remove what was left of the sealer and re-polish and seal the floor.
During my inspection of the floor I had noticed a number of irregular holes in one of the Travertine tiles which needed filling with a colour matching filler; this worked out quite well and as you can see from the photographs below the result looked entirely natural.
After protecting the clients skirting boards with protective film we proceeded to burnish the floor through with a set of Tile Doctor Diamond encrusted honing pads.
During the application of the first coarse pad we also added a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean combined with NanoTech Ultra-Clean to aid the removal of sealer residues from the pores of the Travertine. The floor was then rinsed and the soiled solution extracted using a wet vacuum.
With the sealer remove we were now able to concentrate on building up the polish on the stone by applying the remaining pads from Medium, Fine through to Very Fine, each lubricated with a little water and ensuring to rinse in-between the application of each pad.
With the floor now clean and the polish restored the last step was to protect it so it would keep its appearance for as long as possible. There are a number of solutions for this but for a long durable shine I opted to work Tile Doctor Shine Powder into the Travertine.
The powder is applied liberally to the floor and then ground in using a slow speed floor rotary machine fitted with a white or tan buffing pad lubricated with water.
The shine on the floor has now been restored and the client has a beautiful and durable finish to their Travertine tiles.
Mick Conlon
Cambridge Tile Doctor

The Baseline sofa is in stock in the US for quick delivery at 128" x 63" with chaise in Gravel 26 and Tangent 16. Includes: Head Roll 6 3/4"dia x 23 1/2"w and three Back Cushions 21 3/4" x 25 1/2 x 2 3/4". Find fabric images Nueva, Bakar, Bubble II, Gravel, Plindy, Tangent, Desert, Herring and Nature, all available for special order with promotional pricing. Inquire for more info. Fabric samples are available upon request.
Comes in Left Facing or Right Facing
By Eilersen: Solid-wood frame with Nozag-spring seat-base, covered with polyurethane foam in a 600 g pre-compressed, fibre-fill wrap. Back cushion and neck-roll filling is 100% down and small duck feathers sewn into a ribbed, feather-proof cambric casing. To retain the feather cushion’s appearance and shape, regular fluffing-up and airing are recommended. 3 cushions and 1 bolster included.
Born a classic. Named after its expression. Clean lines and uncomplicated elegance make Baseline an obvious starting point for the interior decoration of your living room. Baseline is the epitome of quality, comfort, and classic design. Plus double the flexibility. With its stylistically consistent simplicity, Baseline glides effortlessly into any interior. Moreover, we have produced it in a varied series of corners, centre elements, stools and chaise-lounge which provide almost unlimited possibilities for individual combinations. Build the modules in systems - or choose them as free-standing furniture.
Both the seat and back are upholstered with a super flexible layer of pre-compressed fiberfill which optimizes sitting comfort and gives a soft, rounded look. You can easily purchase movable neckroll pillows and large down pillows, 55 x 65 cm, so Baseline invites even more relaxed enjoyment. The 25 cm broad armrest gives a balanced finish and also lifts the sofa which seems to float freely in the air on its legs of black-stained wood that are only a few centimetres high.
You can choose your cover from Eilersen's large fabric collection. The cover is removable and fitted with velcro so you can easily take it off and clean it (follow the care and maintenance instructions of the fabric). Under the cover, the sofa is further protected by a base cover in 100% cotton.

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Dimensions: 128 "L x 39" D x 24" H Sectional Area: 64 " D
The Baseline sofa is in stock in the US for quick delivery at 128" x 63" with chaise in Gravel 26 and Tangent 16. Includes: Head Roll 6 3/4"dia x 23 1/2"w and three Back Cushions 21 3/4" x 25 1/2 x 2 3/4". Find fabric images Nueva, Bakar, Bubble II, Gravel, Plindy, Tangent, Desert, Herring and Nature, all available for special order with promotional pricing. Inquire for more info. Fabric samples are available upon request.
Comes in Left Facing or Right Facing
By Eilersen: Solid-wood frame with Nozag-spring seat-base, covered with polyurethane foam in a 600 g pre-compressed, fibre-fill wrap. Back cushion and neck-roll filling is 100% down and small duck feathers sewn into a ribbed, feather-proof cambric casing. To retain the feather cushion’s appearance and shape, regular fluffing-up and airing are recommended. 3 cushions and 1 bolster included.
Born a classic. Named after its expression. Clean lines and uncomplicated elegance make Baseline an obvious starting point for the interior decoration of your living room. Baseline is the epitome of quality, comfort, and classic design. Plus double the flexibility. With its stylistically consistent simplicity, Baseline glides effortlessly into any interior. Moreover, we have produced it in a varied series of corners, centre elements, stools and chaise-lounge which provide almost unlimited possibilities for individual combinations. Build the modules in systems - or choose them as free-standing furniture.
Both the seat and back are upholstered with a super flexible layer of pre-compressed fiberfill which optimizes sitting comfort and gives a soft, rounded look. You can easily purchase movable neckroll pillows and large down pillows, 55 x 65 cm, so Baseline invites even more relaxed enjoyment. The 25 cm broad armrest gives a balanced finish and also lifts the sofa which seems to float freely in the air on its legs of black-stained wood that are only a few centimetres high.
You can choose your cover from Eilersen's large fabric collection. The cover is removable and fitted with velcro so you can easily take it off and clean it (follow the care and maintenance instructions of the fabric). Under the cover, the sofa is further protected by a base cover in 100% cotton.

Dimensions: 128 "L x 39" D x 24" H Sectional Area: 64 " D
The Baseline sofa is in stock in the US for quick delivery at 128" x 63" with chaise in Gravel 26 and Tangent 16. Includes: Head Roll 6 3/4"dia x 23 1/2"w and three Back Cushions 21 3/4" x 25 1/2 x 2 3/4". Find fabric images Nueva, Bakar, Bubble II, Gravel, Plindy, Tangent, Desert, Herring and Nature, all available for special order with promotional pricing. Inquire for more info. Fabric samples are available upon request.
Comes in Left Facing or Right Facing
By Eilersen: Solid-wood frame with Nozag-spring seat-base, covered with polyurethane foam in a 600 g pre-compressed, fibre-fill wrap. Back cushion and neck-roll filling is 100% down and small duck feathers sewn into a ribbed, feather-proof cambric casing. To retain the feather cushion’s appearance and shape, regular fluffing-up and airing are recommended. 3 cushions and 1 bolster included.
Born a classic. Named after its expression. Clean lines and uncomplicated elegance make Baseline an obvious starting point for the interior decoration of your living room. Baseline is the epitome of quality, comfort, and classic design. Plus double the flexibility. With its stylistically consistent simplicity, Baseline glides effortlessly into any interior. Moreover, we have produced it in a varied series of corners, centre elements, stools and chaise-lounge which provide almost unlimited possibilities for individual combinations. Build the modules in systems - or choose them as free-standing furniture.
Both the seat and back are upholstered with a super flexible layer of pre-compressed fiberfill which optimizes sitting comfort and gives a soft, rounded look. You can easily purchase movable neckroll pillows and large down pillows, 55 x 65 cm, so Baseline invites even more relaxed enjoyment. The 25 cm broad armrest gives a balanced finish and also lifts the sofa which seems to float freely in the air on its legs of black-stained wood that are only a few centimetres high.
You can choose your cover from Eilersen's large fabric collection. The cover is removable and fitted with velcro so you can easily take it off and clean it (follow the care and maintenance instructions of the fabric). Under the cover, the sofa is further protected by a base cover in 100% cotton

This Quarry tiled kitchen floor was in very good condition, with no cracked or broken tiles. However, my customer, who lives in the town of Tutbury, near Burton-on-Trent, was keen to boost the condition of the tiles further through professional maintenance, including a deep clean and a fresh seal to restore the sheen to the Quarry. NB, did you know it’s estimated that Tutbury has actually been inhabited for 3000 years, having once been the site of an Iron Age hill fort, this house of course was a lot more recent.
To clean the tiles, I chose to use our tried and trusted alkaline cleaner, Tile Doctor Pro Clean. We use Pro Clean on most types of natural stone floor, including Quarry, Slate, and Victorian. I applied Pro Clean liberally across the floor and left it to dwell for a short period, giving it time to seep into the tile to get underneath and lift out any ingrained dirt. The cleaner was then agitated using a scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine to remove the dirt and other general muck.
I then rinsed the floor with cold water and soaked up the resulting slurry with a wet-vac machine. Some areas of the floor proved to be quite stubborn to clean, so in these areas the cleaning process was repeated until satisfactory results were achieved. Finally, the floor was given another rinse and left to dry off overnight.
The next day I returned to the property and checked that the floor was ready to seal by running several damp tests, with the results indicating that was no excess moisture remaining on the tiles. We carry out these tests before sealing because moisture can cloud the sealer and prevent it from properly protecting the tiles.
My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Seal & Go, a cost effective topical sealer that builds up a robust layer of protection on the surface of the floor and provides a durable sheen finish that, as you can see from the photographs, really lifts the appearance of the tiles.
It’s a fact that any sealed tiled floor will need to be regularly maintained as sealers do wear off over time, especially in the high traffic areas, and this is when the floor starts to lose its appearance as dirt becomes trapped in the pores of the stone. The life of the sealer can be extended however by ensuring you only clean the floor with a PH Neutral cleaner.
Trevor Preeece

Dimensions: 128 "L x 39" D x 24" H Sectional Area: 64 " D
The Baseline sofa is in stock in the US for quick delivery at 128" x 63" with chaise in Gravel 26 and Tangent 16. Includes: Head Roll 6 3/4"dia x 23 1/2"w and three Back Cushions 21 3/4" x 25 1/2 x 2 3/4". Find fabric images Nueva, Bakar, Bubble II, Gravel, Plindy, Tangent, Desert, Herring and Nature, all available for special order with promotional pricing. Inquire for more info. Fabric samples are available upon request.
Comes in Left Facing or Right Facing
By Eilersen: Solid-wood frame with Nozag-spring seat-base, covered with polyurethane foam in a 600 g pre-compressed, fibre-fill wrap. Back cushion and neck-roll filling is 100% down and small duck feathers sewn into a ribbed, feather-proof cambric casing. To retain the feather cushion’s appearance and shape, regular fluffing-up and airing are recommended. 3 cushions and 1 bolster included.
Born a classic. Named after its expression. Clean lines and uncomplicated elegance make Baseline an obvious starting point for the interior decoration of your living room. Baseline is the epitome of quality, comfort, and classic design. Plus double the flexibility. With its stylistically consistent simplicity, Baseline glides effortlessly into any interior. Moreover, we have produced it in a varied series of corners, centre elements, stools and chaise-lounge which provide almost unlimited possibilities for individual combinations. Build the modules in systems - or choose them as free-standing furniture.
Both the seat and back are upholstered with a super flexible layer of pre-compressed fiberfill which optimizes sitting comfort and gives a soft, rounded look. You can easily purchase movable neckroll pillows and large down pillows, 55 x 65 cm, so Baseline invites even more relaxed enjoyment. The 25 cm broad armrest gives a balanced finish and also lifts the sofa which seems to float freely in the air on its legs of black-stained wood that are only a few centimetres high.
You can choose your cover from Eilersen's large fabric collection. The cover is removable and fitted with velcro so you can easily take it off and clean it (follow the care and maintenance instructions of the fabric). Under the cover, the sofa is further protected by a base cover in 100% cotton.

We fabricated and installed Black Forest Leather granite in a kitchen out in St. Matthews, and this is one of those stones that changes the whole feel of a room the second it goes in. It's a granite, but with a leathered finish instead of polished, so the surface has texture you can actually feel under your hand. That leathering knocks the shine down and brings out the depth of the stone, the blacks and dark grays shifting as the light moves across the counters through the day.
Black Forest works in a kitchen because it's granite through and through, hard, dense, and about as tough a countertop material as you're going to find. Heat off a pan straight from the stove isn't going to bother it. Knives, hot pots, everyday kitchen abuse, it shrugs all that off. The leathered texture actually helps hide the small stuff too, fingerprints and water spots don't show up the way they would on a polished slab, which matters in a kitchen that's getting used every single day.
Getting a leathered finish right takes some care in the shop. You can't rush the process or you end up with a surface that feels inconsistent from one section to the next. We templated the kitchen carefully, cut it to fit tight against the cabinets, and set the seams where they'd be least noticeable, matching the movement in the stone across the joints so it reads like one continuous surface instead of pieced-together slabs. We kept the edge eased, clean and simple, which is the right call on a stone with this much character. You don't need a fussy edge competing with what the granite's already doing.
Day to day, this countertop is going to hold up. Granite like this doesn't scratch easily, and with a leathered finish there's less concern about micro-scratching showing over time compared to a high polish. A sealer keeps it easy to wipe down and keeps stains from setting in, and beyond that it's low maintenance, just regular cleaning and it'll look the way it does now for years.
It's good to see stone like this going into a kitchen in St. Matthews. We do a lot of work across the Midlands, and every job's a little different, but a granite with this much texture and depth always makes an impression walking into the room.

We fabricated and installed Black Forest Leather granite in a kitchen out in St. Matthews, and this is one of those stones that changes the whole feel of a room the second it goes in. It's a granite, but with a leathered finish instead of polished, so the surface has texture you can actually feel under your hand. That leathering knocks the shine down and brings out the depth of the stone, the blacks and dark grays shifting as the light moves across the counters through the day.
Black Forest works in a kitchen because it's granite through and through, hard, dense, and about as tough a countertop material as you're going to find. Heat off a pan straight from the stove isn't going to bother it. Knives, hot pots, everyday kitchen abuse, it shrugs all that off. The leathered texture actually helps hide the small stuff too, fingerprints and water spots don't show up the way they would on a polished slab, which matters in a kitchen that's getting used every single day.
Getting a leathered finish right takes some care in the shop. You can't rush the process or you end up with a surface that feels inconsistent from one section to the next. We templated the kitchen carefully, cut it to fit tight against the cabinets, and set the seams where they'd be least noticeable, matching the movement in the stone across the joints so it reads like one continuous surface instead of pieced-together slabs. We kept the edge eased, clean and simple, which is the right call on a stone with this much character. You don't need a fussy edge competing with what the granite's already doing.
Day to day, this countertop is going to hold up. Granite like this doesn't scratch easily, and with a leathered finish there's less concern about micro-scratching showing over time compared to a high polish. A sealer keeps it easy to wipe down and keeps stains from setting in, and beyond that it's low maintenance, just regular cleaning and it'll look the way it does now for years.
It's good to see stone like this going into a kitchen in St. Matthews. We do a lot of work across the Midlands, and every job's a little different, but a granite with this much texture and depth always makes an impression walking into the room.

We fabricated and installed Black Forest Leather granite in a kitchen out in St. Matthews, and this is one of those stones that changes the whole feel of a room the second it goes in. It's a granite, but with a leathered finish instead of polished, so the surface has texture you can actually feel under your hand. That leathering knocks the shine down and brings out the depth of the stone, the blacks and dark grays shifting as the light moves across the counters through the day.
Black Forest works in a kitchen because it's granite through and through, hard, dense, and about as tough a countertop material as you're going to find. Heat off a pan straight from the stove isn't going to bother it. Knives, hot pots, everyday kitchen abuse, it shrugs all that off. The leathered texture actually helps hide the small stuff too, fingerprints and water spots don't show up the way they would on a polished slab, which matters in a kitchen that's getting used every single day.
Getting a leathered finish right takes some care in the shop. You can't rush the process or you end up with a surface that feels inconsistent from one section to the next. We templated the kitchen carefully, cut it to fit tight against the cabinets, and set the seams where they'd be least noticeable, matching the movement in the stone across the joints so it reads like one continuous surface instead of pieced-together slabs. We kept the edge eased, clean and simple, which is the right call on a stone with this much character. You don't need a fussy edge competing with what the granite's already doing.
Day to day, this countertop is going to hold up. Granite like this doesn't scratch easily, and with a leathered finish there's less concern about micro-scratching showing over time compared to a high polish. A sealer keeps it easy to wipe down and keeps stains from setting in, and beyond that it's low maintenance, just regular cleaning and it'll look the way it does now for years.
It's good to see stone like this going into a kitchen in St. Matthews. We do a lot of work across the Midlands, and every job's a little different, but a granite with this much texture and depth always makes an impression walking into the room.
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