This couple, who live in the seaside resort of Brighton, had purchased their house four months before Christmas and wanted to have the fantastic Terracotta tiled floor in the kitchen and conservatory looking its best before the festive period, since they had family visiting. The floor was looking washed out and it was clear the sealer had failed in the high traffic areas and was now allowing dirt to penetrate into the pores of the tile making it difficult to clean. We often get calls from new home owners keen to put their own stamp on a property shortly after moving in; stone floors rarely come with cleaning instructions so if you have a stone floor it makes sense to get in touch, so we can advise you on how best to maintain it. We provided a quote which included stripping the floor of old sealers, cleaning, oiling and then sealing it again to restore cleanliness and character to the Terracotta. There was a lot to do and two areas to clean so I anticipated it would take four days to complete. Having accepted the quote our first task upon returning to the property was to give the Terracotta tiles a deep clean and remove any remaining sealer present on the tile. This was achieved by applying a strong combination of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and Tile Doctor NanoTech HBU to the tiles and then covering it in a plastic sheet, so it wouldn’t dry out. This method allows the products to really soak into the pores of the Terracotta and draw out the dirt. I should also mention that Pro-Clean is a very effective Tile and Grout cleaner whilst HBU enhances it by adding nano-sized cleaning particles. The plastic blanket was left in place for a few hours before being peeled off and then the cleaning products scrubbed into the tile and grout using a black pad fitted to a rotary floor machine and hand brushes. The now soiled product was rinsed off with water which was then extracted using a wet vacuum. The floor was inspected, and stubborn marks spot treated until the floor was clean. After thoroughly cleaning the Terracotta over two days, we left the floor to completely dry off over the weekend. The tiles would need to be sufficiently dry to receive fresh sealant, as excess moisture can cloud the sealant and prevent it from working correctly. When we returned to the property, we proceeded to apply Tile Doctor Stone Oil to the tiles. Stone Oil is a sealer which restores the colour and texture of tiled floors, as well as mechanical strength once cured. We applied a single coat of the Stone Oil before topping it up with multiple coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go, a topical sealer which provides a high-quality sheen finish to help accentuate the appearance of the Terracotta tiles as well as adding protection. You can see the results of the restoration below. The couple were so impressed that they have now agreed to have Tile Doctor visit once a year (at a fraction of the cost of the original restoration) to complete a maintenance clean. This will make sure this Terracotta is always looking at its best! Mick Conlon East Sussex Tile Doctor

Except for general cleaning this multi-coloured slate floor had not been professionally cleaned since installation eleven years prior. Any sealer that had once been applied to the slate had long since worn off and dirt was now ingrained in the pores of the stone causing it to look dull and un-attractive. The property was in the lovely town of Staines Upon Thames, obviously situated on the banks of the River Thames and a popular place to live for London commuters. I visited site to take a closer look at the floor and provide the client with an accurate price for renovating the stone. It turns out that the client had used all sorts of different household cleaners in an attempt to get the floor clean. Unfortunately, they were probably making the situation worse as these strong cleaning products would have actually stripped the sealant off the stone leaving it open to dirt. I carried out a test clean for them and they were very pleased to see how the floor could look. We agreed a price for the work and arranged a suitable date to carry out the work. Cleaning a Multi-Coloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor My first task was to strip off what was left of the old sealer and deep clean the stone using a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go mixed 50:50 with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This powerful cocktail was applied to the floor and left to soak in for ten minutes before being scrubbed in using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The grout was hand scrubbed using more of the cleaning solution along the grout lines until I was happy the floor was as clean as it possibly could be. The floor was rinsed with water and the soil extracted by using the wet vacuum. Once the floor was clear the Slate was inspected, and any stubborn areas were spot treated using the same process as before. After a final rinse and extraction, the floor was dried as much as possible using the wet vacuum and left to dry off overnight. Sealing a Multi-Coloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor I came back the next day and checked the moisture levels of the tiles using a damp meter. The floor had dried well so I had a green light for applying a new sealer. For this I used four Coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. This product works really well on Slate and gave the tiles a nice sheen finish, the fresh sealer will also make maintenance cleaning far easier in the future. The client was very happy with the result, the floor now looks great and the natural colours of the stone is so much more evident. For aftercare I recommended they throw away all those supermarket products and use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a pH neutral product that won’t prematurely erode the new sealer with use. Jonathan Oldham South Middlesex Tile Doctor

This was a job I did earlier in May this year where I was asked to clean this lovely Limestone patio installed at the rear of a house in Haddenham near Thame on the Oxfordshore borders which had succumbed to the ravages of the English winter weather and was far from looking its best. As a Tile Doctor and carpet technician I have invested a lot in powerful high pressure machinery that can make light work of interior and exterior installations so taking on this patio was not a problem and it was nice to work outside for a change. On arrival I set-up the high pressure equipment and then proceeded to pressure wash the patio in order to get the worst of the dirt out of the tile. Then I soaked the tiles in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to dwell for thirty minutes. The next process was to use a deck brush to scrub the cleaner into the stubborn areas and then rinse the patio with clean water which was then removed using a wet vacuum. After letting it dry I then had to re clean the worst areas again following the same process until I was satisfied with the condition of the tile. The patio soon dried in the warm sun and later that day I was able to seal it using a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing impregnating sealer that can be used internally and externally, it works really on Limestone and did well to bring out the natural colours in the stone.

I was contacted about a Georgian property in the Kent village of Leeds , to see if I could do anything to improve a Travertine tiled floor. The use of Travertine was extensive and had been installed throughout the ground floor including the kitchen, dining room, utility and bathroom WC. Travertine is probably my favourite stone, but it is acid sensitive and attracts dirt easily, due to its ‘holey’ composition. Initially we discussed the floor over the phone where I got to know about the issues they were experiencing, and I detailed the renovation process I normally use to restore it including the products and timelines. Naturally they wanted to me to provide a quote for the work however its tricky to do that accurately without seeing the floor, so I arranged a date to pop over. Upon arriving I could see the tiles and the wide grout joints had extensive, ingrained dirt indicating the previous sealer had long since worn away. This is a common issue with stone floors, and to re-assure myself and the client it could be resolved I cleaned a small area in the utility room with pleasing results! This test clean helped me to understand which products and methods would work best on the floor and later that day I emailed over a detailed quote for the renovation. Happy with the quote I received a reply the same day asking when I could start. My colleague and I arrived on the agreed date and work started with adding protection to all areas that required it. We use a lot of water during the cleaning process and some materials such as MDF can become damaged with water ingress, so it makes sense to do this. To get the floor clean, a coarse Carbide Brush fitted to a rotary machine was run over the Travertine tiles to scrub in a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This process generates a lot of slurry as the dirt was washed out of the stone and grout which is extracted with a wet vacuum as we progressed. Next it was on hands and knees with more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and handheld brushes run over stubborn areas and along the grout lines to take them from 80% up to 100%. Happy with the results, the next step was to renovate the stone using a series of diamond encrusted burnishing pads. Using only water for lubrication this process starts with the application of a coarse 400-grit burnishing pad attached to the floor buffer. This produces a lot of slurry which again was removed with a wet vacuum. This left the Travertine clean, but the pores of the stone had been opened giving the floor a matt finish and more absorbent than it was originally. To further refine the appearance of the stone the next two burnishing pads were applied which are 800 and 1500-grit. These pads polish the stone and close the pores, restoring the natural sheen in the process. After each pad was applied the slurry was rinsed off the floor with water and extracted with the wet vacuum. Once complete the floor was left to dry off fully overnight. I arrived the next day and took several moisture readings from the floor to check that it had dried off sufficiently overnight. The results were good, so work moved onto sealing the Travertine with two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is a natural look impregnating sealer. It works by soaking into the stone, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where it is easily cleaned away. The final step in the floor’s renovation was to apply the last of the diamond polishing pads which is a very fine 3000-grit. This pad further improves the polished appearance of the stone resulting in a satisfying sheen. The work made a massive difference to the floor, and I received an email the next day from one of the owners who was really pleased with the transformation: ”Floors look brilliant. Very pleased.” For the care and maintenance of polished sealed floors I recommend the use of Tile Doctor’s Stone Soap which is a gentle but effective cleaning product that won’t impact the sealer and contains a patina enhancer. When it comes to sealed floors my mantra is: “If you look after the sealer, the sealer will look after the floor!” Graham Davis North Kent Tile Doctor

Lichen, moss and other plant-based staining is a common sight on patios exposed to the UK climate. For many property owners, it’s a very difficult task to keep patios looking great in the face of the natural effects of the environment. However always happy to help Tile Doctor is available to provide the professional cleaning and sealing needed on a regular basis. This Sandstone tiled patio in Rushden was certainly a prime candidate for restoration. Not only was it completely covered in lichen and moss, but it was also cracked in parts and missing grout. The patio would therefore need not only cleaning and sealing, but also re-grouting. To begin the restoration, I opted to power jet wash the entire area to remove as much of the initial layers of moss. Then, I mixed a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean, which is a powerful and reliable alkaline cleaner suitable for use on both internal and external natural stone tiles. This was applied liberally to the patio and scrubbed into the stone to cut through the particularly stubborn stains. The two photos below show the fantastic result. After completing the cleaning phase, I allowed the patio to dry completely overnight before returning to re-grout the entire area with mortar. To finish off I applied a fresh sealer in the form of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra, which an acrylic-based, fully breathable sealer appropriate for outside use. The below pictures show the final result. As you can see, it was a complete transformation – and my very happy customer will agree! With the right products and methods, it’s possible to bring new life back to weathered patios. Phil Vissian Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

This small rough Chinese Slate floor in the kitchen of a house in the village of Cheadle near Stockport in Greater Manchester had not had any sealer put on it for many years and was very grubby (dishevelled as described by the customer) looking even after the customer had tried to clean it. Sealers do take a lot of punishment, especially in a high traffic area such as a small kitchen and will wear off over time and once this happens the floor will start to lose its appearance as dirt becomes ingrained in the stone and it can no longer be cleaned effectively. As we have to apply a liberal amount of water with this sort of work, the first step was to remove the Kicker boards at the bottom of the Kitchen units and silicone the Kitchen units that were fixed; this stops water seeping in and blowing the MDF allowing us to concentrate on cleaning the Slate without causing any damage. I started the cleaning process by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to get rid of the built up dirt and any remaining sealer, leaving it to soak into the Slate before scrubbing the floor with a black scrub pad fitted to buffing machine running at slow speed. Tile Doctor Pro-Clean is a strong alkaline cleaner/stripper that is safe to use on natural stone, we do have stronger products available if required but in this case a strong dilution of Pro-Clean was sufficient to tackle any remaining sealer. This process gave the Slate and grout lines a good deep clean and after rinsing the floor with water which was then extracted using a wet vacuum I repeated the process on stubborn areas until satisfied the floor was as clean and free of old sealer. Last stage of the cleaning process was to give the floor a final rinse and then get it as dry as possible using the wet vacuum to soak up the moisture. The floor was quite small so I was able to leave the floor to dry off over lunch time and then on my return managed to get it fully dry with a little heat from a heat gun. The customer wanted a mat finish so once dry I applied Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer which impregnates into the pores of the natural stone protecting it from within and enhancing the natural colours of the Slate at the same time. For general cleaning of Sealed stone floors, we recommend the use of a PH Neutral Cleaner as anything with a strong PH will degrade the life of the sealer over time. Steve Keary Greater Manchester Tile Doctor

The following job was a bit different from the kitchen and hallway restorations we normally get asked to do, in fact this request came from the vicar of St. Mary’s Church in Far Cotton who wanted us to restore some beautiful old Quarry tiles which lead up to the main aisle. The church dates back to 1885 and given the wear on some of the tiles I can only assume they date back to the same Victorian period; the church is a really welcoming, community-focused place, so it was a pleasure for me to be asked to complete the work. The vicar’s main concern was the large amount of melted candle wax around the font – so much so that this his normal cleaners had been unable to remove it. He also wanted to know if the floors could be sealed to make ongoing maintenance easier – and this was certainly something we would be able to provide. The following photos show the condition of the floor before we started. The next photo shows the work in progress from halfway down the aisle. We started by breaking down any old sealer and the troublesome candle wax, using a black stripping pad in combination of Tile Doctor Pro Clean to deep clean the floor. Since Pro Clean, a high alkaline cleaner, is highly versatile and can be used on all kinds of natural stone and tile. While the church has cleaners that come in regularly to keep the building tidy for the parishioners, the old tiles really benefitted from a deep clean which tackled the stubborn ingrained dirt and staining that had built up over many years. Once I was satisfied that the tiles had been cleaned to the best of my abilities, they were then left for two weeks to fully dry as it is an old church and, understandably, there were some inherent damp issues. As aforementioned, the vicar was keen to have the tiles sealed to make them easier to keep clean and protect them against ingrained dirt and staining for the future. There are only a few situations in which we wouldn’t recommend sealing tiles, such as if they are patio tiles which will already be under constant exposure to the weather. The best choice of sealer for this particular situation was Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is an impregnating, breathable sealer that won’t trap moisture in the floor and will provide great protection against further staining. Additionally, as an impregnating sealer, Colour Grow penetrates into the pores of the tile protecting it from within and with the added benefit of enhancing the natural colours and restoring the life and character back in the old, dull tiles. I applied it using a paint pad, before polishing it off. I’m pleased to report that the restoration was a great success. The vicar was very impressed with the work, and I’m sure the church community will also be very happy with the new, vibrant tiles. Phil Vissian Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

Recently I travelled down to the village of Prestwood in the Chiltern Hills of southern Buckinghamshire, to work on a Victorian tiled porch and hallway. Victorian tiles are commonly found in the entrance areas of older houses and unfortunately in this case the tiles had become heavily ingrained with dirt over time, and had suffered from additional paint and plaster spillages. The result was an unsightly mess; my client was considering covering the floor with lino after several unsuccessful attempts at cleaning it. I was called upon to provide a professional clean and seal, restoring these great Victorian tiles back to looking their best again. On my first day at the house, I mixed up a solution of 50 per cent Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, a high alkaline cleaner, and NanoTech HBU (formerly known as Ultra Clean), which is a cleaning product that contains nano-sized abrasive particles that penetrate deep into the stone to lift ingrained dirt to the surface. This solution was worked into the tiles using abrasive scrubbing pads fitted to one of my commercial rotary machines. The cleaning process left over a slurry of residue which I rinsed away with clean water and extracted with a wet vacuum. I was still left with the issue of stubborn paint spillages, so I applied a layer of Tile Doctor Remove & Go, a stripper with cleaning properties which is very effective at breaking down paint and adhesive stains. Once the paint spillages had been dealt with I gave the area another rinse with clean water. I then left the house, allowing the floor enough time to dry overnight. Upon my return the day I set about sealing the newly cleaned Victorian tiles. Before starting the sealing process I inspected the floor to check for any dampness, knowing that any excess moisture could potentially damage the performance of the sealer. When I was satisfied that the tiles were fully dried, I applied Tile Doctor Seal & Go, a sealer which offers durable surface protection, along with an aesthetically pleasing, low-sheen finish which brings out the colour in the stone. This product can be used to seal internal, porous surfaces including Victorian, Slate, textured Quarry and Sandstone tiles. The process made an amazing difference to the floor as you can see from the photographs; additionally the restoration of such an original feature adds a lot of value and looks so much better than lino! Colin Ford South Buckinghamshire Tile Doctor

Limescale deposits are a big problem in many parts of the UK where hard water is common. To remove it you need to use a strong acidic cleaner however what to do if you have limescale deposits on Limestone? As many may already know, Limestone is an expensive, high-quality stone that like a lot of natural stone is acid sensitive and can be damaged with the application of acid-based products. You can use acids on Limestone however if your careful and I demonstrated this recently at a property in this village of Everdon near Daventry in Northamptonshire. My customer had a fantastic black Limestone tiled shower cubicle that had been absolutely ruined by white limescale staining and it had reached the point where the situation simply couldn’t be resolved with standard cleaning products. As the staining was so severe, I opted to use Tile Doctor Acid Gel to clean the tiles. This is a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids in gel form and is the best product for cleaning vertical services, since water based products just run off and don’t have time to work on the staining. Working in small areas, I carefully scrubbed the product into the stone and then rinsed it off with plain water. This process was repeated across the whole cubicle, reducing the stains significantly in the process. Next, I used a handheld polishing machine fitted with 6” diamond encrusted burnishing pads, along with some water for lubrication, to polish and deep clean the stone, removing any stubborn stains remaining on the tiles. I left the cubicle to dry completely overnight. Upon my return the next day, I proceeded to seal the tiles using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer. This sealer is impregnating, meaning it fils the pores of stone to protect against ingrained dirt and staining. As well as providing stone protection, Colour Grow also enhances the natural colour in the stone – in this case, the deep black shades in the Limestone. Having finished the job, I gave the very happy customer some advice on keeping limescale and other staining at bay in future. I explained that proper maintenance can be conducted by simply rinsing the tiles with clean water after each use of the shower, and by using Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro tile aftercare cleaner at least once a week. Phil Vissian Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

The photographs below are taken from a house in the old market town of Basingstoke which is now the largest town in Hampshire. I was asked to address a very severe case of Limescale build-up in a shower cubicle. The wall tiles were Ceramic and a shocking amount of Limescale had deposited itself on them and the shower tray over the years; the owners were going to have to replace everything if Tile Doctor could not come to the rescue! The photos below really demonstrate the extent of the problem and needless to say the Gauntlet had been laid down and I was ready for a challenge! My first task was to provide the Ceramic tiled walls with an initial clean. I did this by firstly mixing a diluted solution of the high alkaline cleaner known as Tile Doctor Pro Clean and then applying this on the tiles and leaving it to dwell for a while before scrubbing it in by hand in order to remove any surface dirt and scum. This was then washed off and I set my mind to the main task at hand: the Limescale removal. To remove the Limescale it is necessary to apply an acidic product. However, there is an issue for homeowners that most products readily available on the market come in a liquid form, which of course simply drips down the tile, and therefore does not work to the best of its abilities. Fortunately, Tile Doctor recently launched a new product by the name of Acid Gel. Since it’s in a gel form it stays put on the surface and does not evaporate or dry out too quickly. This allows it time to break down the Limescale and other difficult stains. Acid Gel was thus applied to the affected areas and left to dwell for a short while. I then scrubbed it deeply into the tile and grout lines, and follow up with an application of steam to tackle the stubborn areas and help the Acid Gel to tackle the Limescale. The results were absolutely fantastic, and even the shower tray – which was in a very poor state indeed – came up very clean. Needless to say, my client was very pleased that they now do not have to replace the shower! Charles Okwechime Hampshire Tile Doctor

This Indian Sandstone Patio in Bolton-Le-Sands near Lancaster had not been cleaned successfully for several years. Although the owner had power washed it on occasion, that won’t rid you of Black Spot, Mould, Lichen etc and this will build-up over the years. It does clean the stone up to a certain standard but at some point, it will need further treatment. My client had now reached this point and decided to give Tile Doctor a call to have it renovated. We discussed the Patio which ran around the house and calculated that it measured approximately 60m2. With the measurements and a summary of the issues I was able to work out a quote which they were happy to accept. To improve the appearance of the stone I started by giving it a power wash to remove the general grime and dirt. I used a top of the range Karcher Pressure Washer for this which can apply up to 20 bars of pressure. The machine also comes with a spinner attachment results in a much more even clean than simply using the spray head. The patio was left to dry for thirty minutes before applying neat Tile Doctor Patio & Brick Driveway Cleaner. Please note this is a very powerful product meant for professional use so if you’re using it always wear gloves and protective glasses. You leave it on the stone for ten minutes or longer before working it in. The directions on the back of the bottle say recommend leaving it for two to four hours, but its general advice. Personally, I find it is best to test the timing on a small inconspicuous area first, leave it on for say ten minutes then add a bit of water, scrub the surface and if the Black Spot disappears then that is all the time you need. If the stain is stubborn, increase the time. The two to four hour recommendation is really for difficult Black Spots that have become ingrained into the stone and then the product needs longer to digest the stain before it can work. Once that was done, I used the power washer on low pressure to wash the products off the stone and into the sewerage drain, a wet vacuum comes in handy for this. Don’t dispose of it into the grass or planting areas as the strong chemicals in the product could upset them. Many properties have a soak away to capture rainwater from gutters, so you need to make sure it’s the sewage drain you are using. As you can see on the pictures, this product really does work and got rid of the Black Spot completely. To maintain the patio a regular jet wash was recommended, the household versions are ideal for keeping it clean and tidy. Due to the size of the Sandstone patio the whole process took around six hours to complete. Once done though the patio looked transformed and was all ready for a barbeque and some guests. Hopefully, it will stop raining long enough for this to happen. Russell Taylor Lancashire Tile Doctor

This set of photographs are from a house in the Warrington suburb of Stockton Heath where my client had discovered a Victorian Tiled floor under carpet in the hallway and was keen to have it restored back to its original condition. You can see from the photograph below that it was in quite a state with dirt and paint splashes however I was confident we could manage it. On arrival I started to protect the skirting boards and entrance carpet to another room. Once that was done i started to strip the paint splashed and any remaining sealer from the floor using Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is an effective coatings and sealer remover that unlike some products is perfect safe to use on Victorian tiles Working on the floor the product was diluted, scrubbed into the tile and then left to dwell for twenty minutes before being rinsed off with water which was then removed using a wet vacuum. The floor was now looking a lot cleaner, however I could see a number of stubborn areas that were going to need further treatment so I mixed the Remove and Go 50/50 with another Tile Doctor product called NanoTech HBU (Heavy Build-up Remover), which adds abrasive particles to the solution. This solution was scrubbed in and then rinsed off when i was happy with the condition of the floor. This process took much of the day and once done it was left to dry overnight ready for sealing the next day. On my return the next morning i tested the floor in several places with a damp meter to ensure it was dry. When i was happy the floor was dry i started sealing with thin coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go leaving thirty minutes between coats to allow it to dry; in total i gave the floor seven coats of sealer which gave the floor a nice shine which the customer was very happy with. As well as enhancing the look of the floor the sealer will provide stain protection going forward. Alastair Robb West Cheshire Tile Doctor

When you uncover a tiled floor after it has been covered by carpet for many years, it’s almost a given that it will be in a bad state. However, my customer, who lives in the town of Lymm, wasn’t expecting the Victorian tiled hallway they had recently uncovered to be in quite so terrible a state. As you can see from the photograph, it has been completely devastated by paint plaster and a big pool of cement floor leveller. Understandably, the formerly colourful appearance of the tiles had completely drained and it would require a through restoration to get them back into a usable condition. To begin the restoration, I mixed a strong cleaning solution which consisted of Tile Doctor Remove & Go combined 50/50 with Tile Doctor Pro Clean. Remove & Go is a heavy duty remover that breaks down old sealers, along with adhesives, paint stains and other tough soil build up where as Pro-Clean is a versatile alkaline-based cleaner that reliably eradicates dirt on a wide variety of natural stone floors. The solution was applied liberally across the floor, and left to dwell for a short period, allowing time for it to soften up the paint plaster. Next, I fitted a coarse scrubbing pad to my rotary cleaning machine and began to scrub the solution into the tiles, with a big difference to the appearance of the tiles being made quite quickly. The resulting cleaning slurry was promptly removed using a wet-vac machine. I repeated the process two times to provide an extra thorough clean and then give the floor a thorough rinse. Some particularly stubborn marks remained on the floor which I was able to remove using Tile a Doctor Acid Gel, a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids in gel form that’s easy to control. The floor was then left to dry fully overnight. The next morning, I returned to the property and ran some damp tests. This is incredibly important to do before sealing any tiled floor because any excess moisture can cloud the sealer and prevent it from doing its job properly. Once satisfied that the floor could be sealed, I applied several coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go, our topical sealer which provides both a robust surface seal and a long-lasting low sheen finish in one and ideal for Victorian tiles. It would be an understatement to say that this Victorian tiled floor was transformed. The customer was amazed at the results considering how bad a state the tiles had been in just a day earlier. When you have a situation like this, it’s hard to believe the tiles could ever be fully restored. Nonetheless, we could now see them in their full and original glory, and needless to say, the customer was very, very pleased with the result. Alastair Robb West Cheshire Tile Doctor

Our client had previously employed another company to tackle this large Slate floor in Walton on Thames but they hadn’t managed to remove the old sealer due to it being an old varnish seal. Varnish was used as a traditional way of sealing stone but can be damaged by scratching and it does little to improve the look of the stone. Varnish is also very difficult to break down which is a problem as it’s important to remove the old sealant before applying new, applying a new sealer onto Varnish simply wouldn’t work. I visited the property to survey the floor and work out which combination of products and methods would work best and after some testing and I was able to confirm that not only could the old varnish be removed but once re-sealed with a modern sealer the slate would be transformed. The client was over the moon to hear this news as they had thought there was nothing, they could do to improve the floor. With a price and schedule agreed I returned to the property at a later date and started by tackling the varnish. The method I used was to apply Tile Doctor Remove and Go, let it soak into the floor for ten minutes and then work it in with a heavy rotary scrubbing machine fitted with a black pad. The soil was then rinsed with water and extracted off the floor with a wet vacuum. The floor was then inspected, and each tile checked to ensure the varnish was completely gone, any stubborn areas were then spot treated and scrubbed by hand. Once I was satisfied, I set about giving the stone a deep clean by repeating the same process with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. As before all the soil and cleaning products were then low pressure rinsed off the stone and vacuumed away. The floor was then left to dry overnight. I returned the following day to apply a new modern sealer. First, I tested the floor was dry using the moisture meter. It was in the acceptable readings range, so I was able to start applying the sealer straight away. For this floor I chose to apply Tile Doctor Seal and Go, it works really well on Slate tiles and as you can see from the photographs it completely transformed the appearance of the stone. Seal and Go is a water-based blend of acrylic polymers that provides both a stain resistant surface seal and a durable low-sheen finish, being water based it has the added advantage of not giving off any odour as it dries. The client had specified earlier that they didn’t want the floor to look shiny to the resultant silky appearance was the perfect solution. Thee coats were applied, and my client was very pleased with the finish. Jonathan Oldham South Middlesex Tile Doctor

Pictured below is a Slate tiled kitchen floor that had been installed in the kitchen of a property in Harrogate around fifteen years prior. I discovered that the tiles had never been cleaned and resealed since installation and this explained why they were now looking dull and un-interesting. They had lost all character and it wasn’t until I started cleaning them that I realised the must be of the multicoloured Brazilian Slate variety. As well as looking dull and unattractive, there was also some water damage to some tiles caused by a leak, this had resulted in some shaling and efflorescence staining. This had occurred some time ago and the floor had now dried out fully, so I was not expecting any further efflorescence issues going forward. Brazil, I understand is the world’s 2nd biggest producer of Slate, it is also exceptionally durable and reasonably priced so its not surprising you see a lot of it over in the UK. Like any natural stone however it is porous and without a sealer to protect it and bring out those natural colours it soon ends up like the example on this pad. I cleaned the floor with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean using my usual method of spraying the cleaning solution onto the Slate and grout and then leaving it for a ten minutes to soak in and get to work breaking down the dirt and old sealers. Although I doubted there was much sealer left on the floor after all this time you need to be sure to remove all of it to get the best result. The floor was then scrubbed with a rotary floor buffer fitted with a black scrubbing pad, then after rinsing with water and extracting the soil I inspected the floor. I detected there was still some sort of sealer present in some of less used parts of the floor, it was proving stubborn to remove so I suspect it may have been an old fashioned wax based product that was used. Not a problem though we Tile Doctors have a solution to every problem, so I spot treated the stubborn areas with Tile Doctor Wax Away to see if I was right. After scrubbing that in followed by another rinse and extraction with the wet vacuum I was pleased to see I was right and was happy all the old seal had now been removed. I gave the floor another rinse at the end of the day and dried it as much as possible with the wet vacuum, then left it to dry off fully overnight. I came back the next day and checked the floor was dry with a damp meter. The readings were good, so I was able to crack on and seal the tiles using several coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go. Each coat was applied leaving time to dry between each layer. This gave the floor a uniform appearance which disguised the damaged tiles. It will also help to stop more cracking and reduce the appearance of the efflorescence. The sealer really brought out the natural colours in the Brazilian Slate and the floor looked transformed. I’m sure you will agree it was a vast improvement, certainly my client was very happy and couldn’t believe the difference I had managed to achieve. Before leaving I recommended, they should invest in some Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which would ensure the newly applied seal was prematurely eroded away which is a problem with many of the stronger products you find in supermarkets. Nigel Stoker North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

A local cleaning contractor called us in to work on the Terracotta tiled floors at a council building in Amersham. The Terracotta had not been deep cleaned and resealed for about ten years and the sealer had worn off leaving the tile vulnerable to dirt becoming ingrained in the pores of the tile. The grout had also suffered the same fate and had almost gone black in many areas. This is a common problem with Terracotta which is quite porous and once those pores become ingrained with dirt the tile becomes difficult to clean effectively. The solution is to seal the tile however sealers wear off over time and this was basically the problem. After discussing the issues we agreed on a plan of action to deep clean the Terracotta tile and grout and then re-seal to protect it. Due to the busy nature of the building we agreed to do the work between Christmas and New Year when we knew the building would be empty. We started by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel which is a strong tile cleaning product that being in a gel form ensures it sits on the tile for longer, giving it a longer effective dwell time so it can really eat into and loose the dirt. After approximately twenty minutes the gel was scrubbed into the tile with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. This broke down most of the dirt and removed any remaining sealer. Once the whole floor had been treated in this manner it was rinsed thoroughly with water which was then extracted using a wet vacuum. With the soiled cleaning solution removed I could see the next step would be to spot clean stubborn staining and clean the grout. For this task I used a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean scrubbing it in by hand using stiff brushes and aided with a hand-held steamer to help treat the stubborn staining. Once done the floor was given a final rinse and then as much moisture as possible removed with the wet vacuum. We then left the floor to dry off completely and came back a couple of days later to seal the Terracotta tile. I mentioned earlier that Terracotta is porous; in fact it’s probably the most porous material I deal with, so to fully seal the floor I had to apply eight coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which will provide complete and long lasting protection against staining and dirt. Seal and Go also adds an appealing satin sheen to the tile and the new seal will make it much easier to clean in future. The floor tile and grout now look much healthier and I’m sure the council will be very impressed when they go back to work after the holidays. Happy New Year… Andrew Newstead North Buckinghamshire Tile Doctor

At Tile Doctor, we often come across Victorian tiled hallways in need of restoration. They’re very popular due to their timeless and unique patterns – and as a result are still in production, having first being produced in the 19th century. While many have been maintained in their original state since first being laid (which is sometimes over a century ago), others have been hidden by carpet or linoleum for many years, only to be uncovered by new property owners. In this case, at a property in Newport – the port city of South East Wales – the Victorian tiled hallway had not been subject to an effective cleaning plan leaving the fantastic white and black checkered pattern grubby and unsightly. I was asked if I could help bring it back to life – and I was happy to oblige! I started the restoration by applying a strong cleaning solution combined from mixing two Tile Doctor products in equal parts namely Remove and Go and Pro Clean. Together they create a powerful sealer remover and cleaner to break down any remaining old sealers, paint whilst lifting ingrained dirt and muck from the pores of the tile. The two products were worked into the tiles using firstly a 17 inch black buffing pad to remove the initial layer of dirt, followed by a 6 inch buffing pad, wire brush, and hand-held scrapper to remove the more stubborn specks of paint and dirt. The resultant slurry was then rinsed away with water and a wet vacuum and stubborn areas retreated until I was satisfied. The results were great so after a final rinse I left tiles to dry off. A couple of days later, after leaving the tiles to dry completely, I went back to the property to seal the floor. I checked first for any excess moisture as this can cloud the sealer and prevent it from acting an effective barrier against dirt and stains. My choice of sealer included one coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow to restore the rich colour to the black and white tiles, followed by seven coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go to provide an aesthetically pleasing sheen finish. Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer that penetrates the pores of the tile to fill them and prevent dirt becoming trapped, while Seal and Go is a topical sealer that builds up an additional layer of protection on the surface of the tiles. The combination of fresh sealers, preceded by a deep and thorough clean, really helped to restore these Victorian tiles to a condition in which they could be easily mistaken for newly laid! The customer was very pleased and undoubtedly will be looking forward to showing off the tiles to friends and family. Paul Wales Monmouthshire Tile Doctor

Slate is a popular choice for tiled kitchen floors and when properly maintained looks fantastic, however like all natural stone products without an effective cleaning plan dirt will become ingrained in the stone and will start to lose its appearance. This was the case with this fantastic Slate tiled kitchen floor in Twickenham which had the potential to look really nice, but hadn’t received the proper maintenance for a long while, leaving it looking very tired. It now needed what was left of its old surface sealer stripped off, followed by a deep cleaning of the tile and grout before having a fresh seal applied. To begin the restoration, I mixed a 50:50 solution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and Tile Doctor Pro Clean. This was applied to the floor and allowed to dwell. Remove and Go functions as a stripper that breaks down the old sealer, while Pro Clean is a versatile, high alkaline cleaner that is safe to use on all types of natural stone flooring. To use it to full effect, I machine scrubbed this solution into the floor to completely remove all dirt, stains, and old sealer. I also ran a stiff brush along the grout lines to remove the particularly stubborn dirt ingrained in the grout. The resulting cleaning slurry was then rinsed with water and extracted using a wet vacuum and the floor checked for stubborn marks which were retreated using the same process. The floor was left to dry overnight and I came back the next day to apply a new seal. It’s important to leave a tiled floor to dry completely before sealing and at this time of year 24 hours is usually enough. This is necessary to ensures there is no excess moisture in the tile as this has the potential to cloud the sealer and affect its effectiveness. The customer required a low sheen finish and a floor that was easy to maintain. I opted to use Seal & Go, which provides exactly that. It is a water-based with a high sheen blend of acrylic polymers that offers a both a stain resistant surface seal and a durable low sheen finish, also being water based it doesn’t leave a smell as it dries. Seal and Go is also a breathable sealer that will allow moisture to rise up through the tile and allow the floor to breathe. As you can see from the pictures, the lustre has been completely restored to the Slate tiles and the sealer will allow for easy maintenance for the customer in the future. Jonathan Oldham South Middlesex Tile Doctor

Completed 2" hardwood floor restoration featuring a modern white-wash finish and low-sheen protective topcoat. This project highlights a dramatic transformation of a vintage 2-inch narrow plank hardwood floor. As you can see in the progress photos, the original wood was hidden under decades of wear, heavy pet stains, and stubborn old subfloor adhesive.Many homeowners assume floors in this condition need to be torn out and replaced. Instead, our team completely salvaged the original wood through a meticulous deep-sanding process, specialized stain-remediation techniques, and precision floor leveling.To match the client's bright, modern living room aesthetic, we applied a custom translucent white/gray wash finish that mutes the heavy amber tones while beautifully highlighting the natural grain of the wood. We finished the floor with a premium, high-durability matte protective coat to ensure long-lasting protection against daily traffic.Services Provided: Heavy floor sanding, deep stain removal, adhesive scraping, custom wood staining, and premium matte top-coating.