Kitchen Floor Archives - North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Salt Stained Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Green Hammerton York

Removing Staining from a Terracotta Floor Due to a Leaking Dishwater in Green Hammerton

These photos came from a property in the village of Green Hammerton on the outskirts of York. The terracotta floor tiles were fairly old, we believe around 30 years and had been the victim of a leaking dishwasher which had resulted in staining and efflorescent salt deposits. You can see this next on the tiles next to the kitchen kick boards in the photograph below.

Stained Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Green Hammerton York

The client wanted the staining removed and the tiles restored to their original condition, however they were happy with a large part of the floor and so only wanted the impacted section cleaning. I was happy to do this however, I did raise a concern that the section I would be working on wouldn’t blend in with the rest of the floor.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

I first treated the tiles with Tile Doctor Remove and Go to clean and remove the old sealers. This was applied in the usual way of spraying the affected section with a strong dilution, letting it soak in for ten minutes and then scrubbing it in with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. The resultant slurry was then removed using a wet vacuum.

To cure the efflorescent salt problems the tiles was then treated to an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel. The gel was applied to the floor and scrubbed in with a deck brush before being rinsed off and extracted as before. Being a gel its is very easy to control allowing the acid to dissolve the alkaline salts in the floor and further cleans the Terracotta to remove old grout stains.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

I let the tiles dry out for a few days, then used a handheld polishing machine to remove any residues and prepare the surface for a fresh sealer. I used a few coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow as a base and then a light coat of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra for the finish to match the rest of the floor. This saved the client the expense of having all the floor stripped, deep cleaned and re-sealed. My client was happy with the result which had solved their problem.

Stained Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Green Hammerton York

For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to keep the floor in great condition. This is a pH neutral product which means it ill not strip the newly applied sealer like an acidic household cleaner would. It is mild enough to use daily if needed and has a lovely fresh fragrance. It is therefore perfect for a heavy traffic area such as the kitchen.

Professional Renovation of a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in North Yorkshire

Removing Staining from a Terracotta Floor Due to a Leaking Dishwater in Green Hammerton Read More »

Lapicida Sandstone Floor Renovation Ilkley

Renovating a Lapicida White Sandstone Kitchen Floor in Ilkley

1 Comment / Harrogate Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Nigel Stoker

These pictures are of a beautiful Sandstone floor in Ilkley, the tiles were sourced from Lapicida of Harrogate and installed around twelve years prior. If you take a look at their website now you will see they are selling a similar London White Sandstone for nearly £100 per m2. This floor was 35 square metres so clearly this was a significant investment for the owner at the time.

Lapicida Sandstone Floor Before Cleaning Ilkley

After twelve years of use however the sealer had worn off the floor and dirt had become ingrained in the pores of the stone making it very difficult to keep clean. A good sealer takes a long time to wear off so the change to the appearance of the stone happens so slowly you don’t notice it. The floor was now looking permanently dirty, and the owner of the property had decided it was time to get it renovated.

Before quoting I paid a visit to the property to survey the floor and conduct an initial test clean which came out well. The test cleaning did not go as quickly as I had hoped it might however, due to traces of old satin sealer on some of the stone. It’s important to remove all the old sealer before applying new or you can end up with a patchy appearance. The remnants of old sealer proved challenging to remove as a result I had to try several products and methods before working out the right approach. In the end I resulted to using a product called Tile Doctor Wax Away. I had considered applying diamond burnishing pads which would have been a quicker option, but the flagstones had a riven finish, and the dirt was deeply pitted.

Lapicida Sandstone Floor During Test Clean Ilkley

With a successful cleaning plan worked out I provided the client with a which was accepted, and a date agreed for my return.

Cleaning a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The cleaning plan I had worked out was to apply a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Wax Away, leave it to soak into the stone for thirty minutes and then scrub it in with a rotary buffer fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The old sealer proved to be tough to remove and in total I used five litres of Tile Doctor Wax Away in the process, as I said it was a big floor!

Lapicida Sandstone Floor After Cleaning Ilkley

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

On day three, I sealed the floor using three coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which gave the Sandstone a lovely satin finish that the client liked. This product is also water based so it doesn’t leave a smell as it dries.

Lapicida Sandstone Floor After Sealing Ilkley

Once done the floor was completely transformed, and my client very pleased with the floor which looked so much lighter and cleaner. For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for maintenance, it is pH neutral so will ensure the newly applied seal is protected. It has a nice fresh smell and is gentle enough to use frequently keeping the newly renovated floor looking lovely.

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen in North West Yorkshire

Renovating a Lapicida White Sandstone Kitchen Floor in Ilkley Read More »

Terrazzo Tiled Floor Renovation Addingham West Yorkshire

Old Terrazzo Tiled Bakery Floor Renovated in Addingham Village

1 Comment / Skipton Tile Cleaning, Terrazzo Floor Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Nigel Stoker

The Terrazzo tiled floor at this house in Addingham, which sits between Skipton and Ilkley, had quite some history to it. Apparently, the property was once the village bakery and originally had a traditional Yorkshire stone floor. However, they struggled to keep the flags clean and as one of the bakers was half Italian, they decided to tile over the stone with Italian Terrazzo tiles. All of this happened nearly 100 years ago but was discovered by the new owners who had managed to trace back the history of the 200-year-old building.

Terrazzo Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Addingham West Yorkshire

Clearly the Terrazzo had been down for a long time and was very overdue some care and attention. Terrazzo floors are a flooring material which is traditionally made by exposing marble chips on the surface of concrete and then polishing until smooth. They are now, often used in public buildings because the surface is so long-lasting, and it can be refinished repeatedly to bring it back to life.

The client wanted the floor as shiny as possible however the floor was quite pitted due to heavy foot traffic, so it was clearly going to be a challenge. Having worked with all sorts of stone floors I was optimistic I could restore this one to a good standard and quoted for the work which would take two days. The quote was accepted, and we agreed a suitable time to carry out the work.

Cleaning a Terrazzo Tiled Kitchen Floor

To begin I taped up the skirting and plinths in the kitchen to protect them from splashing. Next, I gave the floor an initial clean with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, this is a concentrated, multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner, which strips and degreases. We dilute it to varying strengths depending on the job requirements. It is a very effective Tile and Grout cleaner and is particularly good for areas that have been neglected or subjected to heavy use.

This was ideal for this floor and the Pro-Clean was left to dwell for a short while before being agitated using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The process was repeated on the stubborn areas, but it lifted all the ingrained dirt, the floor was rinsed with water, and the soiled solution removed using a wet vacuum. The floor was then left overnight to dry.

Polishing a Terrazzo Tiled Kitchen Floor

Returning the next day, I set about improving the appearance of the Terrazzo tiles using a coarse 400-grit burnishing pad, again fitted to the rotary machine. Water is used to lubricate the process and the pad is run over each tile at least three times. Tile Doctor Burnishing pads are made from tiny industrial diamonds and lightly cut into the surface of the tile to remove pitting and scratches. The water quickly turns into a grey slurry that is rinsed off with water and extracted from the floor as before.

Terrazzo Tiled Floor During Cleaning Addingham West Yorkshire

Once done the process was repeated with other finer grit burnishing pads which further refine the surface of the stone to give it a light polished appearance. The Terrazzo tiles benefited greatly from the polishing and I was pleased to see the pitting was gone and the tile was once again smooth.

Sealing Terrazzo Floor Tiles

The polishing process leaves the floor dry, so it wasn’t long before I was able to move onto the sealing the floor in order to protect it from ingrained dirt and staining. My initial thought was to use Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal for this however this product although ideal for Kitchens is almost invisible and the owner had specified a shine, so I opted for Tile Doctor Seal and Go.

Terrazzo Tiled Floor After Cleaning Addingham West Yorkshire

I applied the sealer to a small area first to see how it might look and to ensure the Terrazzo would take it without any issues. The tile took the sealer no problem and so three coats were applied, leaving them to dry before applying the next. The floor now had the shiny finish the client had requested.

I was very pleased with the outcome as was the client.

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Tiled Kitchen Floor in West Yorkshire

Old Terrazzo Tiled Bakery Floor Renovated in Addingham Village Read More »

Moleanos Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Harrogate

Reviving a Beige Moleanos Limestone Floor in Harrogate

1 Comment / Harrogate Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Nigel Stoker

I recently went to survey a floor in Harrogate which I immediately recognised as beige Moleanos Limestone which comes from Portugal. If you have been reading my previous posts you will remember I am not a fan of this type of stone as it is very difficult to clean, polish or seal. This particular floor was laid around 5 years prior and was now looking quite dull and was in need of reviving.

Moleanos Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Harrogate

The client didn’t want to spend much so l suggested l could spray burnish the floor to get her shine back again and remove the splash marks. We do this a lot for owners of polished stone floors as part of an annual maintenance package, it is a low cost option that uses a very fine 3,000 grit burnishing pad to renovate the stone and bring up the shine. However, I pointed out to her that this process wouldn’t clean her grout which was making her floor look scruffy.

I priced up the different options and after weighing up the quotes I’m pleased to say she decided to go for a full clean and seal. The full process involves the use of different grades of diamond encrusted burnishing pads from low to very fine grits to renovate the Limestone and also a chemical clean of the grout followed by a fresh seal.

Cleaning a Moleanos Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned on the scheduled date and after preparing the floor I started cleaning the Limestone by running over the tiles with a 400-grit coarse burnishing pad lubricated with water. The soil was rinsed off with more water and extracted with a wet vacuum. This process was repeated with the 800 and 1500-grit pads which starts to build-up the polish on the stone.

I then turned my attention to the grout with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to soak into the grout for ten minutes before scrubbing it by hand with a stiff brush. After a final rinse and extraction with the wet vacuum the tile and grout were looking much cleaner and was left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Limestone Moleanos Tiled Kitchen Floor

On Day 2 I stated with the application of the 3,000-grit pad which is the last step in the polishing processed and builds up a lovely satin finish on the stone floor. This is done using only a little water and is basically the spray burnish technique I referred to earlier. This process has the added advantage of leaving the floor dry.

With the stone tiles looking lovely and the grout clean the last step was to seal it all in and protect it from dirt and future staining with the application of a sealer. For this I used two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal.

My client was very pleased she had spent the extra money to achieve the floor she had always wanted, apparently it had never looked this good even when new. We discussed the annual maintenance plan to ensure the floor remained looking this good.

Professional Renovation of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor in North Yorkshire

Reviving a Beige Moleanos Limestone Floor in Harrogate Read More »

White Moleanos Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Harrogate

Cleaning a White Moleanos Limestone Kitchen Floor in Harrogate

1 Comment / Harrogate Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Work History / Nigel Stoker

These tiles are White Moleanos Limestone which I must say is not my favourite, you can just breath on them and they will stain, so not a practical choice for any floor really. They had been installed in the kitchen of a house in Harrogate and although it was only a small floor it was trapping the dirty and the owners were pulling their hair out trying to look after it.

I went over to survey the floor and explained to them Moleanos Limestone is a chalky stone from Portugal which is very porous and being so pale meant dirt easily stood out. With porous stone like this you need to ensure that the sealer is kept in good condition otherwise dirt will become ingrained in the pores and once that happens it becomes very difficult to clean effectively. In fact, once the sealer has worn off even dark coloured soles can mark it.

White Moleanos Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Harrogate

I carried out a small test patch, which was successful so once we had agreed a price, they were more than happy to go ahead with getting the work done. We booked a time the following week, the work would take a couple a days, one to deep clean and one to seal.

The property is in a lovely area of Harrogate which is well known for its tourist attractions, it is said that Harrogate spa water contains iron, sulphur and common salt. The town became known as ‘The English Spa’ in the Georgian era, after its waters were discovered in the 16th century. Later in the 17th and 18th centuries its waters (containing iron) were a popular health treatment, and this led to an influx of wealthy but unfortunately sickly visitors which in turn contributed significantly to the wealth of the town.

Cleaning a White Moleanos Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

To restore the appearance of the stone I used a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads which clean and slowly hone the stone giving it a natural polished appearance. This is a slow steady process working through the different grades of burnishing pads from coarse to very fine. The pads are applied with water to lubricate and the soil generated is extracted with a wet vacuum afterwards.

Once the burnishing process was completed, I inspected the floor and was pleased to see that the floor was looking significantly better than when I had arrived. I gave the stone a final rinse and extracted as much moisture as possible with the wet vacuum before leaving for the day. The floor was left overnight to be sure that it would be dry before sealing. In the meantime, I asked the client to avoid walking on it.

White Moleanos Limestone Floor During Cleaning Harrogate

Sealing a White Moleanos Limestone Tiled Hallway Floor

I came back the next day and checked the floor was dry. All was well and so I proceeded to seal the floor using three coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which will add the protection the stone needed. Ultra-Seal is a premium, no-sheen, natural-look sealer. It provides maximum stain protection, especially in food preparation areas like the kitchen. It is also great for sealing the grout to prevent colour change from spillages.

White Moleanos Limestone Floor After Cleaning Harrogate

The client was very happy and satisfied with the floor which looked much cleaner and fresher. After discussing after-care they were confident they could keep the floor looking that way going forward.

Professional Restoration of a White Moleanos Limestone Tiled Kitchen in North West Yorkshire

Cleaning a White Moleanos Limestone Kitchen Floor in Harrogate Read More »

Reclaimed Flagstone Tiled Floor Before After Renovation Harrogate

Reclaimed Yorkshire Flagstone Floor Renovation in Harrogate

1 Comment / Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Harrogate Tile Cleaning, Work History / Nigel Stoker

This is a reclaimedYorkshire flagstone floor that was re-laid at a house in Harrogate some years prior with under floor heating. The Yorkshire stone was really nice and contained some varied natural colours including green from what must have been a copper deposit in the stone. This is the beauty of this type of stone, there is a huge variation in tone and colour. The client got in touch with Tile Doctor as the stone looking flat and featureless and had become difficult to keep clean.

Yorkshire stone flagstone floor before renovation Harrogate

It was clear to me that the original sealer had all but worn off leaving the floor vulnerable to dirt, there were also some paint splashes from decorating that needed removing and some old tar spots that must have been there some time. The lovely property was in a quiet road near the centre of Harrogate which is a popular tourist spot close to the picturesque Yorkshire Dales.

Cleaning a Yorkshire Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

I gave the floor a thorough clean using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to soak in for ten minutes before being scrubbed in with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. This process also softened the paint splashes and tar spots which I was able to carefully scrape off. The soiled cleaning solution was rinsed off the floor using water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

Once the floor was clear it was then inspected, and stubborn areas re-treated using the same process until I was happy the floor was as clean as it could be and that any trace of old sealer had been removed. It’s important to ensure the floor is clear of old sealers before resealing as otherwise you end up with different layers of sealer on the floor. Also, if you don’t know what was applied previously you cannot guarantee that the new sealer will work with it, so it is best to start with a totally clean base.

Before leaving for the night I gave the floor a thorough rinse with water to remove any trace of cleaning product and then extracted as much moisture as possible with the wet vacuum. Additionally, I asked the owner of the property to leave the underfloor heating on overnight to aid the drying process. We cannot seal the floor if it is not completely dry.

Sealing a Yorkshire Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The customer wanted a matt finish so when I came back the next day to seal the floor, I used two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal. This is a natural look sealer that protects the stone from within but without altering its appearance, this works well if you’re looking to keep the floor appearance as light as possible. The deep cleaning and fresh sealer transformed the stone giving it a subtle contrast that brought out the unique colours in the stone including the green of the copper.

Yorkshire stone flagstone floor after renovation Harrogate

The client was very satisfied with the overall finish of the floor, the natural beauty of the Yorkshire Flagstone had been restored and now they would be able to maintain the floor keeping it looking lovely for longer. I suggested they use the Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner for ongoing maintenance. This is a nice natural product specifically formulated for this type of floor.

Professional Reclaimed Yorkshire Flagstone Floor Restoration in North Yorkshire

Reclaimed Yorkshire Flagstone Floor Renovation in Harrogate Read More »

Indian Fossil Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Before After Cleaning Thirsk

Deep Cleaning Indian Fossil Sandstone Flooring in a Thirsk Kitchen

1 Comment / Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Thirsk Tile Cleaning, Work History / Nigel Stoker

The stone floor in the pictures is an Indian Fossil Sandstone which had been installed in the Kitchen of a house in the North Yorkshire market town of Thirsk. The Sandstone tiles had not been professionally cleaned and sealed for ten years so and was now overdue a deep clean. The customer had tried cleaning it but gave up and give me a call instead as no matter what she did nothing seemed to make a difference.

Indian Fossil Sandstone Floor Thirsk Before Cleaning

They had been using numerous household cleaners to maintain the floor which doesn’t help as many supermarket cleaning products are too strong for use on a sealed floor and will prematurely reduce the life of the sealer. Without the protection of a sealer dirt becomes ingrained in the stone making it very difficult to clean effectively. Another problem was that the Sandstone tiles were very uneven and rough in texture, so the dirt was getting caught in the bumps which didn’t help.

I went over to the property in Thirsk to survey the floor and conduct a test clean, so they could see how the stone would look on completion. The Sandstone responded well to treatment and we agreed a date for me to return and complete the floor.

Maintenance issues aside Sandstone pavers look great in a Kitchen where they give a rustic farmhouse appearance that brings the outside in. Imported from India, Indian Fossil Sandstone is full of character and with prices from around £19m2, very affordable. Due to the thickness of the stone we wouldn’t recommend using pavers with under floor heating.

Cleaning an Indian Fossil Sandstone Floor

To get the stone clean and remove what was left of the sealer I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and allowed it to soak into the tile for about ten minutes before scrubbing it in with a black pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer.

This removed a lot of the dirt and stains however floor pads struggle on uneven surfaces, so I found that to get the stone and grout really clean I had to rescrub most of them by hand. The soiled cleaning solution was then rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. The floor was then inspected, and any stubborn areas retreated using the same process and more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. The floor was then left to dry off overnight in preparation for it being sealed.

Sealing an Indian Fossil Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned the next day to finish the renovation. First, testing the floor with the moisture meter to ensure it was dry enough to take the sealant. I started by applying two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which will protect against ongoing dirt and stains. You can always tell when stone floor has had enough sealer applied by adding a droplet of water to the tile, if it forms a bubble on the surface then you know its sealed. I demonstrated this to the customer, so they would know in future and could give us a call when they needed to redo the floor.

Indian Fossil Sandstone Floor Thirsk After Cleaning

As before the Sandstone responded well to the treatment leaving it much cleaner and lighter in appearance. The floor had a lovely variety of colours and you could now clearly see the fossils trapped in the stone. Before leaving I recommended that they use a pH neutral cleaning product going forward such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is specifically designed for cleaning sealed floors and will help keep the floor maintain its appearance.

My customer was amazed at the transformation and left the following feedback for me.

“Floor has never been cleaner! Elizabeth R, Thirsk”

Professional Renovation of an Indian Fossil Sandstone Floor in North Yorkshire

Deep Cleaning Indian Fossil Sandstone Flooring in a Thirsk Kitchen Read More »