Grout Sealing Archives - North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Mouldy Ceramic Bathroom Grout Renovation Huddersfield

Mouldy Ceramic Tile and Grout Bathroom Renovation in Huddersfield

I thought I would share with you this example of a ceramic tiled bathroom I refurbished earlier this year at a property in Huddersfield. The shower and tiling had been installed two years earlier and unfortunately since then the grout and silicone sealant had become discoloured with dirt and mould. My customer had tried to resolve it themselves but without success, and did not fancy replacing the silicone seal so called us in.

Mouldy Ceramic Bathroom Tile Grout Before Cleaning Huddersfield

The tiles were ceramic which are reasonably easy to keep clean however once mould gets a grip it can be a struggle to remove it, especially on Silicone which is best dealt with by stripping it out and replacing. I was confident in being able to renovate the bathroom so it looked like a new installation however this won’t resolve the underlying cause which is usually a lack of adequate ventilation.

Cleaning/Repairing Bathroom Tiles

I first washed the ceramic wall tile and grout surrounding the bath with Tile Doctor Duo Clean to remove staining from the usual combination of dirt, grime, body oil, and soap scum. Being a spray this product sticks well to vertical surfaces where its best left for five to ten minutes before scrubbing in so it can get to work breaking down the dirt. I then rinsed the wall tiles with water and re-treated any stubborn stains with a repeat of the process until all the tile and grout was clean.

This process did a good job of cleaning the grout however there were a few areas of grout that were very badly stained. To resolve this and achieve a consistent appearance the grout was replaced. I don’t normally like doing this as you risk chipping the tile also it’s quite messy. The alternative is to colour the grout using a Grout Colourant but that looks best when the whole bathroom is done and that wasn’t the case.

Once happy with the tile and grout I began to strip off the silicone mastic with a sharp knife and then clean up the surface. The bath was then filled with water before applying a fresh thin bead of white silicone sealant. Applying mastic well takes a lot of practice to get a nice smooth finish but having carried out numerous bathroom and kitchen refurbs over the years it’s a skill I’ve manage to acquire. Once the fresh mastic was dry the water was emptied from the bath, this technique ensures the silicone is positioned correctly.

As you can see from the pictures there was quite a remarkable transformation. The job was completed in less than a day so no inconveniences, the customer was very happy and said they were delighted with the results, all that remained was to redecorate the ceiling.

Mouldy Ceramic Bathroom Tile Grout Before Cleaning Huddersfield

For aftercare cleaning you can’t go wrong with Tile Doctor Aqua Pro which comes with a spray attachment and is designed for cleaning shower tile and grout.

Mouldy Ceramic Bathroom Tile Grout Before Cleaning Huddersfield

Professional Bathroom Tile & Grout Renovation in Northwest Yorkshire

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White Moleanos Limestone Kitchen Floor Before After Renovation Leeds

White Moleanos Limestone Kitchen Floor Renovated in Leeds

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

Moleanos Limestone is a very difficult stone to work with due to its’ porous chalky nature and needs to be sealed to prevent dirt accumulating in the stone. Without a sealer in place dirt builds up in the pores leaving it looking dirty and this is exacerbated in the case of White Moleanos Limestone which really shows up the dirt. I mention this as I was asked to visit a property in Leeds which had White Moleanos Limestone installed in the Kitchen and was now suffering this exact problem with the client unable to get it clean. The grout was also quite badly discoloured.

White Moleanos Limestone Kitchen Floor Leeds Before Cleaning

I visited the property to survey the floor and quote for renovating the stone. I ran some tests and could see that as suspected the original sealer had broken down leaving the stone vulnerable. Sealers typically last around three to five years depending on use, but this can be significantly reduced if a strong household cleaning product is used to clean the floor.

Without a seal in place dirt was able to get into the porous stone and once ingrained it can be very difficult to remove without the right products and equipment. I completed a demonstration clean on a small area to show how the floor should look and the result was immediate. Confident I was able to get the floor clean my client booked me in and we agreed a date to complete the work.

Cleaning White Moleanos Limestone Kitchen Tiles

To restore the appearance of the stone I used a set of Tile Doctors Burnishing Pads which are encrusted with industrial diamonds and are used to hone the stone, remove dirt and restore its appearance. This is a slow steady process and involves working through the different grades of burnishing pads from coarse to very fine. The pads are applied with a small amount of water to lubricate and the soil generated by the process is extracted with a wet vacuum afterwards, to keep the mess to a minimum.

All the grout was cleaned by hand using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is scrubbed into the grout lines by hand with a stiff brush. For best results I leave it to dwell for ten minutes before scrubbing, this allows it more time to break down and lift the dirt from the cementitious grout lines.

After cleaning I left the floor to dry off fully overnight.

Sealing a Moleanos Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The following morning, I returned to the property and checked the floor was dry using a moisture meter. This is always worth checking as applying a sealer to a damp floor can result in a patchy appearance.

I had discussed the effects of the different sealers suitable for use on Limestone and the client specified they were after a natural look that wasn’t over shiny. With this in mind I selected Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is a penetrating sealer formulated to provide maximum stain protection and is especially recommended for use in kitchen areas. Ultra-seal doesn’t change the look of the stone which made it a nice match for the client’s needs, it’s also a good grout sealer and will ensure the grout looks cleaner for longer.

Three coats of Ultra-Seal where applied allowing each one to dry before applying the next. With the new sealer in place the stone is protected from ingrained dirt and would prove to be much easier to keep clean in future.

White Moleanos Limestone Kitchen Floor Leeds After Cleaning

The client was very pleased with the finished result and before leaving I recommended, they maintain the floor using Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is designed for the cleaning of polished stone.

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

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Bath Tile Before After Renovation Harrogate

Leaking Bath Mastic Replaced and Tile Renovated in Harrogate

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Harrogate Tile Cleaning, Work History / Nigel Stoker

I couldn’t believe the state of the mastic sealant that had been applied to this bathtub at a house in the North Yorkshire Spa town of Harrogate. As you can see from the pictures, it was a mess. There were at least three layers of white silicon mastic sealant then a layer of clear silicone had been applied with a spatula then some grout on top of that! I feared the worst.

Renovating White Ceramic Tiled Bathroom Harrogate Before

It was the result of a succession of bodge jobs that didn’t work and continued to let water leak down to the room below where it had left brown stains on the ceiling. The client had unfortunately tried to get it patched up but had just made the problem worse. The problem needed to be resolved properly so the ceiling below could dry out, be repaired and then re-painted.

Had the problem been dealt with immediately the damage would not have been so bad. By the time the water shows itself on the ceiling the leak has probably already been there for some time. The bathroom itself was in good condition but the mastic sealant was really letting it down. I discussed with the client what needed to be done and we agreed a price for the work and returned the following week.

Cleaning/Repairing Bathroom Tiles

I first washed the Ceramic wall tile and grout surrounding the bath with Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel to remove staining from the usual combination of dirt, grime, body oil, and soap scum. Being in gel form, this product sticks well to vertical surfaces where its best left for five to ten minutes before scrubbing in so it can get to work breaking down the dirt. I then rinsed the wall tiles with water and re-treated any stubborn stains with a repeat of the process until all the tile and grout was clean.

Once happy with the tile and grout I began to strip off the layers of silicone mastic. This is a slow process by hand, with care not the damage the tiles or the bath. After 4 hours it was all off. The final layer of white silicon was jet black, so had come away from the bath a long time ago. It is essential to have a nice clean surface to apply new silicon to ensure the best result. Adding layer upon layer will not solve the underlying problem.

Once l completely removed all traces of silicone l ran a heat gun over gap for about half an hour to remove the moisture. If any moisture had been left the new sealant wouldn’t adhere to the bath and tile properly causing it to peel off later and we would be back to square one.

The last step of the renovation was to fill the bath with water before applying a fresh thin bead of white silicone sealant. Applying mastic well takes a lot of practice to get a nice smooth finish but having carried out numerous bathroom and kitchen refurbs over the years it’s a skill I’ve manage to acquire. Once the fresh mastic was dry the water was emptied from the bath, this technique ensures the silicone is positioned correctly.

Renovating White Ceramic Tiled Bathroom Harrogate After

As you can see from the pictures there was quite a remarkable transformation. The client was speechless, the difference to the overall look of the bathroom was astounding. It would no longer be a chore for them to use the bathroom. Now they just need to allow the downstairs ceiling to dry out so they can redecorate.

Glazed Ceramic tiles are easy to clean however Grout can be a problem due to its cementous nature which traps dirt therefore I recommend protecting the grout with grout sealer which forms an invisible barrier over the grout and makes it easier to wash clean. For aftercare you can’t go wrong with Tile Doctor Aqua Pro which is designed for cleaning shower tile where the grout has been sealed.

Professional Restoration of a Bathroom Tiles in North West Yorkshire

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