Victorian Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of the cleaning and renovation of Victorian tiles carried out in North Wales

Cleaning and Renovating Victorian Tiles

Commonly found in the hallways of oldder UK properties Victorian tiles are very hard wearing and can provide a classic look to any space. We often find that the beauty of these tiles are hidden under years of grime and neglect and are often covered up with carpets etc as tastes have changed over the years. If this sounds familiar then all is not lost as they can be restored.

The standard bearer for quality Victorian tiles was a firm called Minton Hollins, an English manufacturer who made a very good product which lasted the test of time. Victorian building practices however did not include the use of damp proof membranes and we often find damp can be a major issue with these old floors leading to salt problems known as efflorescence.

Common problems we face when restoring Victorian tiles are the removal of carpet glue, paint splashes and cement. Loose and cracked tiles can also be a problem however due to their popularity we usually find finding replacement tiles isn’t a problem.

Below you will find detailed examples of work we have carried out in the past, it should give you some idea of what’s involved and what can be achieved with the right techniques and products.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Renovation Formby

Neglected Victorian Tiled Hallway Renovated in Formby

1 Comment / Formby Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning /

This client from Formby got in touch about the Victorian tiled floor in a property they were renovating. As you can see from the photographs the flooring had been completely neglected and had seen a lot of wear resulting in years of ingrained dirt.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Cleaning Formby

I went over to Formby to survey the floor and come up with a plan for its restoration which I calculated would take two days. The first day to deep clean the tiles several times to extract all the dirt and the second to apply a protective sealer that would keep the dirt out of the floor and ensure it maintained its restored appearance.

Happy with my quote we agreed a date for the work to start.

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Due to the deep-seated dirt I decided to start with a very strong cleaning concoction by combing Tile Doctor Remove and Go and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This makes a very powerful alkaline cleaning/stripping agent that should deal with the staining and break down the ingrained dirt.

The solution was mopped onto the hallway floor and left to dwell for twenty minutes before being scrubbed in using a black pad fitted to a weighted buffing machine. Water was added to increase lubrication and the extra weights added to the buffer ensured increased traction with the tiles.

The process released the dirt from the pores and surface of the tile into the solution which was then removed with a wet vacuum. Once done, I inspected the floor and then spot treated any areas that needed more work using the same process.

The initial clean removed the paint splashes and dirt and to further improve the condition of the tiles even further I decided to give the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This is brushed into the removing old cement residue and dissolves any efflorescence in the floor which can be an issue with old Victorian tiled floors that don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane. After another rinse with water and extraction with the wet vacuum the floor was then left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The next morning, I took several moisture readings with a damp meter to make sure the floor was sufficiently dry and ready to seal. For this floor I had chosen to use Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is an oil based breathable impregnating sealer that is rated for external use and therefore ideal for a hallway. Two coats of X-Tra Seal were applied, the first coat revives the colour in the tiles and the second adds a nice subtle sheen to the tile.

The floor was completely transformed by the work and on returning home after work the customer sent me a message to say the hallway had made a great finishing touch and was the final part of the house renovation.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Renovation Formby

For aftercare cleaning I left them with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is specially formulated for cleaning sealed tiles. We don’t recommend tile cleaning products you find on supermarket shelves as the are usually too strong and can strip a sealer off the floor prematurely. If your choosing another product to clean your floor always read the label to make sure its compatible.

 

Victorian Hallway Floor Deep Cleaned and Renovated in Merseyside

Neglected Victorian Tiled Hallway Renovated in Formby Read More »

Victorian Hallway Floor Tile Renovation West Kirby Merseyside

Victorian Tiled Hallway Renovated in West Kirby

1 Comment / Heswall Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Wallasey Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History /

We were contacted by a customer in West Kirby who needed help renovating a Victorian tiled hallway in a house they had just purchased. Kirby is a desirable seaside location North of Heswall that expanded with the arrival of the railway in 1848. The railway brought a demand for property and so it’s not unusual to find housing stock in this area dating back to the Victorian era.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Renovation West Kirby

The Victorian tiles at this property appear to have been neglected by the previous owner and were now looking very dull and marked by paint from decorating; all the colours looked washed out and the floor was now looking very unappealing.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Renovation West Kirby

The good news however is that this problem is not uncommon and with a deep clean and a fresh sealer applied it can be transformed. I gave the owner a quote which was accepted a date agreed for my return to do the work.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Renovation West Kirby

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

On the first day the floor was sprayed with a neat solution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a powerful alkaline cleaning and stripping agent used to remove old seals and paint. The solution was left to dwell for about twenty minutes so it could soak in and get to work. It was then scrubbed into the tiles using a coarse 200-grit pad fitted to a heavy buffing machine. Water was then added to the floor for lubrication and the soils released from the pores of the tile during scrubbing was removed by with a wet vacuum.

To treat the stubborn paint stains and remains of what I suspect was carpet adhesive a hand scraper and wire brush was used, this was made easier by the Remove and Go which had softened the paint etc.

The next stage was to give the Victorian tiles a mild acid wash using Acid Gel which is applied to the floor, scrubbed in, and rinsed off with a little water then extracted using the wet vacuum. We always recommend an acid wash for old floors like these as it will counter any efflorescent salts resident in the tiles and helps to remove other mineral contaminates and old grout that can mask the true beauty of the tiles.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I left the tiles to dry out for two days before returning to apply the sealer, first checking it was dry by testing for moisture in various places with an electronic damp tester. It’s not a good idea to apply a sealer to a damp floor so we always check first.
Satisfied the floor was dry, I started applying a coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing impregnating sealer that helps to bring out the true colours in the tile. This was allowed to dry for thirty minutes and then followed up five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is a breathable sealer that leaves a lovely satin finish and builds on the protection.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Renovation West Kirby

Once done the Victorian hallway tiles looked so much cleaner and healthier. It was quite a transformation and the new sealer had given the floor a nice low sheen shine which the customer was very happy with.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Renovation West Kirby

For aftercare cleaning I left them with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is specially formulated for cleaning sealed tiles. We don’t recommend tile cleaning products you find on supermarket shelves as the are usually too strong and can strip a sealer off the floor prematurely. If your choosing another product to clean your floor always read the label to make sure its compatible.

 

Victorian Hallway Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Merseyside

Victorian Tiled Hallway Renovated in West Kirby Read More »

Victorian Tiled Porch Before After Cleaning Liverpool

Victorian Tiled Porch Deep Cleaned at Cressington Parks Liverpool

Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work History /

Cressington Parks is a 19th Century gated private estate built for wealthy merchants who needed easy access to the city of Liverpool. Cressington has been designated a conservation area with many examples of period street furniture including gas lamps, gates and railings along with all the period buildings. In fact, the streets have been used for many television and film sets.

As you can see from the picture below this small but impressively intricate Victorian Tiled floor was in need of some love and care after being covered in carpet for many years and we were asked to do the renovation. We have restored several period floors in the conversation area where we find the properties are popular with younger family’s buying the homes for restoration.

Victorian Tiled Porch Floor Before Cleaning Cressington

Cleaning/Repairing a Victorian Tiled Porch Floor

This particular floor was at the servants’ entrance to the main house and required deep cleaning and a few repairs to be carried out. Given the small size of the floor we were aiming to complete the job within a day by using low moisture cleaning techniques.

The first task was to remove as much of the old coatings which included carpet glue, paint and varnish using very sharp scrapers. Once this was done, we covered the floor with Tile Doctor Acid Gel. Being in gel form it’s very easy to control and means it will stay in in place where a liquid treatment would just run away. After leaving the gel to dwell for ten minutes, we used a slow speed buffing machine fitted with extra weight and a black scrubbing pad to work the product into the tiles. This now soiled gel was then rinsed off with a little water and extracted using a wet vacuum. When we use this cleaning method the acid gel cleans the floor and helps counter alkaline salts inherent in the floor.

Whilst the floor was drying, we turned our attention to the damaged tiles which we replaced with matching tiles that we had sourced earlier. It takes some time to do this as you need to scrape out the surrounding grout, lever out the broken tile and then scrape out the adhesive. The new tile is then set in place with rapid set adhesive and matching grout.

Once that had set the rest of the floor was encouraged to dry out faster with the use of heat guns for about twenty minutes before letting the floor cool down. At this stage the floor was looking much improved!

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Porch Floor

After a further twenty minutes we did a damp test using a damp meter to make sure the floor was ready for sealing. The minimal use of liquids and added heat had worked well and we were able to move on and seal the tiles starting with a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating fully breathable sealer that brings out the colour in the tile.

The first coat was left to dry for forty minutes before following with three coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. This is also a breathable sealer and is ideal for situations where no damp proof membrane. The Sealer left the floor with a lovely sheen and the colourful tiles really shone through. The floor was back to its’ former glory.

Victorian Tiled Porch Floor After Cleaning Cressington

Our customer was over the moon and has asked us if we could return to restore the outside pathways, what better feedback can you get.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Porch in Liverpool

Victorian Tiled Porch Deep Cleaned at Cressington Parks Liverpool Read More »

=================================

Leave a Comment / Bebington Tile Cleaning, Birkenhead Tile Cleaning, Bootle Tile Cleaning, Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Crosby Tile Cleaning, Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning, Fireplace Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Formby Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Heswall Tile Cleaning, Kirkby Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Liverpool Tile Cleaning, Maghull Tile Cleaning, Marble Tile Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Prescot Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, St Helens Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Terrazzo Floor Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Vinyl Tile Cleaning, Wallasey Tile Cleaning /

Merseyside Tile Doctor

================================= Read More »

╳
Scroll to Top