Ceramic Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of Ceramic Tile and Grout Cleaning/Renovation work carried out in Teesside

Cleaning Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tiles are usually fully glazed and so do not have any pores that dirt can become ingrained into, because of this they are easy to clean with Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner and are generally low maintenance. Textured ceramic tiles however are one exception, they have a rough surface in order to make them less slippery and are often used around wet areas such as swimming pools. Dirt is easily trapped in the textured surface and to get these clean requires a more intensive clean ideally using a rotating scrubbing pad.

Due to their low maintenance we rarely get called to deep clean Ceramic tiles however grout is a different case. The top layer of grout is actually porous and due to it being recessed we find when they are mopped it leads to a build-up of dirt on the grout causing it to discolour. This can be resolved using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and then once clean and fully dry, seal the grout with one coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal using a pipette.

Ceramic tiles are used a lot in bathrooms and shower cubicles where again we find it’s usually the grout or silicone sealant that discolours before the tiles do. In these cases we often find the appearance can be greatly improved with the use of a Grout Colourant and replacement of the silicone.

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


Dirty Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Transformed in Middlesbrough

Dirty Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Transformed in Middlesbrough

Here’s a fairly straightforward job I completed at a house in Middlesbrough which if you haven’t come across it before is a large industrial town situated on the south bank of the River Tees famous for its football club.

My client was keen to have the Ceramic tiled shower cubicle in her bathroom refreshed, paying particular attention the areas where the tiles and grout had been stained by the chemicals in shampoos and soaps. There was also signs of mould build-up that needed to be addressed.

Ceramic Shower Tiles Middlesbrough Before

Cleaning a ceramic tiled shower cubicle

My first task was to mix a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and clean water. Pro-Clean is an alkaline-based cleaner that is highly effective for removing grease, soap scum, and more. While in this case I used Pro-Clean to clean the Ceramic wall tile and grout, it is also suitable for use on most natural stone floor tiles, including Granite, Slate, Limestone and Travertine.

I then decanted the solution into a spray bottle, and applied it to the tiles and grout. The reason for using a spray bottle is due to the fact cleaning products generally don’t stick very well when applied directly to vertical surfaces. When applied via a spray bottle the solution is mixed with air, turning it into more of a vapour which clings more effectively to the surface.

After the solution had been applied, I left it to dwell for a while before scrubbing it into the tiles and grout. As you can see from the photos, this made a big difference breaking down the mould and soap scum and I was soon able to wash away the resultant slurry leaving an inviting shower cubicle.

The final step was to replace the silicone sealant strip between the shower tray and the tiles; the silicone strip is not so easy to clean and although applying fresh silicone can be tricky it does finish the job off rather nicely. As an alternative you can apply Tile Doctor Mould-Away which does work on Silicone however if your shower is leaking then you can almost guarantee it’s the silicone strip that’s the cause.

Ceramic Shower Tiles Middlesbrough After

If the shower wall had been made from stone I would now be talking about sealing the tiles however Ceramic tiles are glazed and won’t take a seal so the only consideration would have been to use a Grout Sealer however in this case we didn’t feel it was necessary. The shower cubicle now looks like a new installation and my customer was very pleased with the transformation.
 
 

Tile and grout cleaning for a Ceramic tiled shower cubicle in Middlesbrough

Dirty Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle Transformed in Middlesbrough Read More »

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