Grout Cleaning and Grout Haze Removal
Grouts are porous and, as a result, they easily absorb grease, dirt and lime scale. Spillages such as wine, lemonades or greasy substances will cause marks and patches in the joints in the floor. Grout between wall-tiles, particularly in damp areas like bathrooms, will become dirty and unattractive as a result of Mould, Mildew and Limescale.
Mould is one of the most unsightly problems, which usually starts off in the wettest area of the room, this could be the bottom of the shower or bath, then starts to spread and if left unchecked could cover a large area of the wall.
Discolouration of grout joints in bath or shower areas due to continued use of acid formulated shampoos and soaps. This causes yellow orange and pink stains to the grout over even a short period of time.
The answer is obvious, protect the grout using a sealer. Although relatively unknown in the UK, protection awareness is growing. Sealing forms an invisible barrier between the grout and the surface, this will then protect your investment for years to come.
GROUT CLEANING
A concentrated, multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner, stripper and degreaser. Dilute with 3 to 5 parts water to use as a very effective cleaner that removes grease, soap scum, body oil, mildew and algae from areas that have been neglected or subjected to heavy use. Dilute with 2 parts water for the stripping of synthetic and acrylic waxes and floor finishes.
Use Tile Doctor Pro-Clean Tile, Stone & Grout cleaner; highly effective against wax sealers, grease, grout stain, grime and general dirt build up.
Always follow the instructions on the bottle.
Click here for more information about Tile Doctor Pro-Clean
Mould Removal
To tackle Mould mould and blackspot from grout and silicone apply Tile Doctor Duo Clean. It’s double impact formula is designed for the cleaning of Tile, Grout and Silicone mastic sealant in bathroom and shower rooms.
Please visit the Duo Clean product page for more information.
Neutral Cleaner
Most tile cleaning products sold on the market today are designed for cleaning ceramic rather than stone surfaces, as a result they can slowly etch away at the sealed surface of your stone floor reducing the life of your sealer. The Tile Doctor range of neutral Tile and Stone cleaners are especially formulated for the regular cleaning of Sealed Stone and Tile surfaces keeping them fresh.
It’s PH neutral phosphate free formula ensures your sealed surface remains undamaged eliminating soap scum build up, hard water deposits.
Uses
Use on Grout, Natural Stone floor, Ceramic, Porcelain, Adobe Tile, Quarry, Terracotta, Masonry surfaces or other water-safe surfaces. This cleaner is ideal for sealed floors, its neutral PH formula will not degrade the sealer.
Click here for more information about Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro
Shower Tile and Grout Cleaner
A powerful high-alkaline cleaner especially formulated for cleaning shower Tile and Grout. Highly effective cleaner that removes soap scum, body oil, mildew and algae from areas that have been neglected or subjected to frequent use.
Uses
Use on natural stone (such as Granite, Limestone, Slate, and Travertine), Ceramic, Porcelain, Quarry, Saltillo, Terracotta and Masonry surfaces.
Click here for more information about Tile Doctor Oxy-Pro
GROUT HAZE
Grout Clean-Up contains concentrated hydrochloric acid and cleaner designed to penetrate below the surface to remove light grout smears (grout haze), mineral deposits, rust stains and efflorescence. This product is also effective for the removal of most hard water stains, lime deposits and soap scum.
Residual grout (grout haze) on tiles can be removed using a 1-3 solution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. Care must be taken using acid on porous tiles. Test on one tile before applying on whole area. Follow the instructions on the bottle.
This product is ideal for removing Grout Haze, you need to put it in a spray bottle and spray it on to the wall tiles, and use a rough pan cleaner to remove the haze. On the floor do the same but trying use a scrubbing brush, rinse down with water afterwards you may need to do this 2 or 3 times, to get a good result. If the problem is more that of general dirt and grime then use Heavy Duty Tile and Grout Cleaner first.
Uses
Recommended for use on masonry surfaces and acid resistant stone such as Cermamics, Porcelain, Sandstone and Slate.
Click here for more information about Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up
ACID GEL
PH1 blend of Phosphoric and Hydrochloric acids in a gel form for the treatment of grout haze (grout smears) and efflorescence on wall and floor tiles. The gel is especially effective on vertical or sloped surface where where more dwell time is required.
Use
Especially effective on Victorian floor tiles to remove mineral salt deposits (efflorescence). Users should be aware that like any acid product it will etch acid sensitive tiles such as Marble, Limestone, Travertine and various types of Terrazzo, which can be restored using Tile Doctor Diamond pads if necessary.
This bathtub with shower over was at a house in the old shipbuilding port of Greenock within the historic county of Renfrewshire. I’m not sure you can appreciate it from the before photograph below, but the grout was white and was starting to discolour. The… Read More »Tackling Discoloured Grout in Inverclyde
Earlier in the year we were contacted by the facilities manager of one of the student apartment blocks in Oldham which provides accommodation for the students of Oldham University. They were looking for a firm to revamp the student en-suite bathrooms during the summer recess.… Read More »Restoring 45 Student Shower Cubicles in Oldham
Cirencester is a large market town in the East of Gloucestershire known for its rich history dating back to the Roman times, when it was known as Corinium. This area is also home to the Royal Agricultural University, the oldest agricultural college in the English-speaking… Read More »Grout Cleaning and Sealing in a Gloucestershire Hallway
Available in a variety of styles and designs Porcelain tiles are harder than normal Ceramic tiles and are known for their durability and water resistance, making them ideal for use in shower cubicles and bathrooms. However, as I’m sure most people already know, shower tiles… Read More »Deep Cleaning and Sealing Mouldy Shower Grout
Having mould in your bathroom is never a desirable situation, especially in a family home with young children. Additionally, severe mould can cause a range of health issues, including respiratory problems, nasal congestion, and throat irritation, so it’s important to remove it as soon as… Read More »Sealing Bathroom Tiles to Prevent Staining and Mould
This customer who lives in the old picturesque village of Westmancote, Gloucestershire asked me to do a home survey on their ceramic kitchen tiles which had been laid around fifteen years prior. With the exception of general cleaning not much had work had been done… Read More »Sealing Grout with a Pippette in a Westmancote Kitchen
Ceramic tiles are usually glazed and therefore non-porous, so when the floor starts to lose its appearance there’s a good chance the problem relates to the grout. This is because the top layer of the Cementous grout is rough and will attract a build-up of… Read More »Deep Cleaning and Sealing Grout in a Gloucester Hallway
One of the first issues people have with shower rooms is the Silicone needs to be replaced, even a good quality Silicone like Mapei Ultra-seal which is fully waterproof and stain and mould resistant can still succumb to persistent damp issues. In fact it can… Read More »Restoring the Appearance of a Mouldy Shower Room in Cumbria
The photographs below are from the bathroom of a house in the Moston area of Manchester which is primarily residential and only 3 miles away from the city centre. My customer had been primarily concerned with the removal of unsightly mould but was also keen… Read More »Removing Mould from Grout in a Shower Cubicle
Grange-over-Sands is a quaint little town on the Morecambe bay, roughly halfway between Barrow-in-Furness and Kendal in Cumbria. I was recently contacted by a property owner in the area who had heard about Tile Doctor services and was keen to have us restore their tiled… Read More »Treating Mouldy Grout in a Shower Cubicle in Cumbria
This is a follow-up post from last week where I detailed the restoration of a beautiful polished travertine floor that had been installed on most of the ground floor and bathroom at a property in Newton Heath. After cleaning, polishing and sealing the floor tiles… Read More »Refreshing the look of Travertine Tile and Grout in a Shower Cubicle
This newly installed Herringbone-style Terracotta tiled floor in a refurbished kitchen was heavily covered with patches of grout haze. The customer, who lives in the town of Cogenhoe, Northampton informed me that the tiler had supposedly sealed the floor before grouting. If this was true,… Read More »Removing Grout Smears From Terracotta Tiles
It’s not unusual for Shower tile and grout to become stained due to the dyes that are found in soap, mould can also be a common problem but usually this is down to inadequate ventilation. Whilst we do sell products that can keep your tile… Read More »Shower Cubicle Grout Cleaned and Recoloured in Cheshire
Here’s a quick example of an interesting tiled shower cubicle at a property in Edinburgh that was well overdue for a refresh, including deep cleaning and recolouring do the grout lines that had become stained and mouldy. This is a problem that the majority of… Read More »Rejuvenating Bathroom Tile Grout
We commonly encounter customers who are struggling to keep their Ceramic tiled shower cubicles clean. Since most people use their showers every day, the tiles and grout inevitably come into contact with shampoos and soaps that can cause staining, discolouration and mould. In fact, it’s… Read More »Refreshing the Appearance of Bathroom Grout
It can be amazing and equally frustrating just how quickly grout can become dirty and discoloured. I was recently contacted by a couple in Warrington to see if I could help them with their Ceramic tiled kitchen floor that had only been laid six months… Read More »New but Discoloured Grout refreshed in a Warrington Kitchen
Tiled kitchen worktops work really well, but just like any other kind of tiled surface they will need regular cleaning and maintenance to keep them looking great. Kitchen worktops in particular can fall into poor condition quickly when exposed to all manner of dirt and… Read More »Restoring the Appearance of Grout on a Tiled Kitchen Worktop
A common problem with bathroom and shower cubicle tiles is the appearance of mould on the tile, grout and silicone which if not tackled on a regular basis will spread and threaten to severely damage the appearance of the tiles, along with the silicone. This… Read More »Dealing with Mould on Grout
I was recently at a property in the North Yorkshire town of Harrogate, undertaking what I initially thought would be the cleaning and polishing of a Cream Limestone tiled kitchen. However, as I began the cleaning process I quickly discovered that under the dirty grout… Read More »Removing Varnish From Grout in Harrogate
It’s always a good idea to double-check any tile cleaning advice you receive with a professional. Sometimes advice can be inaccurate and cause more problems than good. Such was the case with this customer, who lives in the small town of Appleton near Warrington. He… Read More »Grout Damaged with Acid Restored with Grout Colourant in Cheshire
Shower cubicles can be the most difficult of tiled features to keep clean. Most are exposed to various acid-based soaps and shampoos on a daily basis, allowing mould and general muck to quickly build up along the grout lines and silicone. This leaves the entire… Read More »Dealing With Discoloured Shower Cubicle Grout
Many homeowners will be able to relate to this post about tiled shower cubicles which can become mouldy, grubby, and just plainly unappealing to look at. The reality is that dirt, mould, and stains can be quite easily removed with the right products if addressed… Read More »Refreshing the Grout in a Ceramic Shower Cubicle
The task of keeping these white Ceramic Kitchen and Conservatory tiles clean was proving very challenging for this customer, who lives in the town of Somerton in Somerset. Somerton is known for its bustling market, which has supposedly been run on a weekly basis since… Read More »Achieving the Consistent Appearance of old Grout using Grout Colourant
Well maintained grout is fundamental to achieving a great looking tiled floor, whatever your choice of tile or stone. Even if the tiles themselves are in reasonably good condition, dirty and damaged grout lines can really upset the overall appearance of the floor. Such was… Read More »Restoring the Appearance of Grout in Preston with a Colourant
Moving into a new home is a stressful but rewarding experience. This customer had just recently moved into a property in the neighbouring and historic Flintshire town of Mold, and was keen to make some renovations. High on the agenda was the restoration of a… Read More »Completly changing the Appearance of Ceramic Tile and Grout in Flintshire
If you’re looking to give your kitchen a face lift then read on as the following post details a very simple grout treatment that I think you will agree really refreshed the look of this kitchen in Edinburgh. In fact if you’re thinking of selling… Read More »Kitchen Tile Grout Refresh
To clean grout we normally recommend a good scrub with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is an strong alkaline product, in some cases however the staining cannot be removed completely and the only thing your can do with the exception of re-grouting is to re-colour the… Read More »Bathroom Tile Grout Refresh
Details below of a Grout colouring job I recently completed at a house in Morecambe. In this instance, the grout had become stained, and my client was no longer happy with it. There are a number of reasons grout can lose its appearance including the… Read More »Dealing With Stained Grout
It’s not that uncommon for newly installed tiled floors to suffer from grout haze. This occurs where builder or tiler fails to remove all the excess grout from the surface of the tile after installation. It’s not always immediately obvious as the grout has to… Read More »Grout Haze Removed from Sealed Sandstone Floor
Here’s a quick grout cleaning and re-colouring job I completed in the town of Canvey Island, Essex. Canvey Island lies on the south east coast, and lies just above sea level which in my job is always worth noting as the area can be prone… Read More »Applying Charcoal Grey Grout Colourant
Earlier this month I was in the town of Northampton, to see a client who had reported a problem with her Travertine kitchen tiles. Basically the grout between the tiles was badly stained, to the point of appearing almost black. The Travertine tiles were also… Read More »Dealing With Blackened Grout on Travertine Kitchen Tiles
The photographs below were taken at a private residence in the town of Stafford, the owner of the house was unhappy with the state of the grout lines in their ceramic tiled shower which had, over time, had become grey and stained. As you cans… Read More »Shower Cubicle Grout Refresh
I was recently called down to Alderton, a small village in the southern part of Northamptonshire most famous for housing the remains of a Norman Castle, known as ‘The Mount’. Unfortunately, this job involved remedying a bit of DIY grout cleaning that had not gone… Read More »Resolving Problems With Stained Grout
I recently went down to the city of Hull, the biggest in East Yorkshire, for this job after I was contacted by a client living in the Victoria Dock area. My client had a very nice wood effect Porcelain floor, but she was not happy… Read More »Changing the Appearance of Grout on Wood Effect Tiles
This was a request from lady in the market town of Beverley, East Yorkshire which, interestingly, is actually the influence for the name of the famous Beverley Hills area in California. She was unhappy with the colour of grout that had been used on kitchen… Read More »Changing Kitchen Wall Tile Grout Colour
Recently, I was called to a work on a Limestone tiled floor in a house near Hove Park. Hove Park is a popular park in Hove, East Sussex, which was once opposite to the Goldstone Ground, the traditional home of Brighton and Hove Albion football… Read More »Restoring Discoloured White Grout
This customer from Rushden called me in because she was having difficulty keeping the grout in her kitchen clean although the ceramic tiles themselves were fairly easy to maintain. On speaking to the customer it became evident that the one coat of sealant that was… Read More »Deep Cleaning and Sealing Grout
Photographs below of a Ceramic tiled floor in the kitchen of a house in the village of Houghton on the Hill near Leicester. The Ceramic tiles were fine but not unusually the grout had darkened substantially and would need to be deep cleaned to get… Read More »Refreshing the Appearance of Grout
This customer from Titchmarsh near Kettering was unhappy that the Porcelain floor tiles that were installed in her kitchen six months prior were proving difficult to clean and that the grout line had turned from a grey to black and whatever she tried she just… Read More »Deep Cleaning and Sealing Newly Installed Grout
This was a straight forward Grout Colouring job at a house in the market town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. The tiles had been installed with a white grout and over the years the grout had become darker as the dirt had become ingrained into the porous… Read More »Dealing with Darkened Grout