This small Victorian Tiled Vestibule floor at a property in Kirkliston had not been deep cleaned for some time and was looking very neglected. The owner felt it was time to get it renovated so we were asked to do the work.
Any sealer protecting the tiles had long since worn off resulting in dirt becoming ingrained into the pores where it’s very difficult to shift. The dirt had built-up in the tiles and they were also stained with paint splashes from decorating. Happy to assist I came up with a restorative cleaning plan for the floor that was considerate of its age and provided a quote for doing the work.
Renovating a Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor in Kirkliston
Old floors like this one don’t have a damp proof membrane under the floor so you have to be wary of how much water you use during cleaning, if you use too much it could take a long time to dry out and you can seal it. Fortunately for situations like this we can use a gel-based cleaning products that have less moisture content.
This method primarily involves giving the floor a scrub with Tile Doctor Acid Gel which being a gel is very easy to control. The gel is applied to the floor and left to soak in for ten minutes before being worked in with low grit brushes fitted to a rotary buffer. Then after going over the floor a few times the floor was wiped with damp cloths. The paint splashes had now been softened by the gel and were be scraped off before continuing with the cleaning.
The next step was to scrub the floor with a 200, 400 and then 800-grit Diamond burnishing pad with a little water to help lubricate the process. This process opens and then closes the pores on the surface allowing the dirt to be flushed out and makes the tiles slightly smoother. We find doing this also speeds up drying times. The water turns into a slurry which is removed with a wet vacuum after each pad.
Sealing a Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor
With the floor clean it was left to dry off for a week before returning to seal the tiles, applying a sealer to a damp floor can result in a cloudy appearance so it’s always best to wait.
The sealer chosen for this floor was Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal, it’s an oil-based long lasting breathable impregnator that’s rated for external as well as internal use; these are perfect credentials for a vestibule floor at the front of the house which is likely to get wet often.
The sealer brought the floor to life enhancing the deep colours giving the floor hardwearing protection that should last many years to come. The fresh sealer will ensure dirt remains on the surface where it can be cleaned away easily.
Before leaving I took time to explain the importance of using a neutral pH tile cleaning product such as Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner for day-to-day cleaning. A lot of products you find in supermarkets contain bleach and are simply too strong for cleaning a sealed surface and will quickly erode the sealer with use.
Source: Victorian Floor Cleaning and Restoration Service in Kirkliston