Victorian Tile Cleaning

Victorian Hallway Renovation Brixton Hotel

Restoring a Victorian Hallway Floor in a Brixton Hotel

This Victorian floor was found during the refurbishment of a hotel in Brixton, South London. The manager wanted a practical surface that could cope with day-to-day traffic and given this was a period feature of the property why not bring it back into use. Working in a narrow corridor in a busy hotel would normally be very difficult but as the property was being renovated there were only a few people around so it wouldn’t be an issue.

Victorian Hallway Renovation Brixton Hotel Before Restoration Victorian Hallway Renovation Brixton Hotel Before Restoration

The tiles were stained black with dirt and grease and badly damaged around the perimeter which was probably the reason it was covered up in the first place. Not a problem though, in fact these old Victorian tiled floors are very resilient and I have renovated floors in worse condition than this.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

To tackle the dirt and grease the floor was sprayed with a combination of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed with Tile Doctor Remove and Go which was left to soak in for ten minutes and then scrubbed in with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. This process was repeated several times rinsing off the soiling with water and extracting with a wet vacuum after each clean.

Once most of the dirt and grease had been removed repairs were carried out starting with the removal of the broken tiles and rubble. The subfloor was then built up with a self-levelling compound and then once set re-tiled with matching replacements. Luckily, there are a few places that we can source either original reclamation Victorian tiles or reproduction tiles that are usually a very good match.

Victorian Hallway Renovation Brixton Hotel During Restoration Victorian Hallway Renovation Brixton Hotel During Restoration

The next stage was to further clean up the tiles by giving the whole floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which has several benefits which include the removal of mineral deposits such as grout smears and alkaline salts. Salts in particular can be a problem with old floors like this as they were laid before the invention of damp proof membranes. Additionally using an acidic product at this stage neutralises the pH level of the floor after the use of strong alkaline cleaners earlier in the restoration. The floor was then left to dry out overnight.

Victorian Hallway Renovation Brixton Hotel During Restoration Victorian Hallway Renovation Brixton Hotel After Restoration

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

We returned the following day to seal the tiles. First checking the moisture level of the tiles with a damp meter to confirm the floor was dry, which it was. Tile Doctor Colour Grow was chosen as the sealer, it’s an impregnator that soaks into the pores of the tile protecting it from within. It is also a breathable sealer so will cope with any moisture rising through the floor

Victorian Hallway Renovation Brixton Hotel After Restoration

As you can see from the pictures the hallway was transformed, the previously dark dingy space was now bright and clean, and the tiles looked stunning. Our client was very happy with the result and once all the renovations are completed, he will be ready to re-open the hotel.

Victorian Hallway Renovation Brixton Hotel After Restoration

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in a South London Hotel

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Victorian Tiled Hallway Before and After Restoration Streatham

Dirty and Stained Victorian Hallway Tiles Rejuvenated in Streatham

If you like in an older property in the UK and never looked under the carpets you might want to take a minute and have a look. I still find it surprising how many of my customers had no idea they lived in a house with a classic tiled hallway.

We were recently asked to restore a fantastic geometric-patterned Victorian tiled floor which had been found underneath carpet during decoration work in the hallway of a property in Streatham.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Restoration Streatham Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Restoration Streatham

The once black and white tiles were now absolutely caked in dirt, glue deposits, cement, paint stains and plaster. It would be no small feat to get the tiles back to looking their best again. Fortunately, Victorian tiles are very resilient and we have a lot of experience in their restoration so I was confident that with the right products and techniques we could get the job done to a high standard.

Cleaning Dirty and Stained Victorian Hallway Tiles

The tiled hallway was quite long, yet only around a metre wide, so I felt the best approach would be to work in small sections at a time. Our method was to soak the tiles with Tile Doctor Remove and Go and leave the product to work its magic for roughly ten minutes, before scrubbing the surface to remove the muck. Some of the more viscous and stubborn stains were scrapped away carefully by hand within the assistance of a steam cleaning machine. The resulting residue was extracted using a wet vacuum. Remove and Go is a particularly effective cleaner in scenarios like this, as it is specially formulated to strip away old sealers, adhesives and even paint without harming the tile itself.

The next step was to run a rotary machine fitted with a Coarse 200 grit burnishing pad lubricated with water over the floor to achieve a consistent finish. The floor was then rinsed to remove the soil generated in the process.

Old floors like these laid before the invention of damp proof membranes can be a concern as damp rising up through the tile as it dries can leads to efflorescence salt deposits appearing on the tile surface. So, to avoid potential issues Tile Doctor Acid Gel was applied to the floor to neutralise any salt deposits and the floor given a final rinse to remove any trace of cleaning products.

Sealing Victorian Hallway Tiles

After finishing the clean, we left the floor to dry out over the weekend. With old floors like this one, we tend to recommend allowing a drying period of at least 48 hours to ensure the floor is completely dry before applying a sealer.

Upon arriving back at the property, we ran a few quick damp tests and once satisfied the floor was dry proceeded to seal the tiles using Tile Doctor Colour Grow. Colour Grow is a colour-intensifying, impregnating sealant that leaves a natural-look matte finish. It works by occupying the pores in the clay and it’s also a fully breathable sealer which is important for these old floors where damp may be any issue.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Streatham Victorian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Streatham

The customer was absolutely thrilled with the results. She even went as far as to leave a review expressing how pleased she was during the weekend before we had chance to seal the tiles.

Bill and Wayne were brilliant! On time, got to work straight away, lovely and friendly and very professional. They have done a lovely job and I’m looking forward to them coming to seal the tiles to finish it o f tomorrow afternoon. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Thanks guys!

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in South London

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