Edlington Tile Cleaning

This old Sandstone Tiled floor in the Kitchen of a property in Edlington near Doncaster was so dirty it was almost unrecognisable. The current owner was renovating the house and didn’t really know much about the history of the floor but was keen to get it improved.

This old Sandstone floor had seen better days, it looked tired and dirty and the significant staining on the Sandstone flagstones made me suspect the stone may be reclaimed and originated from an industrial building. A lot of the pointing would need to be replaced and then the stone would need to be deep cleaned and then sealed. Another option was to mill the stone which is a process we can use that involves applying very coarse diamond pads to grind off the top layer of stone. This would reveal new uncontaminated stone however the pads required to do this are expensive.

Having already spent a significant amount of money improving the house there was no budget left to mill the floor so a regrout, followed by a deep clean and reseal was scheduled.

Cleaning a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

I started by removing the kickboards under the kitchen units and taping up the rest of the cabinets to protect them from splashing during cleaning. Work could then start on grinding the old pointing out and replacing with grout.

One the grout had dried it was time to give the floor a deep clean with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. For best results the Pro-Clean was left to soak in for a good ten to fifteen minutes first, this gives the product time to break down the soiling and staining. It was then scrubbed using a buffer fitted with a silicone carbide brush which really gets into the face of the stone. After scrubbing the floor was rinsed and extracted with a wet vacuum.

The cleaning process was repeated several times until I was satisfied the Sandstone was as clean as I could get it. Some deep-seated staining was still visible once I had finished but without milling the stone it was as good as it could be. Personally, I think a few stains and marks on a floor are expected characteristics of and old floor. The floor was rinsed again and dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum.

Sealing Sandstone Kitchen Floor Tiles

After cleaning the floor was left to dry out before sealing it was tested with a damp meter to ensure it was dry first. This is important as applying sealer to damp stone can affect the sealer curing leave a patchy appearance.

For this floor several coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go were applied. This is a great choice for Sandstone and it protects the stone and adds a lovely subtle sheen appearance that left the floor much improved and showing its wonderful character and colour. The sealer will keep dirt on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

On the subject of regular cleaning, I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective product that won’t impact the sealer.

 

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Tiled Floor in South Yorkshire