[Neil Mc Anulty]

I have a client with a deep riven tile in a pub toilets. Needless to say but the dirt gathers in the grooves and I have scrubbed with an alkaline cleaner and brush with a wet and dry vac. Theres still bits that arent quite clean. Any ideas?

[B Bailey]

Have you got a spinner, this would do it.

[david_m]

hi neil if these are porcelain tile

we use a product sometimes it called ultra clean its acid based
it works very well on non slip r10 type tiles

we also use a product call deep clean its alkaline based

the deep clean can be used on stone but do not use the ultra clean on stone

two diffrent product  and both work wonders when used correctly.

after cleaning with both above products always make sure to rince the floor properly
to get rid off any resadue that may be left behind
both of these are supplied by annachem just outside annalong which is very close to you neil


If you need a good rince product use equaliser from a company in belfast called concept

 cheers davy

if you want a step by step talk through give me a call

[Kev Martin]

I have a client with a deep riven tile in a pub toilets. Needless to say but the dirt gathers in the grooves and I have scrubbed with an alkaline cleaner and brush with a wet and dry vac. Theres still bits that arent quite clean. Any ideas?

Really easy

1.  Pre wet the floor.
2.  Apply a diluted High Alkaline cleaner such as Aqua Mix Heavy Duty Tile & Grout Cleaner and allow to dwell.
3.  Then apply some 220 Grit Honing Powder and work in with a soft to medium brush on a rotary.
4.  Vac solution up with wet vac.
5.  Thoroughly rinse and wet vac again.
6.  Once dry seal with good quality water based impregnator sealer such as Aqua Mix Sealers Choice Gold or Aqua Mix Pro Solve

Have a look at this link from Phil@Extreme Clean

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=165268.0



Kev Martin
Marblelife Ltd

[B Bailey]

It's not old grout is it, if so you need and acid to get it out. But vital you rinse well afterwards.

[Kev Martin]

It's not old grout is it, if so you need and acid to get it out. But vital you rinse well afterwards.

I am struggling to understand exactly what you mean here! Can you expand on this post and your reasoning together with a step by step method statement please.

Thanks
Kev Martin
Marblelife Ltd
Tiling Logistics

[Timmy Boy]

Hi Neil
Try an acid based cleaner. Its in a toilet so you could have some limescale buildup there. Try something like Bona Pro 2. When looking at problems like this I take a few small bottles and clean 1 tile with each product and then you know that you will get a result.
Regards
Tim

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

Personally i would take Kevins advice and follow the steps he suggests as seen from the pics in my post using the same method on pub toilet over 20 years of emulsified dirt got them up a treat.

[B Bailey]

I have cleaned lots of tiles where the client has assumed it was dirt but it has been grout where the tiler hasn't cleaned the grout properly, especially slate.

[sherco]

I have cleaned lots of tiles where the client has assumed it was dirt but it has been grout where the tiler hasn't cleaned the grout properly, especially slate.

What are you saying about us tilers!! 

[Jason Smith]

As mentioned, Really Easy

If you use a quality floor cleaner, preferably an alkaline & soluble solvent based cleaner then you definately won't need to use any honing powders. Using a stiff deck brush or grout brush to aggitate the riven areas is all you will need to do to acheive perfect results. An alkaline based cleaner will remove wax coatings, greese, grime and general soiiling but if you do have grout haze or residue left behind in the textured riven parts of the floor then you will need to use an acid based cleaner, preferably a Phosphoric based cleaner.

Here's a tip for you, after using the acid based cleaner, don't wash off with plenty of water, spreading the acid could cause damage and be dangerous. Spray or apply a dilution of your alkaline cleaner on to the floor this will help to neutralise the pH level making things much safer for you to work with.

Honing powders serve a purpose, but for simple cleaning as this subject is, quality cleaning solution will suffice.

Good luck with it 

[B Bailey]

I have cleaned lots of tiles where the client has assumed it was dirt but it has been grout where the tiler hasn't cleaned the grout properly, especially slate.

What are you saying about us tilers!! 

I love tilers, I get loads of work from grout haze. 

[sherco]

I have cleaned lots of tiles where the client has assumed it was dirt but it has been grout where the tiler hasn't cleaned the grout properly, especially slate.

What are you saying about us tilers!! 

I love tilers, I get loads of work from grout haze. 

So do i..lol Most tilers have not got a clue about sealing floors. The clean up after grouting is very important. I have seen loads of really good tiling with really poor grouting.

[B Bailey]

I have cleaned lots of tiles where the client has assumed it was dirt but it has been grout where the tiler hasn't cleaned the grout properly, especially slate.

What are you saying about us tilers!! 

Totally agree

I love tilers, I get loads of work from grout haze. 

So do i..lol Most tilers have not got a clue about sealing floors. The clean up after grouting is very important. I have seen loads of really good tiling with really poor grouting.

[Tadgh O Shea]

Hi Neil

We see this problem on many tiled floors especially deep riven floor tiles.
This is usually caused by a combination of cotton string mops and high alkaline based floor cleaners.
Traditional cotton mops or as some people call them (CFU mops) just push the soils around the floor surface when the moisture evaporates the soils just dry back on the surface, this problem is compounded if the janitor is using a high alkaline based floor cleaner (caustic and corrosive ingredients) on a daily basis as they just grind the soils further into the grout lines,crevices,nooks and crannys etc on the tile surface.
Best and safest solution to this problem Neil is to pre spray the floor with a micelles based heavy duty degreaser (non-caustic,non-corrosive) diluted at 5-1 for deep cleaning, let dwell for 2 to 3 minutes then scrub with a grout brush or cylindrical scubbing machine for larger areas, this will remove all ingrained and compacted soils, use a wet pick up machine to vac up all the mess, then finally just flat mop with waffle microfiber floor cloths.
If i can be of any further assistance Neil, please just let me kinow

Kind regards

Tadgh

[Neil Mc Anulty]

Thanks Guys for the replys, il try and get a picture up tomorrow