[jjames]

Hi, one of my customers has just lifted some laminate flooring and would like the original tiles underneath cleaned.  What is the best way to go about this, what chemicals should I be using? Many thanks

[Jamie Pearson]

Terracotta is a lot trickier than quarry tiles.

You need to be sure which you are working on as they are often confused with each other by those without experience.

Do you have any pictures?

[jjames]

Thank you, I will take some pictures tomorrow and post them up, I have no experience,  the work is for a customer who I do a lot of other work for.

[Kev Martin]

The tiles will almost certainly be Victorian / Edwardian encaustics.  Please post photos

[Cleaning Nottingham]

You can use a solution of 25% stone floor cleaner in a bucket of warm water. Apply with mop and leave to work about 15 minutes, then give the floor a good scrub. Wipe off dirt and grease and rinse with warm water. Use an old towel or dry mop to dry the surface.

[Kev Martin]

You can use a solution of 25% stone floor cleaner in a bucket of warm water. Apply with mop and leave to work about 15 minutes, then give the floor a good scrub. Wipe off dirt and grease and rinse with warm water. Use an old towel or dry mop to dry the surface.

What is the Stone Floor Cleaner called you use?  Is it acidic or alkaline?

[maxcampbell]

Taking the question at face value, the best way to clean mucky, but not kitchen-grease-soaked terracotta, is to pre-wet with water, then get some of Kevin's Xtreme clean down (start at 1: 10, but try stronger if not happy), leave a few minutes, scrub in with a soft-ish brush on a medium weight slow rotary, north/south then east/west, then power rinse off with a truck mount and a spinner, start at 500 psi, and work up until it's high enough. Resort to solvents if you have to, but try Xtreme clean neat, first.

The real question is, what's the best way to seal?

[Kev Martin]

Taking the question at face value, the best way to clean mucky, but not kitchen-grease-soaked terracotta, is to pre-wet with water, then get some of Kevin's Xtreme clean down (start at 1: 10, but try stronger if not happy), leave a few minutes, scrub in with a soft-ish brush on a medium weight slow rotary, north/south then east/west, then power rinse off with a truck mount and a spinner, start at 500 psi, and work up until it's high enough. Resort to solvents if you have to, but try Xtreme clean neat, first.

The real question is, what's the best way to seal?

The best way to seal is to use one of the Miracle 511 penetrating  sealers best suited to the aesthetic appearance the client wants.  Then seal with either a topical sealer or wax to suit the clients needs.

[Neil Jones]

Cleaning Nottingham, if only it was that easy.