Victorian Tile Cleaning Archives - Cornwall Tile Doctor

Victorian Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of the cleaning and renovation of Victorian tiles carried out in Cornwall

Commonly found in the hallways of oldder UK properties Victorian tiles are very hard wearing and can provide a classic look to any space. We often find that the beauty of these tiles are hidden under years of grime and neglect and are often covered up with carpets etc as tastes have changed over the years. If this sounds familiar then all is not lost as they can be restored.

The standard bearer for quality Victorian tiles was a firm called Minton Hollins, an English manufacturer who made a very good product which lasted the test of time. Victorian building practices however did not include the use of damp proof membranes and we often find damp can be a major issue with these old floors leading to salt problems known as efflorescence.

Common problems we face when restoring Victorian tiles are the removal of carpet glue, paint splashes and cement. Loose and cracked tiles can also be a problem however due to their popularity we usually find finding replacement tiles isn’t a problem.

Below you will find detailed examples of work we have carried out in the past, it should give you some idea of what’s involved and what can be achieved with the right techniques and products.

Black and White Victorian Hallway Deep Cleaned in Newquay

This Victorian tiled hallway at a house in the coastal town of Newquay actually dates back to the 1920 as opposed to the Victorian era, however the method of making them didn’t really change until after the 2nd World War, as such Victorian and Edwardian tiles can all be cleaned using the same methods. The tiles had actually been hidden under carpet and you can still see the carpet gripper and adhesive along the perimeter of the floor in the photographs below:

Old victorian tiled floor before cleaning in Newquay

Cleaning Victorian Floor Tiles

Before starting the clean I took several readings with a damp meter to understand if there were any underlying damp issues that may have been exacerbated, most of these old floors have no damp proof course so it’s always good to understand the inherent level of dampness in the floor before starting.

Fortunately there was no evidence of major dampness so I proceeded with the cleaning by applying a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is an effective alkaline cleaner that is safe to use on these tiles and left it to dwell on the floor for ten minutes before working it in with a Rotary Machine fitted with a scrubbing pad. It was then time to break out a stiff brush to get into the grout lines where the pads can struggle to reach. The last step was to remove the soiled cleaning solution with a wet vacuum and give the floor a rinse with Acid Gel which keeps the Alkaline salts in the floor at bay and avoids any efflorescence issues that are quite common with these old floors.

Sealing the Victorian Tiled Floor

I came back the following day and damp tested several areas again to make sure the floor was dry; the results confirmed the floor had dried and ready for sealing. I sealed the floor using five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which provides the satin finish the customer wanted whilst offering excellent stain protection. You have to leave each coat to dry before applying the next so this process can take some time.