Stripping Wax off Terracotta Kitchen Tiles with Tile Doctor Remove and Go in Frome Somerset

Photographed below is a Terracotta tiled kitchen floor at a property in Frome that was installed six months prior and was already proving problematic. I was asked to pop over and discuss the floor as they had been struggling to keep the tiles clean. Apparently after installation the builders offered to seal the floor, however they did not use enough sealer, so marks and stains soon started to appear. To resolve this several layers of wax were then added but this only caused more issues.

Although traditionally used as a coating for Terracotta we are not keen on wax finishes as the wax is easily scratched leaving a nice crevice for dirt to become ingrained, wax is also difficult to remove. After surveying the floor, I recommended stripping off the wax and what was left of the previous sealer, deep cleaning the Terracotta and grout and then sealing with a modern product designed for use on Terracotta which is notoriously porous.

Happy with my plan I worked out a detailed quotation for the work which was accepted and a date set for the work to start which would take two days.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen

After taping up the kitchen units to protect them from splashing, work started with the application of neat Tile Doctor Remove and Go; this was allowed to dwell and soak into the floor and soften up the layers of wax. After 10 minutes the floor was scrubbed using a 240-Grit Carbide Brush attached to a rotary machine, the grout was also scrubbed at this point and on completion the floor was vacuumed.

The next step as to treat the Terracotta to an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up worked in with a poly brush. This treatment further cleans the terracotta and neutralises efflorescent salts which can be a problem with porous clay tiles like these. Again, once done the waste was extracted using a wet vacuum.

Removing some areas of wax build-up was a struggle and the cleaning process had to be repeated two to three times before we were happy the floor was clean and free of coatings. The floor was then given a final water rinse and left to dry with a couple of air movers left in place to aid drying of the floor.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen

We returned 3 days later to give the floor plenty of time to dry, several moisture readings were also taken on arrival to confirm the Terracotta was dry and ready to seal. Having previously discussed sealers it was clear the client wanted the floor to have a bit of shine and so I recommended Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. Terracotta is very porous, so it took six coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra before it was fully sealed.

You can see from the photographs how much lighter and cleaner the floor looked after the work was complete making a significant difference to the kitchen. For aftercare we left a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective product we recommend for cleaning sealed floors.

My client was very happy with the improvement and left the following feedback:“Lucas was fantastic. Explained everything in detail, was patient with all the questions and has done an amazing job with the floor. Highly recommended.”

Source: Professional Terracotta Tile Renovation Service near Frome Somerset