The Greater Manchester area is covered by A+ Cleaning Services run by Kamila Logozny and Wojciech Szukala. They are your local specialist for the cleaning and restoration of all types of Tile, Stone and Grout.
Black 120 grit diamond burnishing block ideal for use in restricted spaces. Use only Water.
Slate is a very popular floor and wall tile due to its low porosity; there are many varieties and textures of Slate available as such Tile Doctor has spent many years researching the best cleaning and sealing methods and products. The semi riven tile is particularly easier to maintain compared to the rough textured slate commonly available due to its cheaper quarrying cost.
These days Slate comes from all over the world including Africa, Brazil and China to name but a few countries; interestingly one of the most expensive Slates comes from the Burlington quarries in Cumbria due to its quality and texture which is actually sold in large quantities to China (akin to shipping coals to Newcastle).
Picture shows how cleaning and sealing has brought out the colour and beauty of this rough Slate floor.
To remove any excess sealer before cleaning use Tile Doctor Remove & Go Sealer remover which can be applied using a deck/scrubbing brush; you may find using a buffing machine on a heavily riven Slate ineffective due to the heavy texture as the machine will miss where it dips, so hand held cleaning may be the only option open to a non professional tile cleaner. Tile Doctor has agents throughout the UK who can offer to mill your Slate and take up to 80% of the roughness away leaving it akin to a smoother flatter finish with some texture which will be much easier to maintain.
Use Tile Doctor Pro-Clean Tile & Grout cleaner to effectively clean tiles, highly effective against Wax Sealers, Grease, Grime and general dirt build up. Remove any solution using a wet vacuum.
Remove any cleaning solution using a wet vacuum (any cleaning solution left on the surface may impact the performance of the sealer) then neutralise floor with clean water prior to sealing, remove with a wet vacuum and allow to dry for 12 hours or more.
To remove any excess sealer before cleaning use Tile Doctor Remove & Go Sealer remover using a buffer machine fitted with a black buffing pad.
Remove any cleaning solution using a wet vacuum machine (any cleaning solution left on the surface may impact the performance of the sealer) then neutralise floor with clean water prior to sealing, remove with a wet vacuum and allow to dry for 12 hours or more.
For heavy duty cleaning slate on vertical surfaces it is best to use Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel as this can be brushed on lightly and its gel formula will allow it to stick and dwell on the surface. Leave on the surface for ten minutes or more to strip off acrylic and waxed based sealers as well as dirt and grime.
If an impregnating sealer has been applied we recommend Tile Doctor Remove and Go which can be sprayed onto the tile. Scrub then rinse with water several times to remove the cleaning solution and leave to dry before sealing. Please ensure that all product is rinsed away from the bath or shower tray, do not leave to dwell on these surfaces.
Where black Slate has been installed this can be damaged when the sealer breaks down through the usage of shampoos, soaps and body washes as this then releases the oil in the stone. This is often referred to as Black Oil Slate Efflorescence (BOSE) in the trade and this problem is untreatable on rough slate, as such Tile Doctor does not recommend the usage of black rough Slate in shower cubicles and wet room areas unless the sealer is kept up to a high standard. Semi riven smooth slate can be cut out using Burnishing Pads, a process that can be carried out by your local Tile Doctor.
Spraying Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro on the Slate after showering will eliminate acid build-up from the use of soaps, shampoos and body-washes, this will not damage any sealer or grout colourant that has been applied.
Polished Slate needs to be maintained using Diamond Segment Burnishing Pads which are very expensive and require machinery and knowledge, please contact your local Tile Doctor should you require this service.
Black Slate rough of riven as with all black stones is this colour due to a heavy amount of Oil present in the stone. If heavy cleaning solutions have been applied in the past this can wash out the oil content leaving it an unappealing dark grey. To restore the colour we recommend applying one coat of Tile Doctor Stone Oil after regular cleaning (Slate needs to be fully dry first) but before being sealed, please allow 24 hours before applying atopical sealer such as Seal and Go or Ultra-Seal.
Please note Stone Oil cannot be used in a wet room or shower cubicle, the only sealer we recommend for this situation is Tile Doctor Colour Grow.
PLEASE NOTE: Sealers break down after 2-3 years (depending on usage) and will need to be re-applied.
Black Buffing pad 17" (44cm), for heavy duty wet scrubbing, use with with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to remove wax layers and most synthetic sealers, also use on heavily built up grime and dirt.
A spray-and-buff cleaner that is designed to enhance the natural beauty and lustre of polished stone as it cleans. Regular use helps protect factory polish.
Easy to apply Wax Remover with a fast and effective formula that is designed for the safe removal of wax and polish from tile and stone including Marble, Slate, Quarry, Terracotta and Travertine.