cleaning pamment tiles

[Murdo]

We have lovely very old pamment tiles in our kitchen and was wondering what the best way is to clean them. I had thought about using a steam cleaner and then some linseed oil on the individual tiles, avoiding the grouting. Has anybody done this? Would be grateful for advice.
Thanks

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Soapy water, elbow grease and a scrubbing brush.

We cleaned ours when they were lifted - with a pressure washer. Worked s treat with a little detergent. Harder (but not impossible?) to do when they are in situ though.

 

[Murdo]

Thanks for the reply. Elbow grease it is. However, did you use any linseed oil at all once they were clean?

 

[plasticpigeon]

Brick acid will get mortar stains off. I found a lithofin alkali based cleaner did something, seemed to brighten them up a bit, but I think a scrubbing brush and hot soapy water should be the first port of call. I have tried all sorts of other products and they were almost all a waste of time. I also tried a small area of a mix of linseed oil and white spirit. It certainly brings out the colour. If you use straight boiled oil then there is a risk it will sit on the surface and get sticky as it dries which of course means dirt sticks to them and they look terrible!!!!

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Yes - used raw linseed from Holkhams on mine. Expensive but look amazing. I wiped on with a cloth a numebr of coats, until it sat on the sruface and then just dabbed it off. It shoudl be done annually but the third year's application is about three years overdue now!

When you have finished with the linseed cloths, you must bury them underground in concrete drums or fire them into space in case they catch fire. Seriously though, they are a spontaneous fire hazard (due to rapid oxidisation I understand of the oil), so worth damping or storing outside till the job is done.

 

[tobydog]

When you have finished with the linseed cloths, you must bury them underground in concrete drums or fire them into space in case they catch fire. Seriously though, they are a spontaneous fire hazard (due to rapid oxidisation I understand of the oil), so worth damping or storing outside till the job is done.

The best bit of advice I wish I had received before I started oiling my floor last year. I was using kitchen towel to remove the excess and had the old ones piling up on a metal (thankfully!) tray on the oven. I could smell burning but assumed it was coming from outside. Little did I know I was creating a mini inferno. When smoke appeared I grabbed the very hot tray and threw it on the drive. The inner towels were scorched black. All very quick and rather scary.

 

[Moo]

Another vote for the scrubbing brush and soapy water approach, but do remember to be really assiduous about the rinsing, so that you're not just spreading the dirt over the floor.
Buckets of clean water, mopped up with absorbent cloths that are wrung out into an empty bucket. You'll know when your floor is really clean when you can wring the cloth into a clear glass and drink the contents.

 

[masochists-r-us]

Depends how dirty they are and what it is. Agree with others elbow grease,soapy water and a scrubbing brush will hopefully do the job. On quite a lot of ours we used brick acid which to be honest wasn't all that effective. For the worst ones which may have had cement or maybe some kind of tile adhesive on them we had to resort to a wire wheel attached to an electric drill as this was the only way to get them clean. Made one heck of a mess and not ideal, but it worked.
Finishing them was another matter entirely. I read so many differing opinions, I wasn't sure which way to go. In the end I found an old article by some guru in a period property magazine which proved to be spot on. She said first clean then apply successive coats of linseed oil (doesn't matter which as the only difference between boiled and raw is the drying time, boiled being faster). This takes the Pammets from brick pink to that traditional deep red colour. Next apply a sealant - we used Liberon Stone Floor Sealer in successive coats until water drops will sit on the surface of the tile. In our case it took several coats and please bear in mind that this stuff stinks to high heaven so ventilate well. Finally, for maintenance we use Liberon Stone Floor Shine which you apply with a mop. The result is deep red quarries or Pammets with a nice,soft sheen.
Please note however that this advice is for old, porous quarries,Pammets or floor bricks not the ceramic coated tiles that are often referred to as quarry tiles.
Hope this helps

 

[angrybird]

I have used the Liberon stone floor wax on my quarry tiled hall floor,I did a stupid thing by placing my carpet runner on top now I can get from one end of my very long hall to the other end in .2 of a second :shock: Won't be waxing the floor again! :lol:
*it also makes stone flags very slippy too! 'slip resistant finish'! pfft!!!!!!!

 

[LadyArowana]

I have used the Liberon stone floor wax on my quarry tiled hall floor,I did a stupid thing by placing my carpet runner on top now I can get from one end of my very long hall to the other end in .2 of a second :shock: Won't be waxing the floor again! :lol:
*it also makes stone flags very slippy too! 'slip resistant finish'! pfft!!!!!!!

Have you tried the rubberized mesh stuff that you cut to size and put underneath? I used some of that in our hallway and it seems to help. Take care

 

[angrybird]

yes I've got the anti slip stuff! Not quite as bad but I still look like Bambi on ice when I walk on it :lol:

 

[Zebra]

look like Bambi on ice when I walk on it

:lol:

 

[Murdo]

Wow, thanks everyone. I will try to remember to do some before and after photos.

Thanks one and all