Cleaning unglazed floor tiles.

[rogerowen]

I have just cleaned some white paint splashes on Victorian red and black floor tiles with paint stripper and fine wire wool, but where I've cleaned shows up where the wire wool was used. I'm thinking of scrubbing the whole area with grime remover and then polishing with Cardinal Red liquid tile polish (I have a very old unopened tin) - I wonder if this is not a good idea for the black tiles. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks.

 

[Toby Newell]

Please also see my profile and my recent detailed answer.

Lithofin terracotta traditional is your best bet, impregnating oil then wax.

You have partially and erratically removed some remaining glaze compounds.

Any sealant / wax will deepen the colour but you still might have patches.

For the best look go over the floor with hot soapy water and 7486 scotchbrite pads (you may need a few) scrub thoroughly, in one direction until all glaze is removed. (Scotchbrite 7486 is a non woven nylon with alumina abrasive particles, like a soft sandpaper)

This should even up the surface.

Wash several times, let dry for 2 to 4 days, then apply impregnator and sealer.

You could use your lovely old bottle, its simply a liquid red pigmented wax, probably not very high quality or durable but will deepen the colour. It will deepen the red and black but shouldn't really turn the black red.

By the age of it, it might have gone thick.

 

[rogerowen]

Thank you so much, this is perfect information. Restoration work commences tomorrow!