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Tile Cleaning!!!!!!

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Atlantis View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Atlantis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Tile Cleaning!!!!!!
    Posted: 19/March/2008 at 11:08pm
Hey guys. I've been doing a lot of tile cleaning. AWESOME! Between 75 cents and 1.25 a square foot. Very profitable! I was just wondering how you guys go about cleaning tile so I can compare and maybe improve. Here is what I do.

First I spray down the tile with Viper Venom or VV Renew. I wait about 10 minutes during which I scrub the tiles with a hard brush on a broomstick. Then I use my tile tool and set the truck mount to about 1000 PSI (more or less depending on how easy the tile is cleaning). While I'm doing that my helper is still scrubbing the more stubborn grout lines.

Usually I get GREAT results. However in some cases it takes WORK! On some tile it's as though the customer has sealed the tile over the dirt and it's impossible to clean!

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can improve? Maybe use a different product over than the Venom to be more productive with less effort?

Thanks!
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danmarck82 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote danmarck82 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19/March/2008 at 11:46pm
looking forward to some great responses as I am learning also!
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cmaster View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cmaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20/March/2008 at 12:05am
You could try a 175 with a brush on it for some extra mechanical action. If it has acrylic sealer on it, you will need to use floor stripper to remove it firstBig%20smile

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Michael View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Michael Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20/March/2008 at 2:42pm
Ditto on the floor machine suggestion--it works well for me. Also, Venom is supposed to be better for getting grease/oil than Renew. You may need to do one process with Venom and then do a second with Renew for dirty kitchens, etc. Currently, I only use StoneTech products for tile & grout, but I'll be switching to StonePro.
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MR. STEAMER View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MR. STEAMER Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21/March/2008 at 11:36am
For best results you need to use ACID!  like folic acid or malic acid.  We are talking about ceramic tile.  Please for heavens sake don't use acid or marble or granite.  I use the cimex with the white pads with a little weight on the unit, to help scrub out the grout lines...
 
your thinking pads no way.... yes way because the pads don't splash as much as the brushes.  it saves a lot of mess and less wall preping.
 
then I rush in with my turbo tile...with the psi at around 1000... give it a good rinse.
 
then I give a quick mop to dry up the excess water if any...and collect my money!
I call that a quick clean $1.50 per sq ft.
 
 
 
sealing is a pain so charge for it....  I clear seal starting at 3.25  and colour seal at 4.50.  I try to stay away from sealing but if I do seal It's always worth the money. 
 
the customer may shutter at the price at first... but when they think about getting down on their hands and knees to clean 300 to 600 sq ft of tile, they always pay.   Some will even try but eventually will call you or just live with the dirt.
 
I always do a sample spot right in the middle of the foyer or kitchen... the clean area becomes an eyesore and they can't wait to get it done.
 
cmaster had made a great point in his post... if the tile had already been sealed you have to use a stripper to remove that. it's not as easy as it sounds...LOL it's a real pain.
 
good luck
 
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FriendlyHammer View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FriendlyHammer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22/March/2008 at 2:46am
Mild acid is great. Of course, you need to use a degreaser on resturant floors first. I use a 1200 psi porty. Works great.
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Atlantis View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Atlantis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24/March/2008 at 10:17am
I use to carry my floor machine around with me and used a carpet brush on the tile but I wasn't getting any decent results. I never thought about stripping the floor though. Nice suggestion!

I've been charging WAY to little for sealing. I have a job on Friday where I charged $250 to color change a shower grout (I probably could have gotten more now that I hear $4+ a square ft). But we are also doing some stretching in 5 rooms for $750 and I already did her carpet cleaning at $30-$35 a room. So.. I guess it all evens out.

Great advice though! I'm going to charge a lot more for the color change now.

Let me ask you.. when you strip, do you have to use a buffer or is there a way to do it without adding an extra 125 pounds to the truck?


Edited by Atlantis - 24/March/2008 at 10:18am
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FuzzSucker View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FuzzSucker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24/March/2008 at 9:17pm
you could use a tire brush. Idea

Edited by FuzzSucker - 06/January/2009 at 11:41pm
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MR. STEAMER View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MR. STEAMER Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25/March/2008 at 8:45am
Stripping the floor only helps if it has been sealed before.
 
Atlantis have you tried a weight on your floor machine? 
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DeepScrub View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DeepScrub Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11/April/2008 at 11:42pm
can you use the rotovac for floor and tile?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kingjoelking Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17/April/2008 at 1:30am

If it is the RV 360. It has a Tile and grout head. I use it on most of my tile and grout jobs with awesome results.

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CCandmore View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CCandmore Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17/April/2008 at 7:19am
Originally posted by kingjoelking kingjoelking wrote:

If it is the RV 360. It has a Tile and grout head. I use it on most of my tile and grout jobs with awesome results.

Have you tried that 360 on any really dirty grout ?
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