first tile job in a residence

[steve_64]

Yesterday Genny and I did our first tile and grout job in a long time customers home. I called Pembertons and asked them to send me what i needed. they sent me viper renew and viper grout and concrete sealer.

We cleaned a bathroom floor and a foyer that included a small bathroom (@15 sq ft) a laundry room and a couple entries that totalled about 280 sq ft. the other bathroom was 86 sq ft.

I used the buffer and a carbide brush because the 10 in CRB didnt seem to do much with my tile at home. But i did find out it was covered in layers of mop and glow or something.

I started out using flex w citrus since it worked so well on my tile but it didnt clean the grout very well. We ended up cleaning the grout by hand after using the buffer and used the Viper renew. Genny went back and sealed all the grout with the applicator we got from Pembertons while I cleaned some carpet in the bedroom by the bathroom.

We ended up using a mop to clean it all up and was very pleased with how the Viper renew neutralized with plain water. It cleaned up very easily. I plan on buying a gekko or similar tools to make this even easier.

Job turned out great but it took most of the day. Towards the end we were finding our rhythm and now feel more confident to push this more. I have started a marketing program that is going to emphasize this service so we needed this experience.


Thanks Mikeys Board and Pembertons for the help and support.

 

[dealtimeman]

Next time get yourself a gallon of floor stripper(viper venom) and some sodium per carbonate(brightness) mix at medium strength and test in an inconspicuous area looking for any ropicals that might be present and checking for overall effectiveness of your Chem brew. It should work well if not mix a bit hotter and retest.

I have saved thousands of dollars with good results using this brew. I even just use Cobbs powermax mixed with stripper really cuts it and for most jobs the crb will do just fine if your alkaline is up to it. Most of the time you don't need a real heavy mechanical agitation just more of a lighter agitation that allows the chemical to reach through the layers of funk and be able to do its job.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I love Viper Renew. Use it a lot, but I had been told that because its an acid you have to neutralize. Someone recently told me that you don't have to do that. I am still pissed that I wasted so much time in the past!
Glad you are getting into tile and grout Steve...lots of money to be made!

 

[steve_64]

i felt we over did it with the initial scrub with the buffer. i was hoping it would clean the grout better so i wasted a lot of time there since it didnt do much for the grout.

Thanks kellie i can see how this will help out with the bottom line.

 

[Old Coastie]

Steve, I use Viper Venom for tile n grout. Renew is a second round knockout after you have degreased and lightened the soil load, but not always needed.

Your CRB will perform well, but you may want a slightly stiffer brush for tile than you use for carpet. Dwell time is your friend, also a soft floor brush for edging and even a grout line brush.

It will click in very fast. It is also very gratifying in all the ways true cleaners love, so good luck!

 

[steve_64]

The wife wants to know how you keep from slipping all over?

I told her to keep her legs together.

 

[mirf]

Glad it worked for you. Try some different cleaners. flex and oxyblaster work well for us.

 

[Bee Busy]

The wife wants to know how you keep from slipping all over?

I told her to keep her legs together.

Clean pushing the turbo forward, that's how I've done it for years. No slipping, plus no chemicals will get on the hoses and hands

 

[jcooper]

Hey Steve,
Good for you guys!

I have saved thousands of dollars with good results using this brew. I even just use Cobbs powermax mixed with stripper really cuts it and for most jobs the crb will do just fine if your alkaline is up to it. Most of the time you don't need a real heavy mechanical agitation just more of a lighter agitation that allows the chemical to reach through the layers of funk and be able to do its job.

I also like the powermax for tile. Mix it a little strong, good to go.

Michael,
How much stripper are you adding per gallon?

 

[dealtimeman]

It really depends on the stripper and the condition of the grout.

 

[Nate The Great]

It really depends on the stripper and the condition of the grout.

So cryptic....

 

[dealtimeman]

In other words we don't mix at same ratio for every job, we mix as needed.

Start at 7 to 1 water to stripper and go stronger when needed.

 

[steve_64]

I juat splashed a little water in the middle of the floor and then a little renew and scrubbed it around adding water and renew as needed.

 

[Scott S.]

Next time get yourself a gallon of floor stripper(viper venom) and some sodium per carbonate(brightness) mix at medium strength and test in an inconspicuous area looking for any ropicals that might be present and checking for overall effectiveness of your Chem brew. It should work well if not mix a bit hotter and retest.

I have saved thousands of dollars with good results using this brew. I even just use Cobbs powermax mixed with stripper really cuts it and for most jobs the crb will do just fine if your alkaline is up to it. Most of the time you don't need a real heavy mechanical agitation just more of a lighter agitation that allows the chemical to reach through the layers of funk and be able to do its job.

I disagree on using floor stripper, as there are differant types some of which will cause a ton of foam issues in tm's, also if you let it sit in your aluminum waste tank it will eat it, or suck the foam threw you blower causing rust. Floor stripper can and will cause metals to corrode. So i suggest not using it.

for products alot of what people here have suggested works.
i'm not sure why people think that a strong acid shouldn't be neutralized.

products we use for tile.

normal- greasy tile cleaning:
Flex powder with boost all

trashed out restaurant tile:
flex powder with more citrus solve and boost all

for brightening household tile:
peroxi bright - if it doesnt work then use viper renew


vac the tile being cleaned to remove hair lint sand etc.

if tile isnt to an outside door tape a drop cloth to the transition strip between the two areas. this allows you to take off booties and put clean ones on to walk accross the carpet, and also a place to keep your tools as you wait.
customers appreciate you not getting water on their carpet, or chemicals tracked threw their house.

spray cleaner on let it dwell 5-10 min
use grout brush to scrub the grout lines
use sx-12 or sx-15 to extract (800 psi ish)
if grout lines are stained test out peroxi bright in a spot, let it dwell 5-10 min rinse, if change reclean with it, if no change use viper renew.
do not spray viper renew, mix it up and pour it in the middle of the floor and spread with something.
let it dwell, scrub the grout lines again.
dwell,
rinse,
spray your fav high ph cleaner onto the tile after the viper renew has been used, rinse again.

put air mover, dri pod, on the floor.

clean something else or chat with the customer.
upsell sealer if possible.

take before and after pics.

collect $$

 

[todg]

I have been cleaning tile and grout for over 15 years, 8000 individual jobs myself...Any Chemical on most jobs is not even needed..Heat YES!!! Agitation is possible in kitchens and walkway/traffic areas...I used acid indoor safe chemical maybe once in 15 years.

 

[dealtimeman]

Scott,

Any and all chemical CAN AND WILL EAT AND OR CORRODE any waste tank regardless of composition, so that statement is very ignorant.

If you know you used a very hot chemical then you know you need to rinse your waste tank with plenty of water.

We have both aluminum no stainless tanks and have cleaned and observed the inside of the tanks and they are just fine. In fact my older tanks, that are 16 years old are holding up great.

If your tanks are not I would contact the manufacture of your units and ask why an inferior alloy or compositions were used in the construction of your tanks.

If your using a cheap stripper you will deal with the excessive sudding and foaming of which you speak, we do t use cheap or generic floor strippers and have never had to use defoamer in our trucks while cleaning tile and grout.

You are using and running through so much water while cleaning tile me grout, that the water will cut the foam for you with out you noticing.

I have tested and used both the sx12 and turbo hybrid tile tools and the sx12 is by far inferior in many ways, so I suggest you try out a turbo hybrid 12 or 15 inch tool and enjoy using the superior tool.

We have used acid maybe 10 times out of all of the tile jobs we have ever done. So most of the time acid is not needed unless you are using a chemical that won't cut and clean well.

If you don't seal the floor especially after an acid wash, you are doing your customer a disservice, AND SHOULD EDUCATE YOURSELF AND THE CUSTOMER AS TO THE PROS OF THE SEALER AND THE CONS OF NOT APPLYING SEALER.

if you need clarification on anything please let me know.

 

[Nate The Great]

I tend to listen to the resident board Janitor or Custodian @dealtimeman when it comes to VCT and floor stripper......... Anything else, in one ear, out the other......

 

[GeneMiller]

Have to disagree that no chemical is needed just high heat. I redid a job recently that someone believed that. He lightened the haze a little but that's it. Called it clean, not even close. I cut a path right through the middle to show the customer. We were there to clean the carpets and she noticed our shirts. I wish I had know I just paid to have the tile cleaned. You need something to break through the oily surface, any carpet product will work in my experience. The grout can be a little tougher but still cleans pretty easy if you allow dwell. I will use the Whittaker to agitate because it allows you to move turbo tool much faster. Currently using flex boosted with peroxide which is what's on board. Sometimes you will need an acid but you are better off using it second.
We clean tile every day. 1/2 are jobs tomorrow are tile.

 

[Barry-QDCC]

The wife wants to know how you keep from slipping all over?

I told her to keep her legs together.

Yes on certain types of tile it's like ice skating. Slip and slide time for sure. I don't have them myself but you can get no slip shoes to wear that grip on wet tile. I worked at a restaurant once where everyone had to wear them for safety and I was amazed how well they worked - especially when compared to regular tennis shoes.

This post reminds me that I should just go on amazon and order a pair and have them on the truck. I'm heading to Amazon now.