Total Makeover: How a Tile Cleaning Refreshed a Professional Office Building in New Britain, CT

July 25, 2017

Sir Grout Hartford's hard surface restorers recently visited this 90,000-square foot professional office building in downtown New Britain, CT to perform a tile cleaning service for the property's flooring. The owners sought our help because they disliked the dull appearance that the floors had. After so many years of foot-traffic, the surfaces deteriorated to the point where they appeared dirty no matter what cleaning methods the owners tried.


The property managers had been hiring occasional floor stripping and waxing services as a maintenance plan for the tiled surfaces of the building, but the services weren't cutting it; the floors looked dirty and worn out all the time regardless of the stripping, not to mention it was also expensive. This was an image the owners didn't want to project about their building. Noticing that the dirty grout and the stains didn't go away, the owners decided to search out a tile cleaning company in New Britain who offered specialized commercial services for large office buildings. They wanted a solution to make the floors more resistant to daily wear and tear, and to simplify cleaning and maintenance.

Our website appeared among the first search results when the owners looked online for commercial floor cleaning services in town. Navigating through the site, they read about our commercial services—Sir Grout Hartford's hard restoration processes can transform tiles in virtually any commercial environment including restaurants, hotels, or large office buildings, using innovative tools and products to keep floors clean, healthy, safe, and easy to maintain. After reading about these and other benefits of our services, they concluded we were the ones to hire to restore their property, so they filled out the Request a Quote form on the website to set up a date for a consultation and free quote.

Sir Grout Hartford owner, Rod Carnes, and his team visited the large building on the scheduled day to assess the floors and propose a possible solution to our clients. The owners wanted Sir Grout's team to primarily inspect the lobby's floor. The tiles in that area were gray and had a natural cleft finish—an elegant and sober choice for a property where several medical offices and law firms work. However, after a professional examination, Carnes and his team noticed that the grout lines had darkened and looked discolored due to large amounts of embedded dirt and grime. Besides, several stains covered the tiles, probably caused by spills that were not cleaned properly.


The problem with commercial floors is their maintenance. They receive a lot of foot-traffic so they are prone to deteriorate faster than normal. As a consequence, they need much more cleaning and care than hard surfaces in regular residential properties. Furthermore, they need periodic sealing—when tiled floors are not sealed, all kinds of dirty liquids or spills will be absorbed by the grout, making them look dark and unappealing. Also, cleaning becomes a tremendous task as the dirt gets stuck and it is almost impossible to remove with regular methods.

Carnes recommended a deep cleaning to remove the grime and the dark spots in the grout, plus the application of Sir Grout's Tile Armor—a water-based sealer that would add a nice sheen to the surfaces and, as the clients desired, would also make floor maintenance easier. One of the concerns of these clients had to do with curing; they asked us how long they should restrict foot traffic since they couldn't close the building for a long period of time, but we assured them that people could walk on it just two hours after the application of the sealer. Once all questions were answered, the property owners enthusiastically accepted our proposal and agreed on a day that same week for the restoration job to be done.

We began the project with a deep cleaning procedure to remove the stains, chemicals, and clean the grout. In order to do that, we applied Sir Grout's tile and grout cleaner and let it sit for a while to emulsify the dirt. Then, we used a high-speed, yet gentle scrubber to carefully and cautiously clean the tiles and remove the coats of wax that were previously applied. Once we ensured the surface was clean, dry, and free of coatings, we applied multiple layers of our sealer and distributed it all over the surface. Finally, we buffed the floor to achieve an even luster.


As we promised the clients, the floor was ready for foot traffic just two hours after the final application of Tile Armor. The property managers were impressed by the neatness of the entire surface when they looked at the results of the service—no more stains covered the area and the grout lines regained a cleaner and whiter shade. In other words, the tile cleaning service was a success! Tile Armor added a nice shine and we assured the owners that it wouldn't need more stripping like traditional floor coatings—a great look for lower maintenance costs. As a maintenance tip, Sir Grout Hartford's team suggested the use of a pH-neutral cleaner for regular maintenance; this type won't break down grout as an acidic cleaner would.

We heard from the property managers a few weeks later when they called to thank us for our services and said that everyone in the building was amazed by the floor's makeover. They decided to add Sir Grout Hartford's services to their building maintenance plan.

If you're a property owner and you think your tiled surfaces could use a touch-up, Sir Grout Hartford is at your service! We can make the hard surfaces of an office building or any other commercial property stand out with our grout and tile cleaning and sealing services. We also provide cleaning, honing, and polishing for natural stone surfaces like marble floors or granite countertops. Call us at (860) 781-6480 or fill out the "Request a Quote" form on this page to schedule a free consultation today. To learn more about our services and keep up to date with our promotions, subscribe to our newsletter.

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