Cleaning old teracotta foor tiles

[Kat]

We have 100's of old terracotta floor tiles from an old farmhouse
kitchen that need cleaning up. Mostly old mortar and general grime.
Has anyone ever done this? Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Kat]

On Mar 7, 5:12 pm, Emil Tiades <emiltia...@marathon.org> wrote:
> On Fri, 7 Mar 2008 09:02:49 -0800 (PST), Kat

> Karcher.
> Do it in the nude or with a diving suit, as you'll be covered in shite

Interesting thought - may be I will wait for the warmer weather!

[d...@gglz.com]

> Karcher.
> Do it in the nude or with a diving suit, as you'll be covered in shite

Yup. Correct approach. Also check out what reclamation yards are
charging for these - you might not treat them too casually!

[Kat]

Ok thanks I will give it a go and see what happens.

Re cost we bought the lot on ebay for £56 having been quoted £600+
from a yard!

[d...@gglz.com]

> Re cost we bought the lot on ebay for £56 having been quoted £600+
> from a yard!

Pretty much the same as me then - salvage yard quoted me £3/tile or
some such rubbish - go home, ebay it, £36 for 80+ tiles.

[Andy Dingley]

On Fri, 7 Mar 2008 09:02:49 -0800 (PST), Kat <catm...@btinternet.com>
wrote:

>We have 100's of old terracotta floor tiles from an old farmhouse
>kitchen that need cleaning up.

Dunk in a plastic tub of hydrochloric acid ("brick acid") which is cheap
from a builders' merchant and not too hazardous to work with. This will
shift most things that resemble "mortar".

Then it's time for the pressure washer and the nylon bristled hand wire
brush.

Jeyes fluid can be good for dealing with green algal crud.

A coat of Lithofin can improve surfaces that have become a mite rough
and porous.

[The Medway Handyman]

Emil Tiades wrote:
> On Fri, 7 Mar 2008 09:02:49 -0800 (PST), Kat
> <catm...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>

> Karcher.
> Do it in the nude or with a diving suit, as you'll be covered in shite

Possible, but it depends on the contamination. Old mortar & general grime
sugests a brick acid - Disclean or similar. Try one or two first :-)

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

[mark]

"Kat" <catm...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:8f644b86-7c0c-4879...@d62g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...

Get a couple of plastic washing up bowls and fill with the tiles. Fill with
brick acid/cleaner and leave for 24 hrs.
Take them out, give them a scrub an a rinse and they'll be as good as they
are going to be.
I have done it with pamments (9" by (2 by 2" tiles).

mark

[meow...@care2.com]

A very long soak (several days) in lukewarm bio washing powder
solution is probably the most powerful general purpose cleaner
about. So if your acid doesnt get them clean enough, that may do
the rest, if slowly.

NT

[George]

<A.C...@DENTURESsussex.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:fqtfmk$bsh$1...@south.jnrs.ja.net...
> Thus spake Kat (catm...@btinternet.com) unto the assembled multitudes:

>
> >> > Do it in the nude or with a diving suit, as you'll be covered in
shite
> >>

> > Ok thanks I will give it a go and see what happens.
>
> > Re cost we bought the lot on ebay for £56 having been quoted £600+
> > from a yard!
>

> You could make yourself a mint selling tickets on ebay if you decide to do
> the job naked. ;-)
>
> --
> Andy Clews
> University of Sussex
> *** Remove DENTURES if replying by email ***

Aye,and he could also lose his best mate if he wasn't careful with the power
washer. ;-)

[The Natural Philosopher]

Dump in brick acid and scrub.