Most Santa Cruz home owners will tell you that living on Travertine floors is much like living on white carpet.

This soft porous stone absorbs every days soils both dry and wet much like a Berber/loop  does, every thing sticks to the surface and stares at you right in the eye.

and mopping just makes it worse..

These two Labredoodles mucked up this floor after we steam cleaned it in  just a few short months.

A stone cleaners best friends..

Luckily, the home owner had us Dry Treat the floor so now we can come back and quickly and efficiently steam clean it for the same price as regular carpet cleaning.

Due to Dry Treat’s durability, our process will not remove it so the cost of resealing is avoided for many years.

here is the floor after cleaning..

This says it all...

Click here to see floor being cleaned..

This home owner wanted the grout around her pebble mosaic to go with her new granite slab fire place..

Grout is too white..

As you can see the wrong color was used and the contrast was way to strong..

So we Color corrected the grout with out removing it with a durable acrylic/concrete based color seal in Kahlua Cream..

Much more homoginous..

Our color sealing process is much safer and cheaper than removing the grout and the end result is beautiful, consistent color that is almost impossible to permanently stain.

Call Connoisseur to have your dirty or mis-colored grout situation corrected today!

Carpet, Stone, Tile, Concrete and now Wood Floors!

 Connoisseur is now excited to offer professional deep cleaning of all type of wood floors.

Whether you have Solid, Engineered, Parquet, Laminate or Veneered, from Oak to Bamboo to Cork, we can clean them all!

Watch this video to get a brief explanation of how our cleaning machine works..

We also offer an application of gloss or satin refinishes. This coating will bring back the luster of your worn wood flooring and provide protections from soil, water and foot traffic.

Our system does not involve sanding so deep stains, scratches and damaged areas will remain.

For a free quote and assessment of your flooring please call our office to set an appointment

update-

We performed a test at a popular Santa Cruz Sandwich shop today..

As you can clearly see, the long term effects of using a string mop and a bucket on a wood floor.

We’ll be cleaning the whole floor next week.

Amazing results!

The “Nick” theater here in Santa Cruz called us recently about their stained grout situation in their lobby.

Just six months old and already permanently stained. That is what happens when the grout (very porous!) does not get sealed after instillation. Staining from drink spills, mud and dirty mop water and the like will darken your grout at home as well as a heavily trafficked commercial setting like The Nick in no time at all.

Here is a grout line after we steam cleaned it two times, once with a strong alkaline de-greaser and again with an acid cleaner to etch the surface of the grout in hopes to expose clean grout underneath. As you can see the results were poor due to very deep saturation of the various soils.

Stained Grout

And here is the same grout line after we applied our “Grout Perfect” Color Seal in the same Antique White color. Our Color Seal product is a dye made of concrete and and acrylic that bonds to the grout line in seconds but should last a life time if properly cared for. Not only does the product hide old stains but makes future clean ups a breeze. Soils will not be able to penetrate the Acrylic surface no matter how long they sit on the surface.

Color Sealed Grout

 

This is a photo of the lobby before we started, notice how the dark, soiled grout lines really stand out. From a distance it does not look so bad but in person and up close it really bothered the owners and management team.

and us!

 

 

Before...

 

Now look at the effect the Perfect Grout has on the room..

 

 

Just like new!

Definitely not one of our dirtier jobs (or even close to it) but excellent results and very happy customers.

They will be thrilled with how easy it will be to maintain the floors/grout now.

If you have the time, knees, good lower back and plenty of patience, yes you can get your dirty grout clean-er..

DIY Grout Cleaning Video

or if you have a better things to do, just call Santa Cruz ‘s favorite Professional Tile, Stone and Grout cleaner to take care of your cleaning project in a fraction of the time and with much better results.

Then its time to switch over to Glycerin Bar Soap!
Regular white bar soap is the number one offender and contributor to soap scum build up in tile and natural stone shower stalls and tub enclosures. The animal fats used in manufacturing white bar soap also contributes to mold growth in the cracks and cervices in your shower.
Glycerin soap has become very popular these days.
Benefits
Glycerin soap is gentler on skin than most soaps, making it a good choice for people who have particularly dry or sensitive skin. According to Vermont Soap Organics, glycerin soap also has a lower pH than other soaps, which helps the skin retain its natural moisture. Since glycerin is hygroscopic, it may also help moisturize the skin by attracting water from the air.
Types
Glycerin soap comes in both bar and liquid formulas. Some people find commercially prepared glycerin soap that comes in a pump bottle more convenient and easier to use, while others prefer traditional bar soap or handmade decorative glycerin soap. Some products use glycerin derived from animal fat, while others only use glycerin derived from vegetable oils. Soaps made from vegetable oil glycerin have the benefit of being vegetarian or vegan, for those who object to using animal products.

Connoisseur uses a 4-step process to revitalize your floor surfaces. This process not only restores your floors to their original beauty, but with its fungicides, bactericides and mildicides built into the Grout Perfect Color Seal formulation it insures sanitation for many years.

1.A non-toxic neutral cleaning solution is applied to the grout lines and worked into the pores to loosen embedded dirt and oils.
2.The solution and soil is then washed off with our tidy high pressure, contained rinsing system.
3. After forced drying, Grout Perfect® Color Seal is applied to grout by hand with apatented brush to insure an even application.
4.The final step is to clean or buff the entire surface to remove any cleaner or Color Sealer residue from the tile. Your floor will be ready for use in just a few hours.

Soiled Commercial Bath Room Before and After..

And another...

Residential Bathroom Before..

And After...

Color Sealing will fix mix matched grout colors, fading, deep staining or if you’re just tired of that 1970′s Avocado Green and would like a nice Summer Wheat instead.

If you own any sort of hard floors that is.

Tile, Stone, Wood, Vinyl, Concrete, Laminates..

Any and all hard floor surfaces will come and stay cleaner with this fine little machine.

Click on this photo to be linked to the best prices online

Wash, vacuum and dry all non-carpeted hard surfaces with the Hoover FloorMate . Seven scrubbing brushes cover a 15-inch cleaning path, and the dual tank design allows you to have separate tanks for clean and dirty water so you don’t put dirty water on clean floors.

Hoover FloorMate SpinScrub 800

Make sure to have plenty of Neutral pH cleaning on hand for using with this machine. We recommend Lemon Clean available from Coast Paper Supply in Santa Cruz

151 Josephine St, Santa Cruz

Natural Slate, Flagstone, Travertine, some Limestones and some Marbles all have “hidden” deep color that need man or more specifically, us at Connoisseur to help bring out..

Enhancing penetrative sealers provide protection against oil and water based soils, dirt grime, mold as well as providing a wet look but with out the shine.

Here are some photos of a flagstone floor we recently cleaned and enhanced. You can really see a nice deep “enhancing” of the stone’s natural colors..

Flagstone Dining Room

before and during...

Done!

Inside or out if you have dull lifeless stone surfaces that need steam cleaning and sealing or enhancing give Santa Cruz’s finest rock cleaners a call.

We gladly provide our top notch carpet cleaning, tile stone and grout restoration and oriental rug cleaning services to all of Santa Cruz county. Including the Summit area, all of Hwy 9, down south to Aromas and Corralitos and as far north as Swanton Rd/Davenport area.

We also travel to Los Gatos, Saratoga, San Jose and have been know to make the trip to Woodside and even San Francisco if the job is large enough.
We have regular clients in Salinas, Monterey and Carmel as well.

We ask that those outside of Santa Cruz county to please be patient and wait until we have two or more jobs in their area so as not to wast fuel and time.

Please call for information on minimum charges for your particular area.

Cleaning Procedures & Recommendations

General Cleaning Clean stone surfaces with a neutral cleaner designated safe for natural stone. Use a clean mop on floors and a soft cloth for other surfaces for best results. Don’t use more than the recommended amount of any cleaning product. Too much may leave a film, causing streaks. Change rinse water frequently. Do not use products that contain lemon juice, vinegar or other acids on marble, travertine or limestone as these can etch the surface of the stone. Do not use scouring powders or creams; these products contain abrasives that may scratch the surface. If you have large areas of stone, tile (or wood) in your home consider purchasing a Hoover Floormate Spinscrub 800. It’s a great tool for maintaining hard floors. It sprays scrubs and rinses will very little effort on your part and you won’t risk spreading dirty water around like mopping can. Walmart usually has the best price

Floor Surfaces Dust mop interior floors frequently using a clean non-treated dry dust mop. Sand, dirt and grit do the most damage to natural stone surfaces due to their abrasiveness. Mats or area rugs inside and outside an entrance will help to minimize the sand, dirt and grit that can scratch a stone floor. Be sure that the underside of the mat or rug is a non-slip surface. Do not use vacuum cleaners that are worn as the metal or plastic attachments may scratch the surface. You will want a vacuum that lets you shut off the brush roll so grit &dust dost not get scattered.

Counter/Vanity Top Surfaces Clean your countertops daily with a soft cloth or paper towel and a residue free pH neutral cleaner designated safe for natural stone. We recommend Trader Joe’s Multi Purpose Cleaner, Stone Tech’s Revitalizer from most tile shops and Zep Neutral pH floor cleaner from Home Depot.

Bath and Other Wet Areas In the bath/ shower or other wet areas, soap scum can be minimized by using a squeegee after each use. Installing a water softener in your home will help tremendously as well. We recommend the use of Magic Al’s Non Acid Soap Scum Remover to clean all stone and tile shower stalls.

For hard water spots/build up glass and granite we recommend Magic Al’s Glass and Metal Magic. You’ll find a ton of uses for this great product. Magic Al products can be found in the cleaning supply section@ www.groundfloor.org

Outdoor Pool & Patio Areas In outdoor pool, patio or hot tub areas sweep often flush with clear water and use a mild bleach solution to remove algae or moss. Neutral pH detergents can be used sparingly but take care to make sure they do not enter any waterways. Hydrogen Peroxide can be sprayed on organic stains. Apply a good amount over the spot and let it dry naturally, several applications may be necessary.

Do’s and Don’ts

• Do dust mop floors frequently.
• Do clean surfaces with a neutral stone cleaner.
• Do thoroughly rinse and dry the surface after washing.
• Do blot up spills and cooking oils immediately.
• Do protect floor surfaces with non-slip mats or area rugs and counter top surfaces with coasters, trivets or placemats, particularly under those containing alcohol or citrus juices. Many common foods and drinks contain acids that will etch or dull the stone surface.
• Don’t place hot items directly on the stone surface. Use trivets or mats under hot dishes and placemats under china, ceramics, silver or other objects that can scratch the surface.
• Don’t use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone, travertine or concrete surfaces.
• Don’t use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub & tile cleaners.
• Don’t use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.
• Don’t mix bleach and ammonia; this combination creates a toxic and lethal gas.

Stain Treatment and Other Issues

If possible, immediately blot spills with a clean paper towel. If something has soaked into the stone and stained it, a poultice may need to be applied. 40 Volume peroxide (hair developer) available at a beauty supply shop can be sprayed on stone to lighten organic stains such as coffee and wine Contact us for more details.

Sealing

We seal every stone that requires it after we clean it, but a reapplication needs to be done periodically. You can purchase a product and do it yourself, or contact us to perform the service for you.

But we do rejuvenate a mean shower stall!

Deep cleaning, mold removal, re-grouting, stain removal, removal and replacement of caulk, grout or silicone and long lasting penetrative sealers.

Natural Stone, Ceramic or Porcelain, you name it, we can clean it.

Before-

After-

Before-

After-

I just can’t get over how well our Color Sealing process works.

This first picture is after a two step cleaning process using both alkaline and acidic cleaning agents. Sometimes light colored grout shows stains and other than removing the grout and replacing with new, color sealing is the only logical, effective and long lasting choice.

And this shot shows the same grout line with our “Color Seal” process applied.

And the nice things is, Color Sealed grout will not stain or absorb water or any other fluids. Under normal residential settings the seal should last ten years or more.

Seeing how it is acrylic based, you are now cleaning a plastic surface instead of concrete/grout so you can imagine just how easy and effective your future Saturday morning cleanings will be for you.

Here are some photos of a counter where the home owner attempted to use premixed grout to hide the coffee and oil stains. New grout will not stick to old grout with out the proper preparation as these photos clearly show.

We removed all the mess, steam cleaned it and then applied a Color Seal to make their conters look just about “Perfect”..

Give us a call if you’d like a free demonstration and estimate for your floor or counter tops restoration needs.

I dont blame you.

I’ve seen the same botched jobs you have. Those silly Grout pens from QVC that looks like you used White Out or tooth paste to hide the stains. Lumpy, uneven results that look horrible. I blame the poor quality products from the hardware store, lack of proper prep work and no artistic skill from the applicator.

With our extremely thorough method and superior Acrylic seals you can be sure to get many, many years of perfect looking grout and clean up so easy you wont believe it

Natural stone such as tumbled Marble or Travertine is a very popular Shower and Bathtub wall covering here in Santa Cruz County  This is somewhat surprising when you consider that it can be one of the most difficult materials to take care of in a Bathroom.  Most natural stone of these types is quite porous and will absorb soap scum and minerals from the water, leaving them discolored and unsightly.  Once the stone absorbs the discoloring substance, it is difficult or impossible to restore the stone to its original beauty.  Sealers are available for natural stone but they do not last long (approx. 6 months) and they can be extremely messy to reapply. Not something the average home owner is prepared for and let alone has the time to do that often

Although Mother Nature has made natural stone beautiful, she has also made it somewhat fragile.  Many types of marble are fairly brittle and are subject to cracking along fissure lines in the stone.  Costs for good quality natural stone tiles are usually near the high end of all the bathtub and shower wall covering materials.

Currently, some general Contractors are trying to decrease costs by importing low quality natural stone tiles from overseas.  Of course, the lower quality stones will tend to have even more problems than the better quality ones.  Although I likes the look of natural stone, I do not recommend a marble shower for a long lasting, easy care shower or bathtub.  The many tile stores in Santa Cruz all have an excellent selection of beautiful man-made tiles which look just like natural stone but do not have all of the maintenance headaches.

Perfect example..

Soft Scrub should never be used on any stone surface!

In the above picture, a “Professional” cleaning company used Soft Scrub on this home owner’s Polished Marble shower. The company’s owner was unable to fix the problem but if you look at the top left hand corner you can see where we were able to polish the residue away for good.

Now if you just have to have (or keep) your natural stone shower, please follow these helpful tips to keep them looking new and beautiful.

• Never ever use an acidic cleaning agent on any stone but Granite. if you don’t know what kind of stone it is give us a call and we’ll help you figure it out. Realize that just about every tub and tile cleaner found at Longs or Safeway will be acidic. You’ll need to visit a tile store or hardware store to find a Neutral pH cleaner. (Or read my article on Trader Joe’s General Purpose Cleaners here on my Blog) that will be safe for the stone and will not deplete the sealer.
• Squeegee or wipe down the walls and floor after every use.Now I know no one will do this but it is great advice non the less. Doing so will help eliminate the build up of hard water deposits and soap scum.
• Keep the stone and grout well sealed. Sealing keeps the soil, mold and mineral build up on the very surface of the stone so it can be easily (or not so easily) cleaned off later. Once the seal has failed, mold and stains can get too deep to ever successfully clean out 100%. We offer a unique alcohol based sealer that we have to smuggle out of Australia that is chemical, water and UV proof. It’s the ideal sealer for stone showers as you can expect to get at least 5 years of life out of it.
• Make sure the grout, silicon or caulking around the walls and floor stays intact. Once these fail and either crack, peel or crumble, water will be able to get behind the tile and mold and mildew will grow rampant.
• Have Connoisseur come out every two years to professional steam clean and polish or hone your stone shower stall.  What is it your grand mother use to say? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?
• And most of all enjoy your Natural Stone shower with a friend…
  

If you’re in the need for a new shower stall, kitchen floor or tile counter top you will not find a better tile craftsman the Aptos’ own Joshua McAuley,

Josh is not only a friend of mine but a humble, hard working, very creative professional tile setter. I’ve seen his installs and you can be sure he is not just some fly by night with a used tile saw and a tape measure. First class work all the way.

Whether it be 2000 feet of 16 inch granite tiles meandering through out your home of just fixing the broken bullnose on your 1952 lemon yellow bathroom counter, give Josh a call at 831 688 9856 or email him at mcauleytile@sbcglobal.net.

Mike

How To Avoid & Solve Them

Marble, granite, limestone and other decorative stone are durable materials that will last a lifetime.   However, if not installed correctly, or properly cared for, will experience problems that will shorten its life. The following are the top ten problems most common in dealing with stone tile.

1.   Loss of shine

The loss of the high polish on certain marble and granite can be attributed to wear. This is especially true of marble, since it is much softer than granite. The bottoms of our shoes act like sandpaper on a stone floor surface, and over time, will wear the polish off.   To prevent excessive wear, it is important to keep the floor dust mopped, and place walk-off mats at all entrances. To repair a worn, or dulled, stone surface, it will be necessary to re-hone and re-polish.

2.   Etching

The dull spot created, when liquids containing acids are spilled on marble, is called etching.   Marble and limestone etch very easily. Granite is more acid-resistance, and will rarely etch. To prevent etching, avoid using cleaners and chemicals that contain acids. Bathroom cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, and lemon cleaners commonly contain acids.   Certain drinks and foods contain acids that will also cause etching.   Light etching can be removed with a little marble polishing powder. Deep etching will require resurfacing of the stone.

3.   Staining

All stone surfaces can become very easily stained. Most foods, drinks, ink, oil and rust will stain marble. Once a stone becomes stained, it can be very difficult to remove. To prevent staining, clean the spilled material as soon as possible. Blot the spill with a clean paper towel or cloth. If this does not remove the stain, a process called “poulticing” may be needed. For more information on poulticing, please refer to our brochure, “Removing Stains from Marble, Stone & Other Porous Surfaces.” It is important to seal stone with a good quality penetrating sealer to prevent staining.

4.   Efflorescence

Efflorescence appears as a white powdery residue on the surface of the stone. It is a common condition on new stone installations, or when the stone is exposed to a large quantity of water, such as flooding. This powder is a mineral salt deposited from the setting bed.   Do not use water to remove efflorescence.   Instead, buff the stone with a clean polishing pad, or a #0000 steel wool pad. The stone will continue to effloresce until it is completely dry. This drying process can take from several days to as long as one year.

5.   Spalling, Flaking & Pitting

Spalling is the development of small pits, or small pieces of stone are popping off the surface.   This condition is common on stone exposed to large amounts of water, when deicing salts are used for ice removal. Like efflorescence, mineral salts are the cause for spalling and pitting. Instead of the salts depositing on the surface (efflorescence), they deposit below the surface of the stone.   This causes pressure within the stone; therefore, the stone spalls, flakes, or pits. Unfortunately, once a stone begins to spall, it is almost impossible to repair.   Replacement of the stone is recommended.

6.   Yellowing

There are several reasons why a stone will turn yellow: embedded dirt, and grime, can give the stone a yellow, dingy look; waxes, and other coatings, can yellow with age; certain stones will naturally yellow with age. This is caused by oxidation of iron within the stone, and is especially problematic with white marbles.   If the yellowing is caused by dirt, or build up, clean the stone with an alkaline cleaner, or wax stripper.   If the yellowing is the result of aged stone, or iron oxidation, it is not coming out.

7.   Uneven Tile-Lippage

Lippage is the term given to tiles that are set unevenly. In other words, the edge of one tile is higher than the next. Lippage is the result of a poor installation. If the lippage is higher than the thickness of a nickel (1/32″), it is considered excessive.   The tile will have to be ground to flatten the floor. This requires the services of a professional stone-refinishing contractor.

8.   Cracks

Settling, poor installation, and excessive vibration are the causes for cracks in stone tiles.   This is especially true in California. Sometimes, cracks can be repaired, by using a color-matched polyester or epoxy filler.   Before a crack is repaired, it is wise to find out how, and why, the cracked occurred in the first place. Otherwise, it may recur.

9.   White Stun Marks

Stun marks appear as white marks on the surface of the stone, and are common in certain types of marble. These stuns are the result of tiny explosions inside the crystal of the stone. Pinpoint pressures placed on the marble cause these marks. Women’s high heels, or blunt pointed instruments, are common reasons for stun marks. Stun marks can be difficult to remove. Grinding and/or honing can reduce the number of stuns, but some travel through the entire thickness of the stone; therefore, are impossible to remove.

10.   Water Rings/Spots

Water rings and spots are very common on marble tabletops. These spots are hard water minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. These minerals are left behind, when the water evaporates, leaving a ring or a spot. To remove these spots, use a marble polishing powder. Deep spots may require honing. To prevent spots on counters and tabletops, frequently apply a good stone paste wax.

Hopefully this helps, If you have any furthur questions, don’t hesitate to call.

Mike.