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Product Care & Maintenance:
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Carpet
• Vacuum frequently for long-term beauty
The most important step in caring for your carpet is vacuuming it thoroughly and frequently, particularly in high-traffic areas. Walking on soiled carpet allows the soil particles to work their way below the surface of the pile where they are far more difficult to remove and can damage the carpet fibers. Frequent vacuuming removes these particles from the surface before problems occur. For rooms with light traffic, vacuum the carpet traffic lanes twice weekly and the entire area once weekly. In areas with heavy traffic, vacuum the carpet traffic lanes daily and the entire area twice weekly. Up to three passes of the machine will suffice for light soiling, but five to seven passes are necessary for heavily soiled areas. Change the vacuuming direction occasionally to help stand the pile upright and reduce matting.
• Protect your carpet color
In addition to frequent vacuuming, its important to clean your carpet on a regular basis. Cleaning systems will remove the oily, sticky soil that vacuums can't take out, and will help keep your carpet looking great over time. Cleaning systems target the soils that result from cooking vapors, air pollution, and tracked-in dirt. The particles of oily soil deposited on carpet fibers can cause gradual but significant dulling of colors. The color isn't lost, but is hidden under the film. If this type of soil is allowed to accumulate, it begins to attract and hold the dry soil.
• Get on a cleaning schedule
If carpet is cleaned before it becomes too unsightly, the cleaning chore will be easier and more successful. Carpet in a typical household should be cleaned every 12 to 18 months, depending on the number of residents and amount of activity. Choosing the proper cleaning system is important. Some systems may leave residues which accelerate re-soiling and defeats the whole purpose of cleaning.
• No carpet is absolutely stain proof
Some carpets have stain resistant treatments that improve your ability to clean stains, but not prevent them. Similarly, carpets with soil resistant treatments reduce the rate of soiling, but all carpets require regular care and maintenance.
• Stains and soil
The majority of stain complaints are actually soil related. For example, many sugar-based spills, such as soft drinks and coffee, leave a sugar residue after removal. This sticky residue readily attracts soil from ordinary shoe traffic, and the resulting discolored area appears to be a stain. The same thing happens when spills are cleaned with a detergent solution and the area is not sufficiently rinsed with plain water, leaving a sticky detergent residue. It is important to rinse thoroughly with water and blot dry after removing any spill. You will want to reference your Manufacturer Warranty for specific care requirements.
• Don't track dirt inside
Placing walk-off mats outside all entrances will help by absorb soil and moisture and trap excessive dirt, sand, grit, oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that might otherwise be tracked into the home. Clean mats on a regular basis (or sooner, when they need it) so they don't become sources of soil themselves.
Tile:
• Damp mop weekly
Wipe down your tile floor with a damp mop at least once a week (or more often for heavy traffic areas) with a recommended flooring cleaner, or a mixture of 1 cup of white vinegar to 2 gallons of clean tap water can be used. Never use a detergent or soap, because it can dull the surface or promote the growth of mildew.
Caution: Wait at least 72 hours after installation (to allow new tile and grout to dry) before damp mopping.
• Use protective mats
Good quality entry and exit mats will help protect your tile from premature wear. They trap the dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that would otherwise be tracked onto your floor. Mats are also suggested at heavy pivot locations, such as in front of your kitchen sink or stove.
• Add protective pads to furniture
Protect your tile by affixing felt or similar pads to the legs of any metal, iron, wood, or plastic furniture that will be placed on it. Use caution with outside metal furniture, which rests on tile floors or patios as they may rust and cause staining.
Natural stone cleaning tips
Sand, dirt and grit do the most damage to natural stone surfaces due to their abrasiveness. Floors should be dust mopped frequently using a clean, non-treated dry dust mop or broom. A vacuum cleaner can be very helpful, especially on textured floors, but it needs to be in good condition and have no beater bar, so as to avoid scratching your beautiful floor.
• Use protective mats
Be preventative. Use door mats or area rugs on either side of exterior entrances will help collect loose dirt before it reaches your stone floor. Make sure that the underside of the mat or rug has a non-slip surface.
• Damp mop
Damp mopping your natural stone floor will help keep it looking beautiful for life. Your retailer or manufacturer can suggest specialty products designed for use on your stone floors. Always blot spills immediately. A neutral pH detergent or pure soap, such as Liquid Ivory, and warm water, can be used for spills or periodic complete cleaning. Be sure to rinse the floor thoroughly and dry the surface with a soft, clean cloth. Too much cleaner or soap may leave a film and cause streaks. Change your rinse water frequently. Do not use products that contain lemon juice, vinegar or other acids on marble, limestone or travertine. You should avoid using products that contain abrasive cleaners, cleansers (dry or soft) or any ammonia-based cleaners on any stone. These products will dull its luster.
Also, do not use retail grout cleaners, scouring powders or bathroom tub and tile cleaners on your stone. To remove algae or moss from your stone in outdoor pool, patio or hot tub areas, flush with clear water and use a mild bleach solution.
• And a few final tips
You should know that once your natural stone is installed it is your responsibility to properly maintain caulking in heavy water-use areas to prevent damage.
Additionally, it’s best to take care when moving heavy objects across your stone floor to avoid scratching or chipping. Get a small army to help you move that dining room table.
Cover furniture and table legs with protectors to guard your floor against damage. Remember that each stone has its own level of porosity which makes some stone floors more susceptible to staining than others. So, based upon your lifestyle and the type of stone you choose, sealing your stone may be an option to consider. We recommend that the sealing be performed by a reliable professional.
Hardwood flooring
Today’s hardwood floors provide superior wear; easy, no-wax care; plus superior resistance to staining from all common household products such as coffee, shoe polish, lipstick, acetone, mustard, and more. A few simple maintenance steps will help protect your investment and keep it looking like new for years to come.
• Blot spills
Use a damp cloth to blot spills and spots as soon as they happen. For tough spots, such as oil, paint, markers, lipstick, ink, tar, or cigarette marks, use acetone/nail polish remover on a clean white cloth, then wipe with a damp cloth. Always avoid allowing liquids to stand on your floor.
• Sweep, dust, or vacuum the floor regularly with the hard floor attachment (not the beater bar) to prevent accumulation of dirt or grit that can scratch or dull the floor finish.
• Occasionally wipe the floor with a damp mop or cloth.
• Don’t use oil based, wax, polish, or strong ammonia's or abrasive cleaners.
• Don’t use steel wool or scouring powder.
• Don’t wash or wet-mop the floor with soap, water, oil-soap detergent, or any other liquid cleaning material. This could cause swelling, warping, delamination, and joint-line separation, and void the warranty.
• Don’t use any type of buffing machine.
• For spots such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden the spot with ice and then gently scrape with a plastic scraper, such as a credit card. Be careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
• Use protective mats
Good quality entry and exit mats will help collect the dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that can otherwise be tracked onto your flooring. Do not use rubber- or foam-backed plastic mats as they may discolor the flooring. To prevent slippage, use an approved vinyl rug underlayment. Use floor protectors and wide-load-bearing leg bases/rollers to minimize indentations and scratches from heavy objects. As a rule, the heavier the object, the wider the floor protector should be.
• Maintain relative humidity level
Maintain a normal indoor relative humidity level between 30% and 65% throughout the year to minimize the natural expansion and contraction of wood.
• Heating Season (Dry): A humidifier is recommended to prevent excess shrinkage due to low humidity levels. Wood stove and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions.
• Non Heating Season (Wet): An air conditioner, dehumidifier or periodically turning on your heating system can maintain humidity during the summer months. Avoid excessive exposure to water during periods of inclement weather.
• Avoid sharp objects
While your new hardwoods floor is one of the most wear resistant floors on the market, sharp or pointed objects can damage it nonetheless.
• Watch your feet
Don't walk on your flooring with stiletto-style heels, spiked golf shoes, or cleats. They may cause indentations in your flooring.
• Watch your pet's feet
Keep your pet's nails trimmed to keep them from scratching your flooring.
• Protect the floor when moving
Use a dolly when moving heavy furniture or appliances. But first, put down a sheet of quarter-inch plywood or Masonite to protect the floor. Never try to slide or roll heavy objects across the floor.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is certainly one of the toughest and hardest wearing floor coverings around, and that's in addition to it being one of the easiest to care for. However, to get the most life out of your laminate floor, it will pay to regularly carry out some routine cleaning such as dry mopping, vacuuming and sweeping.
Wet mopping should be avoided, as should the use of soap and abrasive cleaners. Instead, cleaning agents that have been specially formulated for laminate floors should be used. Typically, they are of the 'spray-on' variety and use of them will entail spraying the cleaning solution on to a suitable soft cloth or dry mop which is then used to wipe the laminate surface clean. Both, the manufacturers own brands as well as generic types are available from flooring stores and supermarkets. Usually there will be no harm in using a quality generic brand for cleaning your floor but be sure to first check that your warranty will not be invalidated by doing so.
A tough coating is applied to all laminate floors and it is this that provides long lasting protection against scratching and gouging. However this doesn't mean that it will be impossible to damage your floors surface! Steps should be taken to eliminate the possibility of damage causing objects coming in to contact with your floor in the first place. Dirt brought in on the underneath of footwear is one of the biggest causes of scratches and an effective way of keeping it at bay is to place wipe mats at your entrances, or even enforce a 'no shoes' rule if its in a household.
Through daily use, most furniture items, like seating and tables, are subjected to small movements that can cause damage to a laminate floors surface at the point of contact. In the worst of cases the protective coating can wear through to the underlying image and may be cause for an expensive, and often inconvenient, repair or replacement. The best and easiest way to protect your laminate floor from this problem is to use felt protector pads under the feet of furniture items. Fabric backed caster cups placed under items with casters will also help in this regard.
Furniture items should never be dragged across laminate flooring for this may cause deep gouging, which again is likely to be cause for premature repair or replacement. Always be sure to lift heavy items when repositioning them. If a piece of furniture is just to big and heavy to lift and the only option is to slide it it across the floor then try placing some rolled up or folded blankets beneath it first.
If you expect your floor to be subjected to heavier than normal use you may want to use an area rug on the area that gets the most foot traffic. Doing so will slow down the rate of wear and help to avoid 'lanes' appearing on your floor, but be sure to choose a rug that is suitable for use with laminate flooring as there are some types that may cause discoloration. A rug will also serve you well when used on the sections of your floor that are more likely to come into contact with water, for example by a bathtub or sink.
Be sure to clean up liquid spills as soon as they occur otherwise they may seep into joints causing them to become weakened or damaged. Delamination can also occur in severe cases.
Minor damage, such as small gouge marks or scratches, can be repaired by using touch up kits that consist of silicon filler and colored wax sticks, that are much like crayons.
More serious damage may necessitate the need to replace several planks or tiles. The difficulty of doing so may differ from one brand to the next. If you find yourself in need to carry out such a repair you would be well advised to seek professional advice beforehand.
If you live in a region that encounters extremes of low and high humidity throughout the year, it may benefit you to install a humidifier to maintain the humidity at a constant level. This will help prevent excessive expansion and contraction of the floor which, at its worst, may cause buckling or unattractive gaps between the planks or tiles.
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