FLOORS

Carpet:  Vacuuming high traffic areas daily will not only keep them clean but will help to maintain the upright position of the nap. Spills should be wiped up and stains spot cleaned immediately. Always dab at the stain, never rub it. Stain removers should be tested first on an out of the way area of the carpet, such as in a closet, to check for an undesirable effects. Professional cleaning should be performed regularly, usually annually.

 Laminates:  Wipe the laminate with a dampened cloth or sponge, using a mild soap or detergent. General purpose household cleaners, such as Pinesol liquid cleaner, are also effective. Abrasive cleaners or powders should not be used, they can damage the laminate and make it susceptible to staining.

 Resilient Flooring: Although resilient floors are designed for minimum care, they do vary in maintenance needs. All resilient floors require some regular application of a good floor finish. This assures you of retaining a high gloss. However, no cleaning or finishing agents should be used on the new floor until the adhesive has set thoroughly. This takes about two weeks.

 Hardwood Floors:  Wood floors will respond noticeably to changes in humidity level in the home especially in winter. A humidifier will help but will not completely eliminate this reaction. 

New Wood Floors:  Wood floors will exhibit the following traits: When new, small splinters of wood will appear; dimples or scratched can be caused by moving furniture, dropping heavy or sharp objects, etc. Some shrinkage or warping can be expected, especially around heat vents or any heat producing appliances. Warping will occur if the floor becomes wet repeatedly or is thoroughly soaked even one time. A dulling of the finish in heavy traffic areas is likely; a white, filmy appearance is caused by moisture (0ften from wet shoes or boots).

 In daily care of hardwood floor, preventative maintenance is the primary goal.

 Spills:   Food spills should be cleaned up in a timely manner using a very dry cloth. Use vinegar and warm water solution for tough food spills.

 Shoes:  Keep high heels in good repair. Heels which have lost their protective cap (thus exposing the fastening nail) will exert over 8,000 pounds of pressure per square inch on the floor. That's high enough to damage hardened concrete; it will mark your wood floor. 

Mats:  Use protective mats at the exterior doors to help prevent sand and grit from getting on the floor. Gritty sand is wood flooring's worst enemy.

 Yellowing & Warping:  Be aware that yellowing and warping of the surface can result from rubber backing on area rugs or mats.

 Furniture Legs:  Install proper floor protectors on furniture that sits on the hardwood floors. Protectors will allow chairs to move easily over the floor without scuffing. Clean the protectors on a regular basis to remove any grit that may accumulate. 

Cleaning:  Sweep on a daily basis or as needed. Never use a wet a mop on a hardwood floor . Excessive water causes wood to expand, possibly damaging the floor. When the floor becomes soiled, damp-mop with a mixture of one cup vinegar to one gallon of warm water. When damp-mopping, be sure to remove all excess water from the mop. This is for polyurethane finishes only. Check with a hardwood company if your floor has a water based finished.

 Wax: Waxing or the use of products like Murphy's Oil Soap are not necessary or recommended. Once you wax a polyurethane finish floor, it is very difficult to recoat the floor as the new finish will not bond to the wax. Also, once wax is used, then you must maintain the wax and the floor. Preventative cleaning and annual screen should be performed to maintain the desired level of luster.

 Recoat:  If a polyurethane finish was applied to your hardwood floors, we recommend that in a period of six months to one year, you have an extra coat of polyurethane applied to your still beautiful, like new, hardwood floor. This should be done by a qualified contractor. The exact timing will depend on your particular lifestyle. If another finish was used (Glitza, for example), please refer to the manufacturer's recommendations.

 Recoating can be done yourself using the same polyurethane finish as originally applied. The entire floor must be lightly abraded using a 150 grit mesh screen being careful not to damage the stained surface. The abrading will remove any foreign substance that could prevent the new finish from properly bonding.

 Carefully clean (tack) the floor (do not use solvent tacking agents) and recoat according to the finish manufacturer's instructions. If the finish has been waxed, the recoating can only be done if all existing finish and wax are removed.

 Ceramic Tile:  This is one of the easiest of floor coverings to care for. Simply vacuum when needed.

 Cleaning:  Occasionally a wet mopping with warm water may be appropriate. Do not add detergent to the water. If you feel a cleaning agent is required, use a mild solution of warm water and dishwasher crystals (they will not result in a heavy, difficult to remove lather on the grout). Rinse thoroughly.

 Separations:  It is natural for slight separations to occur in the grout between the tiles. This grout is for decorative purposes only; it does not hold the tile in place. Cracks in the grout can be filled using premixed grout which can be purchased from flooring or hardware stores. Follow package directions.

 Grout Discoloration:  Grout that becomes yellowed or stained can be cleaned with a fiber brush, cleanser and water. Grout cleansers and whiteners are available at most hardware stores.

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