FLOOR CARE MAINTENANCE GUIDE

Caring for your floors is an essential part of keeping your home looking and feeling like new. The following is a breakdown of the different floor covering products you may have in your home and how to care for each of them. Manufacturer warranty books are available upon request.

Carpet

(For more information please see your Shaw or Mohawk Care Guide)

1. Use entrance mats to trap soil before it can be tracked into your home. Soil is the greatest threat to your carpet’s appearance.

2. Vacuum regularly-twice a week. You cannot vacuum too often. Use a vacuum with a beater-bar, which will raise the pile when it removes the soil. And adjust your vacuum to the highest level.

3. Blot up spills immediately with a clean white cloth, not a paper product. Immediate attention to spills and spots will make removal easier. Always blot the area being cleaned; never rub, scrub or brush.

4. Clean periodically. Have your carpets professionally steam cleaned (hot water extraction) every 12-18  months. Try to stay off the carpet until it is completely dry.

Laminate

For routine cleaning, vacuum, use a dust mop or wipe with a damp cloth. Woodwise is recommended for cleaning of laminate products. Using felt pads under your table and chairs are also recommended with this product.

Do not use soap-based detergents or mop and shine products. Also, the “Swiffer” products or Steam Mops are not recommended. They may leave a film on the floor that dulls the finish.

Alterna/ Dura ceramic/ Elevations/ Vinyl/ Core Tec (LVT/ LVP)

Maintain room temperature of 65 degrees after vinyl is installed. **Alterna and Dura ceramic – The first time or two cleaning use a ammonia (30%) and water (70%) to remove the grout film. ** Steam mops are NOT recommended.

When moving heavy appliances or heavy furniture, lay down a piece of cardboard or plywood to slide items across the floor.

Never slide anything directly on the vinyl surface for it may tear or the urethane may be scratched off the surface. We recommend you put felt on bottom of your table and chair legs to prevent any tearing in the flooring that may occur when sliding chairs across the floor.

Sweep your floor often. Wipe up spills as soon as possible. Wash your floors regularly with a well wrung mop and a Neutral PH Cleaner or Armstrong Once & Done No-Rinse Floor Cleaner. Do not use detergents, abrasive cleaners, or mop and shine products. Swiffer-type products are also not recommended. These products may leave a film on the floor and potentially damage the finish.

You may notice black marks on your floor caused by black sole shoes, especially if you have a blacktop driveway. Using Ronsonl Lighter Fluid on a clean white cloth and rubbing the mark until it goes away can remove these spots. You may have to apply pressure but this product will NOT remove the urethane finish. We strongly recommend mats or rugs without a latex or rubber backing since these backings can cause permanent discoloration (yellowing) of your vinyl.

Wood

Water should never be used on wood. A dust mop is recommended to clean any dust on the floor. Never use any products such as Pledge, Endust, “Swiffers” or Steam Mops on your hardwood floor. These products will cause a film to appear on your floor. We recommend Woodwise cleaner that can be used for routine hardwood floor cleaning. It is sold in a spray bottle or a concentrate depending on how much hardwood you have in your home or your personal preference. There is also a mop kit available with a terry cloth head that can be removed and should be washed after every use to avoid build up.

The humidity level in your home should stay between 35-45% to keep floor from swelling or cupping. In the summertime, we recommend a dehumidifier to keep the humidity within the recommended tolerance.

If nicks or scratches appear on your hardwood floor, we recommend a stain touch up marker or putty to match the hardwood.

If you have rugs on your hardwood floor, they should have a soft non-abrasive backing attached to the rug to reduce scratching. However, the use of rugs may change the color of the wood floor due to UV rays, which is NOT covered by the manufacturers warranty.

It is highly recommended to put felt on the bottom of any moveable furniture or item that hard surface has been installed.

Ceramic

For floors use Armstrong Once ‘n Done No-Rinse Floor Cleaner or over-the-counter cleaners (diluted) such as Pine Sol or Ammonia are fine to use on this product. Only a capful in a gallon of hot water does the job. Products that contain acid, such as lemon juice, are not recommended.

For shower walls Awesome All Purpose Cleaner is great for routine cleaning of ceramic tile. Awesome cleaner can be found at most dollar stores. When finished showering we recommend you spray clear water on the walls, wipe down with a squeegee and run the exhaust fan for 15 – 30 minutes.

For heavy duty cleaning of ceramic tile with Spectralock Epoxy Grouts (only) (soapy build up or mildew), we recommend Scrubbing Bubbles with Bleach. You can accompany this with a hand held scrubber you can find at Target or Wal-Mart.