Care and Maintenance
Carpet
Hardwood
Laminate
Vinyl
LVT
Tile
Taking Care of Your Carpet
Cleaning your carpet is easier than you think. All it takes is the right vacuum, cleaning products, and a little know-how. Here are a few tips on removing common stains the right way:
Keeping Your Carpet Beautiful
Follow these simple tips to keep your carpet’s color and texture looking fresh.
Tips for Carpet
Hardwood Essential Care
Vacuum or sweep your floor regularly with a soft-bristled attachment or broom, especially in high-traffic areas. This prevents gritty dirt and particle buildup that can scratch the wood’s surface. Don’t use vacuums with a beater bar or power rotary brush head.
Use protective window coverings to block fade-causing UV rays and excessive heat from direct sunlight. Most wood types will gradually age when not covered, so it’s a good idea to rearrange rugs and furniture periodically to help it age evenly.
Tips for Preventing Damage
Extra Protection
Invest in high quality floor mats and protective pads on heavy furniture for an extra layer of protection on your hardwood floors. Place floor mats at entrances and exits—they collect and trap corrosive substances that can be tracked in, like dirt, sand, oil, grit, asphalt, or even driveway sealer. Placing mats in high-traffic areas—in front of vanities, kitchen sinks, and stoves—is an effective way to reduce wear.
What to Avoid
Laminate Basic Maintenance
Use a dust mop or a vacuum cleaner with a soft bristle brush on a regular basis. For slightly damp cleaning, spray Hardwood & Laminate Cleaner onto a cotton, terrycloth, or microfiber mop. Avoid wet-mop cleaning with water or liquid cleaners.
Use protective window coverings to block fade-causing UV rays and excessive heat from direct sunlight, and rearrange rugs and furniture periodically to help your floor age evenly. During inclement weather, avoid exposing your flooring to water as much as possible.
Tips for Preventing Damage
Carefully remove stubborn stains (like paint, oil, tar, or markers) with acetone-based fingernail polish remover.
Wipe up spills and spots immediately with Hardwood & Laminate Flooring Cleaner applied directly to a clean white cloth.
Use ice to harden tough substances like wax or chewing gum, and then gently scrape with a plastic scraper or a credit card. Be careful not to scratch the surface and wipe the area clean with a soft, slightly damp cloth.
Extra Protection
Invest in high-quality floor mats and protective pads under heavy furniture for an extra layer of protection on your laminate floors. Place floor mats at entrances and exits—they collect and trap corrosive substances that can be tracked in, like dirt, sand, oil, grit, asphalt, or even driveway sealer. Placing mats in high-traffic areas—in front of vanities, kitchen sinks, and stoves—is an effective way to reduce wear.
What to Avoid
Vinyl Initial Maintenance (within 24 hours of installation)
Basic Maintenance
Tips for Preventing Damage
Extra Protection
Invest in high-quality floor mats for an extra layer of protection. Place the mats at entrances and exits to collect and trap corrosive substances that can be tracked in, like dirt, sand, oil, grit, asphalt, and even driveway sealer.
Luxury Vinyl Tile Initial Maintenance (within 24 hours of installation)
Basic Maintenance
Tips for Preventing Damage
Extra Protection
Invest in high-quality floor mats for an extra layer of protection. Place the mats at entrances and exits to collect and trap corrosive substances that can be tracked in, like dirt, sand, oil, grit, asphalt, and even driveway sealer.
Routine Ceramic Tile Care
With thousands of design possibilities, ceramic tile boasts a variety of looks that endure. And with little more than dusting and damp mopping, it will maintain its original quality for years to come.
Wipe glazed wall tiles periodically using a cloth or sponge dampened with a non oil-based household cleaner. Vacuum glazed floor tiles regularly to remove dirt and other gritty particles, then damp mop or sponge with an all-purpose, non oil-based cleaner. Remember not to use ammonia, as it will discolor grout. Clean unglazed wall and floor tiles in a similar manner using a solution of water and soapless detergent instead of an all-purpose cleaner.
Grout Care
Once the tile has been cleaned and dried (shortly after installation), grout joints should be treated with a silicone sealer. Grout, the material used to fill the spaces between tiles, is porous, and sealing it at this time will simplify maintenance in the future (Epoxy grouts do not require a sealer). We recommend you apply a sealer at least twice a year for maximum stain protection.
Heavy Duty Cleaning
Neglected or heavily trafficked tile may require more intensive cleaning. Clean glazed wall tiles with a scouring powder or all-purpose cleaner applied to a non-metallic pad. Rinse and wipe dry. For glazed floor tiles, use a commercial tile cleaner, or apply a strong solution of an all-purpose, non oil-based cleaner or scouring powder paste. Let stand for five minutes, brush and scrub. Then rinse with clean water and wipe dry.
For heavy-duty cleaning of unglazed wall tiles, make a paste of scouring powder. Apply to surface and let stand for five minutes. Scour with brush, rinse and wipe dry. Unglazed floor tiles can be cleaned in the same manner. Though a small brush is suitable for most floors, you may want to use a scrubbing machine for large areas.
To clean badly soiled countertops, apply a solution of scouring powder and very hot water. Let stand for five minutes, scrub with a stiff brush and rinse. Soap scum, mildew stains and hard-water deposits may be removed from ceramic tile using cleaning products that are commonly available at your local supermarket or home improvement store. With soft water, use an all-purpose, non oil-based cleaner. Allow to stand for five minutes before lightly scrubbing with a sponge. Rinse well.
Purchasing Maintenance Products
Ceramic tile and Natural Stone cleaning products and sealants may be purchased at your local home center or floor covering store. Consult the manufacturer of the cleaner, sealant or wax for usage instructions and more detailed information about how its specific cleaning solution or sealant may impact the safety, maintenance or appearance of your ceramic tile product.
Tips for Preventing Damage
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