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

• Keep pets’ nails trimmed and their paws clean. Pets can track in substances that cause scratching and stains.
• Use a humidifier during heating seasons to help reduce wood shrinkage and humidity between 35% and 55%.
• Wipe up spills and spots immediately with hardwood 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 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

• Avoid walking on your hardwood floors with spiked or damage-heeled shoes.
• Resist wet-mop, damp-mop, or cleaning your hardwood with water or other liquids.
• Don’t use oil soaps, liquid or paste wax, or other household products containing lemon, citrus, or tung oil, or silicon to clean floors.
• Stay away from harsh cleaning aids like steel wool pads, any scouring pads containing metal, or scouring powders.
• Don’t use 2-in-1 cleaners that contain acrylics or urethane polish to restore gloss.

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

• Wax, polish, oils, soaps, detergents, shine enhancers, or varnish shouldn’t be used on laminate.
• Applying cleaner directly to the surface of the laminate can cause staining—lightly spray it on a cleaning cloth or damp mop instead.
• Avoid cleaning machines like spray mops, steam cleaners or mops, or power cleaners.
• Always avoid mopping with water and dry up any water spills immediately.

Vinyl Initial Maintenance (within 24 hours of installation)

• Keep traffic light during the first 24 hours so adhesive can dry properly.
• If the floor has been seamed, avoid stepping on the seam sealer for 24 hours so it can dry undisturbed.
• Avoid scrubbing or washing floor for at least three days after installation. Spot clean floor avoiding all seams.
• When moving heavy furniture or appliances across the floor, always use wood or hardboard runways to protect the floor.

Basic Maintenance

• Use a doormat outside each entrance to your home to prevent dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, and driveway sealer from being tracked onto your floor.

• Sweep or vacuum floors regularly to remove any dust or debris.
• Avoid using a vacuum with a beater bar.
• Damp-mop as needed with clean water and diluted floor cleaner.
• Harsh cleaning chemicals shouldn’t be used on luxury vinyl flooring.

Tips for Preventing Damage

• Use blinds or drapes to block sunlight during peak hours.
• Use felt pads for frequently moved furniture to prevent scratching.
• Opt for nonstaining large surface floor protectors for heavy furniture and appliances.
• Clean up spills immediately.

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.

For more on tile maintenance, visit our full site:

www.elegantfloorings.com