Floor Care

As with any product you purchase, it is always recommended that you follow manufacturer guidelines for the care and maintenance of any flooring surface.  The following information is meant only as a general guide.

Wood Flooring:

For surface finishes, including urethanes:

• Keep grit off the floor, drop mop or vacuum regularly and keep door mats clean. Wipe up spills promptly with a dry cloth. Use a slightly dampened cloth for sticky spills.
• Do NOT wax a urethane finished floor. Waxing a urethane finished floor will cause the wood floor to be slippery, requiring continuous waxing as your msintenance, and any re-surfacing will require a full sanding process.
• For general cleaning, use a generic hardwood floor cleaner. If the luster does not return to traffic areas, the flor may require recoating.

Natural Stone:

Marble, limestone, travertine, onyx, and slate should only be cleaned with warm water and a mild detergent (Ivory Soap) or approved stone cleaner. Do not use anything with ammonia or acid in it or any abrasive products or cleaning pads. This includes household soaps with lemon or citrus in them. These can etch the surface of the stone and remove its polish. This is true for both marble tiles and countertops. Again, they must be wiped dry after cleaning.

Ceramic Tile:

Contaminants and spills on a glazed ceramic tile are, generally, easier to clean then other, more impervious surfaces. Glazed tile products should be cleaned routinely with an all-purpose, non oil-based household or commercial cleaner. The product chosen should also be grout joint cleaning compatible. The type of product may vary depending on the tile application and use. A multipurpose spray cleaner, which removes soap scum, hard water deposits, and mildew designed for every day use, can be used on wall tile areas in residential baths and showers.

The entire area should be cleaned and scrubbed with cleaner solution through the use of a cotton mop, cloth, sponge, or non-metallic brush. The entire area should be rinsed with clean water to remove any cleaning solution residue. Remember that you should sweep or vacuum floor areas prior to cleaning to remove any dust or debris. Routine cleaners should never contain acids or ammonia. Acids can damage the grout and the glazed surface of the tile, and ammonia can discolor the grout.

Carpet:

The best way to ensure long–lasting beauty, comfort and durability in your carpet is to vacuum it regularly, as it prevents soil from becoming embedded in the carpet’s pile. Depending on the type of carpet you have, you’ll want to use a vacuum with a rotating brush, a beater bar or suction only. If you have shag carpet, use a suction–only vacuum cleaner with no beater bar. Consider professional cleaning every 12–18 months, depending on traffic and other use factors, frequency of vacuuming and whether the carpet is a light or dark color.

Use scissors to clip sprouts and snags; do not pull them or you may damage the carpet. To remove a dent caused by heavy furniture, stroke carpet with the edges of a coin.

If a flooding occurs from a burst pipe, washing machine overflow or other leak, the carpet needs to be dried, front and back, by a professional cleaner with the proper equipment.