Hardwood Flooring
Basic Hardwood Flooring Maintenance
With today’s advances in wood flooring stains and finishes, cleaning your wood floors has never been easier. Regular maintenance requires little more than sweeping with a soft bristle broom, and vacuuming with a soft floor attachment if your wood floor includes a beveled edge that could collect debris. You also should clean your floors periodically with “Bona Floor Cleaner” or other products recommended by your flooring manufacturer. See manufacturer websites for more details and information regarding your specific hardwood floor.
“There are other steps you can take to minimize maintenance and maintain the beauty of your wood floors as well.”
Do not use sheet vinyl or tile floor care products on wood floors. Self-polishing acrylic waxes cause wood to become slippery and appear dull quickly.
Use throw rugs both inside and outside doorways to help prevent grit, dirt and other debris from being tracked onto your wood floors. This will prevent scratching.
Do not wet-mop a wood floor. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discoloring residue.
Wipe up spills immediately with a slightly dampened towel.
Put stick-on felt protectors under the legs of furniture to prevent scuffing and scratching.
Replace these often as dirt and debris can become embedded on the pad and act like sand paper on the flooring surface.
Avoid walking on your wood floors with cleats, sports shoes and high heels. A 125-pound woman walking in high heels has an impact of 2,000 pounds per square inch. An exposed heel nail can exert up to 8,000 pounds per square inch. This kind of impact can dent any floor surface.
When moving heavy furniture, do not slide it on wood flooring. It is best to pick up the furniture completely to prevent scratches.
For wood flooring in the kitchen, place an area rug in front of the kitchen sink.
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carpeting
Basic Carpeting Care & Maintenance
The beauty and life of your carpet depend on the care it receives. Proper cleaning will keep it looking great for its full lifetime, help improve your indoor air quality, and keep your carpet warranties intact. Cleaning your carpet properly is easier than you think. All it takes is a little knowledge about how to select the right carpet cleaning products and the right way to clean your carpet.
“Carpet cleaning is all about developing a routine. If you get into a good routine and keep it up, you will see great results.”
Vacuum regularly and more frequently in high traffic areas, and everywhere according to a vacuuming schedule, using a Seal of Approval-certified vacuum (SOA).
Clean spots and spills quickly with products that do not damage the carpet or cause it to re-soil quicker. SOA-certified solutions to clean effectively and maintain the life of carpet.
Professionally deep clean your carpets every 12 to 18 months to remove embedded dirt and grime. SOA-certified cleaners are recommended and sometimes required by the manufacturer.
Stop dirt at the door by using mats outside and in, taking your shoes off when you enter the house and changing your air filters to reduce airborne dust particles.