Maintenance

Sweep, dust and vacuum your floors. Regular cleaning will keep dirt and debris from causing scratches, marks, or stains especially in high traffic areas. When vacuuming, attach the proper hard surface adapter to avoid scratching your wood’s finish.

Use the right cloth. Microfiber cloth pads are the most effective, cleaning the dust without scratching your wood. We carry Shaw Floors Vibrant Micro Fiber Mop in our showroom for cleaning all hard surfaces. Do not use steel wool, scouring powders, or abrasive cleaners.

Use the right cleaner. Choosing the proper cleaning solution depends on the finish of your hardwood (surface finish or penetrating finish), not so much the wood itself. Using oil-based, wax, polish or strong ammoniated products can dull your floor’s finish. We carry Shaw Floor's hard surface cleaner in our showroom.

Wipe up spilled water immediately. Dry any standing water as soon as possible. Even surface finished hardwood can suffer water damage.

Don’t wet-mop with lots of water. Excess water can seep into your hardwood’s fibers and cause swelling and warping.

Use entry mats and floor protectors. Implementing the use of entry mats in high traffic areas and floor protectors underneath heavy furniture can increase the lifespan of your floor. We carry felt, floor-protector pads that adhere to the legs of chairs and furniture.

Rearrange Your Furniture Periodically. Let your flooring share the load as evenly as possible by redirecting high traffic each time you move your furniture around.

Credit Card Cleaning Tip. If you drop gum or candle wax onto your floor, you can remove it by first hardening it with an ice cube and then scraping it off with a plastic card.

Sweep or vacuum first. Before using any cleaning solutions on your tile, remove dirt and debris with a soft-bristled broom or vacuum with a hard surface attachment to avoid putting scratches in your tile.

For Glazed tile cleaning. After sweeping or vacuuming, clean your tile with an all-purpose (non-oil-based) household cleaner. Mixing some water with a mild detergent also works. Adding an acidic ingredient like fresh lemon juice aids in removing soap scum and alkaline type stains. For natural stone floors, don't add an acidic solution to your cleaner. The pH balance in your cleaning solution needs to be neutral or it will break down natural stone. Read more about caring for your natural stone flooring in this article.

Unglazed tile cleaning. Unglazed ceramic or porcelain tile is not protected by a melted glass coating like glazed tile. It’s a lot less slippery when wet but more porous which means you need to be more gentle when cleaning it. A simple warm water and white vinegar mixture will work great. If you have kids and pets, this natural solution is both chemical-free and safe if ingested.

Cotton, microfiber, or chamois-style cloths. Avoid using sponges or sponge mops as they tend to push dirt and grime into cracks and grout joints.

Grout Joint Cleaning Tip. Mix baking soda and water together, forming a paste, and rub it onto your dirty grout joints. After letting it sit overnight, scrub the grout with a stiff nylon brush. Repeating this step to get your desired results may be necessary.

Reseal your floors and grout. If you want your tile installation to look its best year after year, sealing them is the ticket. We recommend resealing them every year to 2 years. For the grout, we will only use epoxy grout in showers and tub surrounds and encourage customers to go this route to avoid the extra maintenance. But if you have sanded grout, look to see if water beads on the grout lines. If not, it’s time to reseal them.

Protection. Tile is strong, but it still suffers wear and tear. the use of mats in high traffic areas and floor protectors underneath furniture is recommended.

lnstall the Right Pad. Get it right from the beginning with the proper carpet padding, especially on stairs. Check the carpet's warranty recommendations and explore your carpet pad options. We’ve written thoroughly on the subject here.

Don't Track Dirt Inside. This is easier said than done, but do your best. Use good walk-off mats to keep the dirt, grit, soil, and asphalt outside and off your carpet. Your carpet will stay looking good longer.

Vacuum Regularly. This is the most important maintenance tip. Get a high-quality vacuum and use it regularly, especially in high-traffic areas.

Treat the Affected Area Immediately. The sooner you can get at it, the better. The longer spilled foods or liquid stands on your carpet, the more likely they are to leave a stain.

Professionally Clean Your Carpets. It’s actually recommended to clean your carpets every 12 to 18 months using a hot water extraction method. A poorly cleaned rug can actually increase the rate at which your carpet breaks down, so make sure to employ a professional cleaning service that follows the Carpet and Rug Institute standards.

Minor Repairs. Use scissors to cut back snags or loose piles. If the there are small burn spots on the carpet, you can use a pair of curved nail scissors to cut back the burnt tips.

Spot Cleaning. When spot cleaning, completely remove the detergent or solution used to avoid any residual sticky residue that just attracts more dirt. We highly recommend using Shaw Flooring's R2X Stain & Soil Remover, which doesn't need to be rinsed out.

Immediately following installation. Keep foot traffic to a minimum. For glue down vinyl, avoid putting furniture on the floor until after the first 24 hours.

Clean Daily. Clear your floor of potentially damaging dirt and grit by dust mopping or sweeping every day. Having good walk-off mats at entryways can cut down on the amount of dirt and oil tracked inside from the great outdoors.

Clean spills immediately. Vinyl is waterproof, but leaving a spill standing on your floor for a long period of time increases the chance of staining.

Protection. Protective mats (without rubber or latex backing) at high traffic areas and pivot joints (like in front of your kitchen sink) can increase the longevity of your floors and prevent visible wear spots. Floor protectors (plastic or felt) that are non-pigmented and at least an inch wide are recommended.

Avoid direct sunlight. This is a tip for all flooring and furniture. Lower the blinds during bright times of the day to minimize direct sunlight on your floors. Over time, it can cause discoloration. Excessive temperatures can also cause expansion of the vinyl material. While some companies are coming out with dimensionally stable options, it's still a good tip.

Do not use vinegar or soap or detergents. Soaps and detergents can leave a dulling effect on your floor's finish. Use an approved resilient vinyl cleaning solution like Shaw Flooring’s R2X Hard Surface cleaner or Mannington Flooring’s Rinse-Free Cleaner.

Do not use a vacuum with a rotating beater bar. It could scratch your finish and the floor covering itself.