Floor Maintenance Tips and Recommendations

Properly maintaining your flooring will protect your investment and preserve its original beauty for many years to come. Here are some tips to keep it looking its best, however, you should always contact Texas Floor Covering, Inc. for product specific maintenance instructions.

Carpet

• Vacuum at least three times per week to prevent soil from becoming embedded in the pile and to maintain your carpet manufacturer’s warranty.
• Always treat spills as soon as possible. Untreated spills may result in permanent staining.
• For a food spill, first remove as much solid materials as possible using a spoon or knife.
• Use water and a cloth for blotting, only using a minimal amount of detergent if necessary. Then, using the highest suction function, vacuum back and forth, adding water as you go to remove the stain.
• If solvent is needed, test on an inconspicuous spot first in order to ensure there is no color loss or damage.
• Call a professional carpet cleaning company for periodic deep cleaning. Depending on traffic and wear, every 12-18 months is sufficient.
• If you have installed carpet tiles, simply switch out any stained or damaged ones with new tiles.
• Call us if you need large sections of carpet replaced or if you need additional carpet tiles.

Wood Flooring

• Vacuum or sweep the 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.
• Only use cleaning solutions designed for hardwood floors and do not use scouring pads or other harsh cleaning aids that will scratch the floor.
• Never wet-mop or damp-mop hardwood floors with water or other liquids. Excessive moisture left on hardwoods will cause the floor to warp.
• Use felt protectors under chairs and heavy pieces of furniture, and employ floor mats or area rugs under rolling chairs and other high traffic/pivot points.
• Floors should be periodically checked for wear. Spiked heels or shoes with heels in need of repair can severely damage hardwood floors. Areas of indentation can often be fixed by a simple plank replacement.
• To help preserve the original look of your hardwood flooring, minimize excessive lighting wherever possible. Use protective window coverings to block fade-causing UV rays and excessive heat from direct sunlight.

Vinyl/Composition and Ceramic Tile

• Sweep or vacuum regularly to keep tile floors from becoming dull.
• Clean tile with mild detergent and clean water, using a rag or chamois-type mop rather than a sponge mop.
• When performing wet maintenance, always use proper signage and prohibit traffic until the floor is completely dry.
• Do not use excessive amounts of liquid during maintenance.
• Do not use stiff-bristled, highly-abrasive pads or brushes on vinyl flooring.
• The use of aggressive strippers such as mop-on/mop-off, no-scrub and no-rinse strippers is not recommended on vinyl tile floors less than 2 years old because these strippers may affect the adhesive bond.
• Check grout periodically on ceramic tile floors, as bleach and other cleaning products may affect its durability.