Ahh…you’ve moved into your dream home, unpacked your boxes and allowed the dust to settle. Literally. Learning how to properly clean and care for your home is essential in protecting and maintaining your investment. Start from the ground up with these maintenance tips from Floor360. They’ll help keep your flooring, from wood to carpet and everything in between, looking its best for years to come.

Hardwood Flooring

Because natural wood floor is a product of nature, each species of wood has a unique characteristic of grain and color, which are integral components of its beauty. Due to the nature of the wood, there are preventative measures that need to be taken to maintain the life and beauty of your wood floor.

Preventative Measures – Avoid exposing hardwood floors to direct sunlight or bright lights by shutting your shades on occasion to protect your floors. Always install felt runners under furniture or chair legs to avoid scratches to the floor if furniture is moved. Wipe up spills that occur immediately and place rugs in areas where liquids may spill or accumulate and cause damage.

Maintenance & Care – Sweep or vacuum your hardwood floors regularly. Always use a vacuum with a hardwood floor attachment, or one in which the beater bar can be turned off to avoid scratching the floor. Do not use wax or oil-based soap or other household cleaners to clean wood floor. Instead, spray proper wood floor cleaner on a dust mop and mop back and forth lengthwise along floorboards. We recommend Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner, which is available at Floor360.

Shaw Nottoway Hickory flooring in Olde English, shown in our Cathedral Point furnished model.

Vinyl & Luxury Vinyl

There is nothing like the beauty, durability and easy maintenance of vinyl flooring. Luxury vinyl is a perfect choice for your home if you want performance and durability for your active lifestyle.

Preventative Measures – Always place non-staining mats or area rugs at all exterior entrances to prevent dirt and soil from being tracked onto your new floor. If you are moving heavy furniture or appliances, be sure to lift before moving to avoid gouging your floor. Lastly, shut your shades on occasion as direct sunlight may fade or discolor vinyl.

Maintenance & Care – Sweep your floor regularly to remove loose dirt. Once swept, use a damp mop with a pH neutral cleaner to remove the oily, sticky soil that comes from air pollution, cooking vapors and life’s daily activities. Always mop up spills promptly in order to prevent stains, and avoid all household cleaners and bleach-based detergents as they may leave a film behind, or dull the vinyl surface.

Shaw Valore Plank flooring in 507 Roma, shown in our Meadow Crossing furnished model.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is naturally durable and stain resistant. It is known for its unique visuals and variation in grain and color, which are integral components of its beauty.

Preventative Measures – Always place non-staining mats or area rugs at all exterior entrances to prevent dirt and soil from being tracked onto your new floor. Install felt runners under furniture or chair legs to avoid scratches to the floor if moved. If a spill occurs, use a damp cloth to blot the liquid immediately. Lastly, maintain a consistent indoor humidity level of 35%-45% by using a humidifier or dehumidifier as needed.

Maintenance & Care – Sweep or vacuum your hardwood floors regularly. Always use a vacuum with a hardwood floor attachment, or one in which the beater bar can be turned off to avoid scratching the floor. Do not wet mop the floor with soap, water, oil-based soap, detergent or any other liquid cleaning solution as this may cause swelling, warping and delamination. It also best to stay away from steel wool, abrasive cleaners, ammonia or chlorine based cleaners. Instead, we recommend you use Bona Laminate Floor Cleaner, which is available at Floor360.

Mannington Restoration Laminate in Keystone Oak-Iron, shown in our Smith’s Crossing furnished model.

Stone & Tile Flooring

The elegance, durability and beauty of tile and natural stone make it a popular choice for homeowners. Best of all, it is easy to maintain and is environmentally friendly.

Maintenance & Care – For routine cleaning, wipe tiles with a damp sponge or mop using clean tap water or an approved tile cleaner. We recommend Lithofin and Bona brand products, both available at Floor360. It is important to steer clear of any cleaner that contains acid or bleach as over time acidic cleaners will etch and eventually damage the tile.

Fabrique 12” x 24” tile in Blanc Linen, shown in our Enclave at Mequon Preserve furnished model.

Carpet

There’s nothing like the feel of luxurious carpet under your feet, not to mention the ease of maintenance and comfort that goes along with this type of flooring.

Preventative Measures – Always place non-staining mats or area rugs at all exterior entrances to prevent dirt and soil from being tracked onto your carpet. Prevent excessive pile crushing by occasionally moving heavy furniture and using floor protectors under the legs of your furniture to help distribute the weight. As with the above flooring, direct sunlight can be harmful and may fade carpet color. Shut your blinds or shades on occasion to help prevent fading.

Maintenance & Care – Vacuum your carpet thoroughly and frequently, particularly in high-traffic areas to remove soil particles from the surface before they work their way below the pile and damage the carpet fibers. If a spill occurs, blot the wet area with towels. Never scrub abrasively as the carpet will become fuzzy. If the spill is dry, remove as much as possible with a spoon. For stains, use a cleaning solution specific to your particular type of stain. Rinse the area with water and absorb the remaining moisture by weighting down several white towels on the cleansed area.

Shaw Nance Springs carpet in 00121 Field Khaki, shown in our Smith’s Crossing furnished model.

What type of flooring do you have in your dream home? How do you maintain it’s beauty and functionality?