Maintenance

Proper maintenance is the key to a trouble-free tile & stone floor.

Damp mop weekly

Wipe down your ceramic floor with a damp mop at least once a week (or more often for heavy traffic areas) with flooring cleaner. Make certain that any cleanser you have chosen is compatible with grout cleaning, (neutral pH), and will not stain the grout. Never use a detergent or soap, because it can dull the surface or promote the growth of mildew. Routine cleaners should never contain acids, vinegar, chlorines or ammonia, as these chemicals can damage and discolor the grout or the surface of the stone or tile.

Caution: Wait at least 72 hours after installation (to allow new ceramic tile and grout to dry) before damp mopping.

Use protective mats

Good quality entry and exit mats will help protect your ceramic tile from premature wear. They trap the dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that would otherwise be tracked onto your floor. Mats are also suggested at heavy pivot locations, such as in front of your kitchen sink or stove.

Add protective pads to furniture

Protect your tile by affixing felt or similar pads to the legs of any metal, iron, wood, or plastic furniture that will be placed on it. Exterior metal furniture, which rests on tile floors or patios, may rust and cause staining.

Check cure time before adding grout sealer

Unless noted otherwise on its packaging, grout should cure for at least 28 days before applying a sealer.

Use a penetrating sealer on quarry tiles

Quarry tiles may need a penetrating sealer. These sealers are absorbed into the tile, forming a stain resistant shield just below the surface. Most sealers will darken or change the appearance of the tile, and resealing is usually required every 12 to 18 months. Most tiles will not need a sealer, as they are not porous enough to absorb it.

To see more specific information on ceramic cleaning, click here.

Protect the natural beauty of your Shaw Hardwood flooring

Hardwood products provide superior wear; easy, no-wax care; plus superior resistance to staining from all common household products such as coffee, shoe polish, lipstick, acetone, mustard, and more. A few simple maintenance steps, however, will help protect your investment and keep your hardwood flooring looking like new.

For cleaning, make sure you...

Use a damp cloth to blot spills and spots as soon as they happen. For tough spots, such as oil, paint, markers, lipstick, ink, tar, or cigarette marks, use acetone/nail polish remover on a clean white cloth, then wipe with a damp cloth. Always avoid allowing liquids to stand on your floor.
Sweep, dust, or vacuum the floor regularly with the hard floor attachment (not the beater bar) to prevent accumulation of dirt or grit that can scratch or dull the floor finish.
Occasionally wipe the floor with a damp mop or cloth.

While cleaning is easy, there are a few things to avoid:

Don't use oil based, wax, polish, or strong ammoniated or abrasive cleaners.
Don't use steel wool or scouring powder.
Don't wash or wet-mop the floor with soap, water, oil-soap detergent, or any other liquid cleaning material. This could cause swelling, warping, delamination, and joint-line separation, and void the warranty.
Don't use any type of buffing machine.

Other routine care instructions:

For spots such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden the spot with ice and then gently scrape with a plastic scraper, such as a credit card. Be careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Do not use any type of buffing machine.

Use protective mats

Good quality entry and exit mats will help collect the dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that can otherwise be tracked onto your flooring. Do not use rubber- or foam-backed plastic mats as they may discolor the flooring. To prevent slippage, use an approved vinyl rug underlayment.

Use floor protectors on furniture

Use floor protectors and wide-load-bearing leg bases/rollers to minimize indentations and scratches from heavy objects. As a rule, the heavier the object, the wider the floor protector should be.

Maintain relative humidity level

Maintain a normal indoor relative humidity level between 45 and 65% throughout the year to minimize the natural expansion and contraction of wood.

Heating Season (Dry): A humidifier is recommended to prevent excess shrinkage due to low humidity levels. Wood stove and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions.
Non Heating Season (Wet): An air conditioner, dehumidifier or periodically turning on your heating system can maintain humidity during the summer months. Avoid excessive exposure to water during periods of inclement weather.

Avoid sharp objects

While your hardwood floor is one of the most wear resistant floors on the market, sharp or pointed objects can damage it nonetheless.

Watch your feet

Don't walk on your flooring with stiletto-style heels, spiked golf shoes, or cleats. They may cause indentations in your flooring.

Watch your pet's feet

Keep your pet's nails trimmed to keep them from scratching your flooring.

Rearrange your rugs and furniture

Periodically rearranging your area rugs and furniture will allow the flooring to age evenly. UV sunlight will soften the tone of different species of hardwood to varying degrees.

Protect the floor when moving

Use a dolly when moving heavy furniture or appliances. But first, put down a sheet of quarter-inch plywood or Masonite to protect the floor. Never try to slide or roll heavy objects across the floor.

Laminate Care

Laminate Flooring Care

Laminate flooring is naturally durable; learn how to keep it looking great while standing up to the toughest household conditions.

Follow routine maintenance guidelines to clean your laminate flooring

Use a damp cloth to blot up spills as soon as they happen. Never allow liquids to stand on your floor.
For tough spots, such as oil, paint, markers, lipstick, ink, or tar, use acetone/nail polish remover on a clean white cloth, then wipe the area with a damp cloth to remove any remaining residue.
Sweep, dust, or vacuum the floor regularly with the hard floor attachment (not the beater bar) to prevent accumulation of dirt and grit that can scratch or dull the floor finish.
Periodically clean the floor with cleaning products made specifically for laminate floor care.
Do not wash or wet mop the floor with soap, water, oil-soap detergent, or any other liquid cleaning material. This could cause swelling, warping, delamination, and joint-line separation, and void the warranty.
Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong ammoniated or chlorinated type cleaners.
Do not use any type of buffing or polishing machine.
For spots such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden the spot with ice and then gently scrape with a plastic scraper, such as a credit card. Be careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
A more frequent dust-mopping or vacuuming schedule may be required in very sandy areas such as a beach home.

Protect your laminate flooring to keep it looking like new

Entry mats will help collect the dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that might otherwise be tracked onto your floor.
To prevent slippage of area rugs, use an approved vinyl rug underlayment.
Use floor protectors and wide-load bearing leg bases/rollers to minimize the chance of indentations and scratches from heavy objects. As a rule, the heavier the object, the wider the floor protector.

a. Heating season (Dry): A humidifier is recommended to prevent excess shrinkage due to low humidity levels. Wood stove and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions.

b. Non-Heating Season (Wet): An air conditioner, dehumidifier, or periodically turning on your heating will help to maintain humidity levels during summer months.

Maintain a normal indoor relative humidity level between 35% and 65% throughout the year to minimize the natural expansion and contraction of the wood.

Avoid excessive exposure to water during periods of inclement weather.
Keep your pets nails trimmed to prevent them from scratching your floor.
Never try to slide heavy objects across the floor.
A protective mat should be used for furniture or chairs with castors.

Repair your laminate flooring when damage occurs

In the event that accidental damage occurs to one of the planks, minor scratches or dents can be repaired using a Flooring Touchup or Color-fill Kit. This special touchup kit is a filler material, color coordinated to the color of your floor so that, when used properly, the repaired area is often invisible. The repaired area will hold up to foot traffic and wear just like the rest of your laminate flooring.

Glueless laminate board replacement and repairs

Shaw glueless laminate may be assembled and disassembled several times. Carefully disassembled glueless joints will retain their original locking integrity during re-assembly. New replacement plank(s) should be acclimated in the replacement area for at least 72 hours, to allow them to equalize to the conditions of the flooring in the room where the replacement(s) will take place.

Remove baseboard, wall base, or quarter-round as needed to replace the damaged board(s).
Take the flooring apart, 1 row at a time, by lifting the rows to detach them; then separating the individual boards. Be sure to stack the individual planks in the proper order for re-installation. This usually eliminates the need to cut planks for start or end of the row lengths.
Replace the damaged board with a piece from the edge of the original installation.
Insert the properly acclimated new plank(s) along the outer edge of the original flooring installation during re-assembly. This minimizes the chance that a newer plank might stand out from the wear condition of the original installation.
Re-install the baseboard, wall base, or quarter round, and the replacement-repair is complete.

To see more specific information on Laminate Care and Maintenance, click here.