Proper Flooring care and maintenance is the key to long-life

General care

Regular vacuuming is the key to keeping carpet beautiful and new-looking - for heavy-traffic areas vacuum every day if possible and once a week for the rest of the carpet.

Many types of cleaners are available when needed, including dry cleaners, spray-on foam cleaners and wet shampoo. Whichever you choose, make sure it is made for carpets. Always test a cleaner on a small inconspicuous area of the carpet first. Avoid anything meant for hard surfaces such as wood or tile. When choosing a professional carpet cleaner, ask for a reference and/or a firm estimate.

Treating spills

Act immediately! Don't let the spill set or it might never be removed. Remember these three steps:

Apply—a damp white paper towel soaked in a cleaning solution to the spot (see list of solutions below); never wet the carpet through to the backing.

Blot—press straight down with a white paper towel-DO NOT RUB; place a 1/2" thick pad of white paper towels with a weight on top and leave overnight if necessary

Scrape—from the outside edge of the spot toward the center

Cleaning solutions to be used to treat spills include:

Detergent—mix 1/2 tsp. clear dishwashing detergent with one cup warm water

Pre-soak—mix 1 tsp. enzyme laundry product (such as Axion or Biz) with one cup water

Hydrogen peroxide—mix 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide (3% strength, available in drug stores) with 1 tsp. household ammonia. Use within two hours.

        Ammonia—undiluted household ammonia

        Dry powder cleaner

        Dry cleaning solvent—non-oily, non-caustic type sold for garment spot removal (caution: may be flammable)

 Again, test on a small inconspicuous area first.

TREATING STAINS ON VARIOUS FLOORING SURFACES

Use the following charts as a general guideline for treating stains on various types of flooring.


 
CARPET

Rust	Solution of white vinegar or light detergent and water
Lipstick	Nail polish remover, dry cleaning fluid, detergent solution, ammonia or white vinegar solution
Pet Stains	Detergent solution, white vinegar or ammonia solution
Coffee	Warm white vinegar or detergent solution.
Blood	Cold spot setting solution followed by ammonia solution and warm water rinse
Candle Wax	Place clean, white towel or dried wax, run an iron on low setting over towel, repeat with clean section of towel until wax is gone.
Beverage	Detergent solution, ammonia solution or white vinegar
Nail Polish	Nail polish remover or detergent solution
Crayon	Dry-cleaning fluid or detergent solution
Gum	Soften with hair dryer, then lift from carpet with plastic glove. Remove any remaining residue with dry-cleaning fluid.
Chocolate	Dry-cleaning fluid, detergent, ammonia or white vinegar
Ink	Nail polish remover, dry-cleaning solution, detergent or white vinegar solution
Latex Paint	Detergent or ammonia solution
Shoe Polish	Nail polish remover, dry-cleaning fluid or detergent solution

   
VINYL FLOORING

Heel Marks	Non-abrasive household cleaner, rubbing alcohol, or a pencil eraser.
Paint	If wet, use mineral spirits. If dry, scrape with a thin, plastic spatula
Magic Marker	Mineral spirits, nail polish remover, or rubbing alcohol
Candle Wax	Allow to dry and then scrape with a thin, plastic spatula
Tar	Citrus-based cleaner or mineral spirits
Shoe Polish	Citrus-based cleaner or mineral spirits
Crayon	Mineral spirits or commercial cleaner
Grape Juice	Full strength bleach
Pen Ink	Citrus-based cleaner, mineral spirits or rubbing alcohol
Rust	One part oxalic acid to 10 parts water (follow mfg's instructions)

Click here for more vinyl flooring care and maintenance tips from Harding


LAMINATE FLOORING

Chewing Gum	Scrape hardened gum with blunt, plastic scraper
Candle Wax	Scrape dried wax with a plastic spatula
Lipstick	Paint thinner or acetone
Nail Polish	Acetone-based nail polish remover
Tar	Acetone or denatured alcohol
Grape Juice/Wine	Solution of lukewarm water and ammonia
Paint or Varnish	If still wet, wipe with mineral spirits or water. If dry, scrape with thin, plastic spatula.
Pen Ink	Acetone or paint thinner
Crayon	Rub out with dry cloth. Use acetone if necessary
Chocolate	Warm water and non-abrasive cleaner
Cigarette Burns	Acetone, nail polish remover or denatured alcohol
Rubber Heel Marks	Rub with dry cloth. Use acetone if necessary

 CERAMIC TILE

Rust	Use commercial rust remover made for fabric followed by a household cleaner to remove any remaining residue.
Nail Polish	Nail polish remover
Gum	Hold ice on gum to harden and remove with thin, plastic spatula
Grease	Use a commercial spot lifter
Cigarette Burns	Gently scour with steel wool. Polish clean tile with paste wax.
Oil-Based Products	Use mild solvent such as mineral spirits, followed by a solution of poultice and household cleaner
Ink, Blood, Juice, Coffee	3% hydrogen peroxide or a non-bleach cleaner

HARDWOOD STAINS
 

Dye	One part chlorine bleach and two parts water
Ink	Warm water and mild detergent
Rust	Commercial rust remover
Urine	Hot, damp cloth and mild scouring powder. Use 10-1 solution of diluted liquid bleach
Blood	Sponge up with clear, cold water followed by an ammonia and cold water solution
Grease/Oil	Remove as much as possible with newspaper or paper towels, then place cloth saturated with dry cleaning fluid on stain for five minutes. Wipe area dry and wash with detergent and water.

 
HARDWOOD SURFACE REPAIRS

Seasonal Cracks	Install a humidifier to use during the dry season
Dents	Cover with dampened cloth and press with electric iron
Scratches	Wax area or use a thin coat of dusting spray rubbed into scratch
Bubbles	Lightly sand and recoat light damage. For heavy bubbling, sand, stain and refinish
Cigarette Burns	Rub with fine steel wool or scrape burned area. Wax or sand, stain and refinish
Water Spots	Buff lightly with the finest grade steel wool, then wax. For stubborn stains, use fine sandpaper, stain and recoat
Heel Marks	Wood cleaner or wax
Pet Stains or Ink	Wood cleaner followed by mild bleach or household vinegar
Mold, Mildew	Floor cleaner. If wood fibers are stained, remove and refinish