Hardwood Flooring
You bought hardwood floors for their stunning looks, longevity and the fact that it increased the value of your house or condo. Of course, ease of care was one of the reasons too but sadly, some floor cleaning products can end up damaging your hardwood.
Stay away from soap and water, cleaners with vinegar, waxes and steam mops. Water and hardwood floors don?t play well together while products with vinegar in them can dull the finish. Steam mops put significant heat on the floor and can leave an excess amount of water on the floor, which can lead to damage.
Steam Mops
Steam mops are a wonderful appliance and are best used with ceramic or porcelain tile and linoleum. It is strongly recommended that you do not use a steam mop on hardwood.
Steam mops are also not recommended for laminate or vinyl flooring unless specifically recommended by the manufacturer. Mohawk RevWood and Pergo laminate floors have several collections where steam mops are approved.
Vacuum Cleaners
Vacuum cleaners have multiple settings and it?s vital that the correct setting is utilized. Hardwood floors will quickly be marred by the brushes on a vacuum. Hardwood and vinyl flooring is best served by a setting in which brushes don?t rotate, as both are prone to scratching. Laminate flooring is more scratch resistant and can generally be vacuumed.
Water, Water Everywhere
The amount of water on your floor doesn?t automatically equate with a higher level of cleanliness. Even water-resistant flooring shouldn?t be saturated with liquid as it can penetrate to the subflooring beneath it. Porcelain and marble tile can withstand water without damage, but not other types. Use as little liquid as possible when cleaning your flooring.
Harsh Chemicals
No matter what type of flooring, avoid harsh chemicals as they can attack the finish of the floor and dull them.
Sweep First
Unless you have a hard surface floor that won?t scratch, you should first sweep or vacuum up loose dirt before mopping to avoid scratching your floors.
Before you start cleaning, consult the manufacturer?s instructions for your floors. The brand may have specific recommendations based on the materials used. Most companies have detailed product guides and instructions on how to clean their floors on their websites.
The people will tell you that Quantum Floors is one of the best places to shop for all your flooring needs, from hardwood to modern and waterproof laminates and luxury vinyl planks.?. All of our flooring materials are exceptional in quality, and we offer superb installation at competitive prices. When you want the very best job done right, call us.
