Easy, proactive steps will keep your carpet looking good over time.
- Don't track dirt inside Placing walk-off mats outside all entrances will help absorb soil and moisture and trap excessive dirt, sand, grit, oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that might otherwise be tracked into the home.
- Clean mats on a regular basis (or sooner, when they need it) so they don't become sources of soil themselves.
- Use a quality pad A good carpet pad not only gives better resilience and comfort underfoot, but it can also extend the life of your carpet, especially on stairs. Because some carpets carry warranties with specific density and thickness requirements, be sure and review your warranty before purchasing your pad. Explore varieties of carpet pads.
- Occasionally move heavy furniture- Moving your furniture on occasion won't just renew the feel of your room, it will also help avoid excessive pile crushing. Also consider using carpet protectors under the legs of tables, chairs, and other furniture to help distribute the weight. Damage can occur if you use chairs or appliances with rollers or casters without a chair pad designed specifically for carpet. Protect carpet when moving furniture When moving heavy wheeled furniture (pianos, buffets, etc.), prevent damage by placing a protective barrier of heavy cardboard or plywood between the wheels and the carpet.
- Clean your area rugs -If you use area rugs on your carpet, be sure to clean them regularly, and make sure you clean and restore the pile of the carpet underneath as well. Also, be sure to check area rugs for colorfastness before placing them on carpet because the colour in some rugs may bleed through. After cleaning your carpet, allow it to dry completely before replacing rugs.
- Reduce periods of direct sunlight- Protect your carpet from prolonged periods of direct sunlight with blinds, shades, or awnings.
- Vacuum frequently for long-term beauty- The most important step in caring for your carpet is vacuuming it thoroughly and frequently, particularly in high-traffic areas. Walking on a soiled carpet allows the soil particles to work their way below the surface of the pile where they are far more difficult to remove and can damage the carpet fibres. Frequent vacuuming removes these particles from the surface before problems occur. For rooms with light traffic, vacuum the carpet traffic lanes twice weekly and the entire area once weekly. In areas with heavy traffic, vacuum the carpet traffic lanes daily and the entire area twice weekly. Up to three passes of the machine will suffice for light soiling, but five to seven passes are necessary for heavily soiled areas. Change the vacuuming direction occasionally to help stand the pile upright and reduce matting.
Hardwood & Laminate Flooring Care
Learn how to keep it looking great while standing up to the toughest household conditions.
Maintenance guidelines
•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 the accumulation of dirt and grit that can scratch or dull the floor finish.
•Periodically clean the floor with cleaning products made specifically for hardwood or laminate floor care.
•Protect your 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.
•Avoid excessive exposure to water during periods of inclement weather.
•Keep your pet's 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 casters. 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.