How to Care for Your Flooring
From spills to heavy foot traffic, your home’s floors sometimes take a beating. Fortunately, with regular cleaning and maintenance, your floors will look as good as new, no matter what they endure. In today’s blog, we’ll learn how to properly care for your carpet and hardwood floors to make sure they look their best for years to come.
How to Care for Your Carpet
Vacuum Weekly
When it comes to taking care of your new carpet,, it is important to frequently vacuum. High-traffic areas, like the family room, should be vacuumed twice a week and less frequented areas should be vacuumed once a week. Regular vacuuming helps eliminate dirt and dust, which can break down carpet fiber over time, causing the carpet the appear dull and stain easily.
Use a Cleaning System Once a Year
In addition to vacuuming, you should use a carpet cleaning system once a year to maintain the quality of your carpet. A cleaning system will target the oily, sticky soil created by cooking vapors, air pollution, and tracked-in dirt that can’t always be picked up by a vacuum.
Quickly Treat Spills
Accidents happen, especially when you have children or pets in the house. The good news is, by acting quickly, you can prevent them from becoming stains. First, use a paper towel or cloth to blot the liquid. When blotting start from the outside of the spill and work your way inward. Once you’ve blotted the area, look up the best way to treat the spillPurchase a Welcome Mat
Welcome mats are a fun, practical way to keep dirt out of your home and off your carpets. When shopping for a welcome mat, look for options that are made of coarse material. In addition to a welcome mat, you may want to consider a no-shoe policy.Switch Up Your Furniture
Over time, furniture can cause divots to form in your carpets, which can be permanent. To help keep your carpet free of divots, you should change the position of your furniture every couple of months. This is a great time to clean hard to reach areas of your carpet.
Don’t Skimp on a Carpet Pad
A lot of people don’t realize how important selecting the right carpet pad is when it comes to the longevity of your carpet. The residential standard for a carpet pad is 3/8 to ½ inches thick and a weight rating of at least six pounds, however, you may want to consider a higher weight rating for high-traffic areas.
How to Care for Your Hardwood Floors
Sweep or Vacuum Weekly
When it comes to maintaining the look of your hardwood floors, it is important to clean up dust, crumbs, and other materials regularly using a broom or vacuum, as debris can damage your floors finish and cause scratches. If you choose to use a vacuum for this task, make sure you use the hard floor attachment to prevent additional damage.
Quickly Clean-Up Spills
Just like with carpet, it’s important to clean up spills or dirt as soon as you see them. Again, use a paper towel or soft cloth to carefully blot away the mess.
Use the Right Cleaner
Avoid using cleaners that contain wax, polish, or strong ammoniated products, as these can dull the finish of your floor. Instead, use a cleaner that is specifically designed for hardwood floors, like our PolyClean Hard Surface Flooring Cleaner (available to purchase at our showrooms).
Be Mindful of Shoes and Furniture
Stilettoes or shoes with damaged heels, as well as furniture legs, can easily dent and scratch hardwood floors. To avoid this risk, try not to walk on your hardwood floors while wearing your favorite heels. You can also add felt pads to the bottoms of furniture legs.
Watch the Temperature
The ideal temperature for hardwood floors is between 60- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. When the temperature is outside of the suggested range, the hardwood planks may buckle.
As you can see, to increase the longevity of your floors, it’s important to clean and take preventative precautions. However, with a little extra TLC, your carpets and hardwood floors will last for years to come.
If you have any questions about the best ways to care for your floors, contact us today. Whether you’re cleaning carpet in Dayton or hardwood floors in Cincinnati, our team is available to answer all of your cleaning and maintenance questions.
