Cleaning & Care

To ensure your new flooring meets the needs of your family and lifestyle, it's best to consider what level of durability and ease of maintenance your rooms require. Not all materials are created equal, so consult the sections below learn more about different flooring types.

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Hardwood

Durability:

Ease of Maintenance:

Hardwood is a natural product that requires a gentle approach to its care. Water is the enemy of hardwood and should be used minimally—it can remove the finish and leave raw wood that is easily damaged. Harsh treatments or chemicals should be avoided.

Tips:

Use a soft broom or microfiber mop to remove dust
If vacuuming, make sure beater bar is turned off or to a “hardwood” setting
Use cleaning products specifically formulated for hardwood
Do not wet mop or steam mop
Wipe up liquid spills immediately
Avoid walking on floor with pointed shoes like cleats or high heels

Laminate

Durability:

Ease of Maintenance:

Laminate is constructed of multiple layers of material bonded together. The top ‘wear’ layer allows for easy cleaning and increased durability for everyday use. However, laminate types containing wood as one of the layers can swell or warp when exposed to water, so it is important to clean up mess and spills immediately.

Tips:

Sweep/clean frequently to avoid ground-in dirt
Wipe up liquid spills immediately
Use a damp (not drenched) mop with warm (not hot) water
Avoid pine-scented cleaners
Do not drag heavy or sharp objects which can gouge the surface

Vinyl

Durability:

Ease of Maintenance:

Vinyl flooring is made entirely from plastics bonded together, making it extremely durable, easy to clean, and water resistant. It does not require particularly gentle treatment, but tough stains may require a specialty vinyl flooring cleaner. To avoid these, clean up any spills or accidents immediately.

Tips:

Sweep, vacuum, and dust regularly to avoid ground in dirt
Use shampoo to get rid of hairspray buildup
Use a damp mop with warm (not hot) water
Rinse well to remove cleaning product residue
Do not drag heavy or sharp objects which can gouge the surface

Tile

Durability:

Ease of Maintenance:

Tile is the easiest flooring material to maintain. Sweep and wet-mop regularly to remove dirt and keep floors in great condition. Special care should be paid to grout lines; use a specialty cleaner to remove ground in dirt, and consider using a sealer to avoid grout discoloration.

Tips:

Easiest to clean with an all-purpose household cleanser
Use microfiber duster for everyday dirt removal
Deep clean occasionally with a wet mop
Steam cleaner can be used for deepest clean
Use specialty cleaner and soft bristle brush on grout lines

Carpet

Durability:

Ease of Maintenance:

Vacuuming your carpet on a regular basis will help maintain its appearance and retention.

Tips:

Vacuum your carpet on a regular basis and more often as needed in high traffic areas.
Quickly clean spots and spills, using only carpet cleaning products, to avoid damage to your carpet.
Have your carpet professionally cleaned every 12 to 18 months to remove embedded dirt and dust particles.
Help maintain your carpet by using door mats both inside and outside and by frequently changing the air filters in your home to help reduce dust particles that settle on your floors.