Maintain your floors to keep them looking great, longer
Once the installation of your new floors is complete, it’s time to look to the future and pivot to floor maintenance. This article will review tips for floor maintenance for the four types of floors Revere Construction and Roofing specializes in: hardwood floors, carpet, tile, and epoxy coating.
The goal is to teach you how to keep your new floors looking as fresh as possible for the foreseeable future. Doing so will extend the lifespan of your flooring, as well as preserving the vibrancy and quality of your chosen flooring type.
There are many obstacles to floor maintenance and keeping your flooring looking brand new. Foot traffic, water damage, pets, time since installation, and the ambient atmosphere will all contribute to how long your flooring maintenance helps maintains the brand-new look and feel.
With a few steps, you can help keep your flooring in its optimal condition.
Floor Maintenance Tips
The following are best practices for each type of flooring. Implement based on the kind of flooring you have in your home.
Hardwood Floors
- Clean up spills immediately. Letting liquids stand on hardwood floors could lead to warping.
- Sweep/vacuum regularly. Use a hard surface attachment when vacuuming.
- Use specialty hardwood floor cleaner every 1-2 months.
- DON’T use abrasive cleaners. These will ruin the hardwood’s finish.
- Use furniture sliders whenever moving heavy furniture or appliances. Failure to do so could result in scratches.
- If you have pets, keep their nails trimmed.
Carpet
- Vacuum at least once a week
- Use furniture sliders when moving heavy furniture
- Rotate furniture regularly. At least once per year
- Close the blinds to limit direct sunlight
- Steam clean once every 18-24 months
- Clean up spills immediately—blot liquid from the outside in toward the middle.
- Use specialty carpet cleaner to deal with pet stains.
Tile
- Vacuum/Dust at least once a week. Doing this keeps particles from accumulating in the grout.
- Mop once per week with warm water.
- DON’T use abrasive cleaners. These could ruin the finish of your tile.
- Clean spills immediately to prevent permanent stains.
- Deep clean every 1-2 months with specialty tile-cleaning solutions.
- Clean the grout 1-2x per year. Use a toothbrush and specialty cleaning product, following the provided instructions.
Epoxy Coating
- Remove debris using a soft bristle broom or dust mop once per week.
- Mop, after sweeping, once per month.
- DON’T use abrasive cleaners. These may ruin the coating.
- If possible, you can spray water and use a squeegee to clean the floor.
- DON’T use soap. Soap residue causes the floor to get slippery when wet.
- When heavy cleaning is required, use a hard foam mop and a solution of 5 ounces ammonia to one gallon of water.
Getting it done
Most clients discover that finding the time for floor maintenance is the hardest part. Our suggestion: schedule it on the calendar. For big projects, find a weekend that works for you and dedicate yourself to getting the task done.
The first time you go through any of these floor maintenance processes will be the longest it will take. Whether it’s the preparation of a particular solution or figuring out the optimal path to get every portion of the floor, give yourself a pass for investing the time to learn how to do it the right way. Once your process becomes refined, the times in the future you go through the task will be faster until you get it down to the way you like to get it done.
Try to develop your schedule and process to complete the floor maintenance associated with your type of floor. With these tips in hand, your new floors will be looking great for years to come.
