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Carpet Care |
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Vacuum at least once a week!
You
can't vacuum too often. When dirt and dust are left in a
carpet, they become gritty, sharp particles that grind
down the pile of the carpet. Using a vacuum with a beater
bar or rotating brush will loosen the dirt making it
easier for the vacuum to remove soil. Vacuums with
top-loading bags are preferred over bottom-loading bags.
Change the disposable bag or empty the vacuum often.
Carpet with thick loop pile construction (Berber) may be
sensitive to brushing, rubbing, or scrapping of the pile
surface which may cause fuzzing and pile distortion. It is
recommended that vacuums with suction action only be used
on these styles.
Carpet sweepers and electric brooms are useful for picking
up crumbs and surface soil, but it's important to know
that they will not deep clean.
Use preventative maintenance
Its
important to use runners at each door entrance. This will
greatly reduce the accumulation of dirt. |
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Clean Spots and Spills
Immediately
For
best results, give prompt attention to spots and spills.
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Use
a spoon or dull knife to remove solid materials. |
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Blot up liquid spills with a white towel. |
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Never rub, scrub, or use a brush. This may cause
damage to carpet fibers. |
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Use
a cleaning agent and procedure appropriate for the
type of stain being removed. |
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Apply all cleaning agents to the cloth rather than
directly to the stained area to avoid saturating the
carpet when spot cleaning. |
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Clean the fibers, not the backing. |
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Do
not rush. Deep stains might require repeat cleanings
because they can "wick" back up after initial
cleaning. |
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Work from the outside to the center of large stains.
This prevents spreading. |
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Hardwood |
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Take good care of your hardwood floors and theyll last a
lifetime.
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Water and hardwood floors don't mix! Use only the
manufacturer's recommended cleaning products on your
hardwood floor. |
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Small stones, mud and gritty dirt tracked in from
outside can scratch the finish of your wood floor's
finish. To help combat this, use long bristle welcome
mats placed at all outside entrances for people to
wipe their feet on before entering onto the floors.
Also, vacuum using a soft bristle brush attachment.
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Narrow wheels, sharp wooden legs or metal furniture
legs can scratch and dent hardwood floors. Any
furniture that rests directly on top of a hardwood
floor should have felt protectors, or furniture
coasters under all its feet. |
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There are many over the counter oil-based soaps and
wax based cleaning products that may damage or dull
the finish of your wood floor. The best suggestion is
to only use the manufacturers recommended cleaning
products on your hardwood flooring. |
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If
your hardwood floor has a polyurethane finish never
use a paste wax on the floor's surface. A paste wax
may form a sticky film on your floor and allow tracked
in dirt to stick to your wood finish. Polyurethane
finishes will not adhere to any wax and adding a fresh
coat of polyurethane to your floor will be very
difficult. |
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When accidents happen and some liquid gets spilled on
your hardwood floor, you should use a slightly damp
white cloth, or paper towel to immediately clean up
and dry the affected area. For more difficult spots,
follow the manufacturer's recommended cleaning
procedures. |
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Laminate |
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Although Laminate floors are tough, you should follow
these directions to keep them in good shape.
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Water and laminate floors don't mix! Use only the
manufacturer's recommended cleaning products on your
laminate floor. |
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Remove loose dirt by using a non-beater bar vacuum or
a dust mop. |
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Do
not use abrasive cleaners, steel wool, soap-based
detergents, waxes, polishes, or scouring powder as
they may scratch or dull the flooring surface.
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Wipe up spills immediately. Avoid allowing liquids to
stand on your flooring. |
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A
more frequent dust mopping or vacuuming schedule may
be required in high traffic or sandy areas.
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For
tough spots, such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden
the spot with ice and then gently scrape the spot with
a plastic scraper. Even a credit card will do. Be
careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Wipe
clean with a damp cloth. |
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Do
not use any type of buffing machine. |
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Use
protective mats at the entry and exits to help collect
the dirt and moisture that could damage the laminate
floor. |
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Use
floor protectors or glides under furniture legs. |
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Frequent vacuuming using a non-beater bar will pick up
dirt and grime. |
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Glazed Ceramic Tile |
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Glazed ceramic tile requires less floor care than most of
the other flooring types. However, there are things you
need to do to maintain the beauty of your ceramic tile
floor.
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Wash the floor regularly to remove any dirt or grit.
Use a mild, diluted detergent solution. |
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Sweep, or vacuum your glazed tile regularly.
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Ammonia based cleaners may discolor some types of
colored grout. |
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After washing with a mild detergent you should
thoroughly rinse the floor with clean, warm water. |
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The
glazed ceramic finish should never be waxed.
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Liquids spills may be wiped up with an all-purpose
cleaner, such as Fantastic or Top Job. This will also
help the grout joints from becoming discolored from
spilled liquids. |
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Non-epoxy grout joints should be treated with a
silicone grout sealer twice a year to help preserve
the grout color and to prevent discoloration from
spilled liquids. |
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Vinyl |
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Vacuum regularly to remove grit and sand. Wash your
floor occasionally with the recommended floor cleaner.
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Wipe up spills immediately. If necessary, clean with
the recommended cleaner. You can also clean with
lukewarm water and clear ammonia. |
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If
your floor becomes dull looking you may need to add
the recommended floor polish to restore the original
gloss level. First, try cleaning with lukewarm water
and clear ammonia to see if there is a film on your
floor causing the dullness. |
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Never use abrasive cleaners, soaps, paste waxes, or
solvents on your vinyl floor. |
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Place non-staining, walk-off mats or carpet runners at
every outside entry to your room. This will help keep
sand and grit from being tracked on to your floor. |
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Area Rugs |
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Regular vacuuming will help rugs retain their beauty and
will extend the life of the rug.
Clean spills
immediately with the following method: blot with a clean
cloth, spot clean with a solution of clear dish washing
detergent (non-bleach) and water, rinse with water, and
blot dry.
Have your
area rug professionally cleaned when needed using the hot
water extraction method. |
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