Care & Maintenance

To protect your flooring and prolong its lifespan, regular maintenance and cleanings are required. The information on this page is organized by flooring type. You can also download a four page PDF (over in the left column) which contains the same information in an easily printable format.

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Carpet - Care & Maintenance Tips
In heavily traveled areas carpet receives the most wear. To preserve the appearance and prolong the lifespan of your carpet, maintenance should be performed on a regular basis. We recommend that in order to limit the dirt and debris found in your carpet, different vacuum settings should be used depending on the type of carpet installed.

• Cut Piles (Saxony, Frieze, and Velvet) should be vacuumed using a beater bar setting.
• Berber or Loop piles should be vacuumed regularly with a straight suction setting.

The following are other tips that can help minimize your cleaning if done on a regular basis:

1. Remove spots as soon as something is spilled or tracked on the carpet. Never rub at a stain, instead blot the area with water and stain remover or use a professional dry cleaning product to remove small stains. If spills are not attended to they may become permanent.

2. Use mats or throw rugs in entryways and outside the house to collect dirt and debris, preventing it from reaching your carpet's surface.

3. Wear indoor shoes or slippers to prevent body oils from transferring to your carpet. Oily soil may be very difficult to remove after it has been on the carpet for a while and may be actually absorbed into the fiber, damaging the carpet.

4. Occasionally rearrange your furniture and area rugs to minimize damage from traffic patterns and sunlight exposure

5. To minimize fading, prevent direct exposure to sunlight. Take extra precaution with southern exposure windows as they are exposed to the highest degree of sunlight in Saskatoon.

It is important to have your carpets cleaned once every 1 to 2 years by a reputable professional cleaner, as care must be taken not to over-wet your carpets.

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Resilient - Care & Maintenance Tips
In order to maintain your resilient flooring appearance, the following maintenance tips should be performed on a regular basis. We recommend that you sweep or vacuum frequently to remove any dirt and debris that may scratch your floor. Other regular maintenance tasks include:

1. For spills that may occur, attend to them promptly using a slightly damp to avoid staining.

2. Use mats or throw rugs in entryways and outside the house to prevent dirt and debris from scratching your resilient.

Regularly wash your flooring using the manufacturer's suggested non-rinse detergent solutions, and nylon scouring pads in difficult areas. Refrain from using steel wool scouring pads, as they will scratch your floor. If the gloss level is minimal, reapply the manufacturer's polish or finish and buff to restore your floor's gloss.

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Hardwood - Care & Maintenance Tips
Maintaining the elegance and character of your hardwood floors has never been easier. For regular maintenance we recommend sweeping with a soft bristle broom or vacuuming as dirt and debris can collect in the bevelled edges of your hardwood. The following are tips that can help minimize your cleaning if done on a regular basis:

1. For spills that may occur, attend to them promptly using a dry or slightly damp cloth.

2. Do no use resilient or tile floor care products on wood floors, as they will cause your wood surface to become slippery or appear dull.

3. Use mats or throw rugs in entryways and outside the house to prevent dirt and debris from scratching your hardwood.

4. When cleaning your hardwood do not use a wet mop as water can dull the finish and damage the wood.

5. With a Urethane Finish you must not wax your hardwood. However, with a Waxed Finish you must wash your hardwood with a manufacturer's cleaner in order to strip the old wax, and then reapply a new coat of non-water based wax.

6. Refrain from walking on your hardwood while wearing sports shoes or high heels as the impact could dent the floors surface.

On a regular basis you should also use a manufacturer's cleaner that is designed specifically for hardwood. Refrain from using commercial cleaners that contain a dye or that have a high percentage of water content as they can damage your flooring by leaving a layer of residue. To determine which products are appropriate for your hardwood, please ask your Design Consultant.

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Laminate - Care & Maintenance Tips
The easiest way to protect the realistic beauty of your laminate flooring is by vacuuming, dust mopping or using a damp cloth on a routine basis. For spills, we recommend using a dry or slightly damp cloth. On a regular basis use a designated laminate flooring cleaner to clean your floors. Refrain from using soap based detergents as they can leave a dull residue on your floor. After washing, allow enough time to dry because like other smooth surfaces laminate becomes slippery when wet.

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Cork - Care & Maintenance Tips
To maintain the appearance of your cork floors, regular maintenance is necessary. We recommend that in addition to sweeping or vacuuming your cork floors, you should also wash your floors using a damp mop. Do not use soap-based detergent. Instead, on a regular basis use either a manufacturer's cork flooring cleaning solution or a wood flooring solution diluted with water. Do not use oils or wax to buff your flooring, instead use a non-wax finish to protect the appearance of your floor.

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Ceramic & Stone - Care & Maintenance Tips
For extra protection of your ceramic or stone grout, you should apply an acrylic grout sealer to you flooring and especially in areas susceptible to moisture. We recommend that you sweep or vacuum frequently to remove any dirt and debris that may scratch your floor. The following are tips that can help minimize your regular cleaning:

1. To collect additional dirt and debris, place mats or throw rugs in entryways and outside the house.

2. Attend to spills promptly using a dry or slightly damp cloth.

Regularly wash your flooring using an alkaline cleaner and either a nylon scouring pad or a brush for difficult areas. Refrain from using steel wool scouring pads and an abrasive or acidic cleaner as they can damage your tiles and grout. After washing with the alkaline cleaner, rinse the surface with clean water to remove any remaining residue. After your tiles have been washed, refrain from walking on the surface as high gloss tiles become slippery when wet.

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Area Rugs - Care & Maintenance Tips
To minimize the wear and tear that your area rugs may encounter, proper maintenance is required. The single best way to prolong the life of your area rug is to purchase a non-slip rug pad. Not only will this minimize your risk of slipping, but it will also lessen the wear that doors or other moving surfaces may have on your area rug (no curling edges).

Regular vacuuming and rotating the rug is necessary to prevent uneven wear. If long carpet fibres are visible on the surface on your area rug, refrain from pulling them out. Instead, carefully clip the long ends even with the rug's surface. Periodically clean your area rugs with a steam cleaner.

To clean spills or spots, blot the designated area with a clean sponge or cloth. Refrain from rubbing the surface as it can cause the yarns to fray. Ask your Design Consultant to recommend a proper solvent to use to remove tough stains from your area rug.

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