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Tip # 1
To prevent dirt, grit, and other substances such as oil, and driveway sealer from being tracked onto your floor, use doormats outside each entrance to your home.
Tip # 2
Use quality area rugs inside entryways to prevent dirt and moisture from being tracked onto your hardwood floor.
Tip # 3
Close your curtains or blinds where intense sunlight hits the floor. A combination of heat and sunlight causes most solid surface flooring to fade or discolor.
Tip # 4
Do not put rubber-backed, latex-backed, or cocofiber mats on your vinyl floor because they will stain or damage the surface.
Tip # 5
For routine maintenance of ceramic floor tiles, sweep or vacuum (without a beater-bar), then use a damp mop.
Tip # 6
When vacuuming rugs with fringe, place the vacuum on the rug and pull toward you to keep the fringe from becoming tangled or damaged.
Tip # 7
To prevent slippage of area rugs, use quality vinyl rug underlay. Don't use rubber, foam back, or plastic mats as they may discolor hardwood floors.
Tip # 8
To reduce damage to wood floors don't walk on your floor with "stiletto-style" heels as they may cause indentations. Also, keep all pets’ nails trimmed and filed.
Tip # 9
Occasionally, loose tufts will appear above the carpet surface. To remove the loose tufts, clip them to be even with the carpet’s surface. Do not pull out loose ends! If you do, you may permanently damage the carpet.
Tip # 10
Open doors and windows and use fans to keep the air circulating during installation of carpet and for up to 72 hours afterwards to remove “new carpet” smell.
Tip # 11
Your carpet will display “crushing” in spots where heavy objects have been placed. Frequent vacuuming helps to raise the carpet’s pile.
Tip # 12
Hot water extraction and cleaning should be done by a carpet care professional every one to two years to refresh the texture and rejuvenate the fibers in your carpet.
Tip # 13
Vacuum heavy-traffic areas every day if possible. Less heavily used areas can be maintained with once-a-week vacuuming.
Tip # 14
Rearrange your furniture periodically to give some areas of your carpet a rest and lengthen its life.
Tip # 15
Berber carpet is excellent for high-traffic areas because it can withstand a lot of wear and tear.
Tip # 16
Saxony carpets have an elegant look and are very comfortable and versatile. Some saxonies are known as velvets, which are usually used in more formal settings.
Tip # 17
Cut & Loop carpet has a sculptured look and hides wear and tear and footprints, so it's ideal for active families.
Tip # 18
Shag and Cable carpet is slightly similar to the shag carpet of the 1970s, only with a more contemporary look and exciting new textures.
Tip # 19
Because vinyl flooring is durable and easy to keep clean, it's a top choice for kitchens, bathrooms, recreation areas, and other well-used rooms.
Tip # 20
Laminate floors can look like real wood, tile or stone and will not scuff, indent, or fade in high traffic areas.
Tip # 21
To ensure that new flooring can be properly installed, be sure to have your home temperature at a minimum of 65 degrees for at least 24 hours before to 24 hours after the installation.
Tip # 22
When doing multiple sanding and finishing cycles on hardwood floors, do not re-sand the wood until it is completely dry.
Tip # 23
Use 220-grit sandpaper instead of steel wool when sanding water-based hardwood finishes because undetected steel fibers can cause rust marks.
Tip # 24
Most professionals avoid bleaching hardwood floors because the process may weaken the wood. However, many flooring companies offer pre-finished hardwoods in bleached, pickled and other specialty finishes.
Tip # 25
Small, narrow, or rooms with low ceilings will appear more spacious with a neutral carpet that subtly blends with the wall color.
Tip # 26
A large or disproportioned room will become cozier when carpeted in a strong color that contrasts with the wall.
Tip # 27
When choosing a carpet color, examine the carpet sample in the room where it will be used in the daylight and at night. Also, place it in the center of the room, against a window wall, and in a dark corner because lighting effects exactly how a color will look.
Tip # 28
Decorators consider the floor the “fifth wall” in a room, and its color is as important as those of the walls, window treatments, furniture or ceiling.
Tip # 29
Bamboo flooring now comes in over 30 colors, ranging from its natural blond hue, to darker amber shades.
Tip # 30
To clean difficult spots from ceramic tile floors use a soft brush or synthetic scouring pad. Do not use steel wool or a metal brush, as these may scratch the surface of the tiles.
Tip # 31
Area rugs can hide flaws in a room, like stained or damaged flooring. They also prevent wear in heavy traffic areas, provide buffers for sound, and provide insulation.
Tip # 32
Often, flooring retailers will offer financing with as little as 10% down after filling out a credit application. Repayment terms vary from six months to as much as three years.
Tip # 33
When installing carpet, place seams where natural light is strongest to help hide them, or place them under large pieces of furniture. Avoid seams where there is regular traffic, and do not place them over cushion seams.
Tip # 34
When installing carpet, remember that even solid color carpeting has a “pattern.” The pile, or tufts, in your new carpet have a direction, and you must be careful that all adjacent carpet is laid in the same direction.
Tip # 35
Hardwood floors should be refinished if water leaves a dark, wet spot and soaks right in.
Tip # 36
A revolutionary new flooring product, Naturcor cushioned vinyl, is designed to mimic the beautiful, natural look of hardwood or stone while providing a strong, durable, but cushioned surface.
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