We've seen them! You've, no doubt, seen them too! Those cleaning hack internet articles that have you pulling out the mop and whatever method, remedy, or additions to cleaners they are using to promote their own products - And, we say WAIT! What about my warranty!! Before you try one of these "hacks", let's talk about the proper cleaning, care & maintenance of your own floors.  Today our focus is hard surface flooring with a reference guide that you'll save (yes, please) to keep your quality purchases up to their intended performance.

What's got me going?  A recent "hack" of adding essential oils, now before you judge, I do love essential oils! Just not in a mop bucket with water intended to scrub any wood floors, especially our beautiful hardwood floors.  It's the easiest way to remove the natural luster of the hardwood and your warranty along with it.
So, what is the best way to clean, care and maintain the beauty of Hardwood Flooring? 
All of our vendors agree, it is with a floor cleaner specifically made for your hardwood finishes.
 

Water and Wood Don't Mix . . .

A little snippet from our friends at Hallmark Hardwood Flooring: Do not use unauthorized maintenance products: Such as oils, soaps, paste was, cleaners containing citrus oils, tung oils, ammonias, or cleaners containing silicone.   For their entire article on care and maintenance click here

QUICK TIP: always refer to warranty guidelines

From Hardwood to Laminate Floors . . .
Friends Don't Let Friends Steam Mop

"But, my steam mop says I can."  I was at a client’s home recently visiting the laminate floors we had installed and there she was, her housekeeper, steam mopping away on our beautiful new floors!  True, many of the popular steam mop brands do list laminate floors right on the box as was pointed out to me, but don't you believe it.  Manufacturer'’ warranties do not include "other people cleaning" in their warranty, which brings us to "Friends don't let friends steam mop".
 

All Roads Lead To A Clean Sweep

Then there's Vinyl Planking, with possibly the largest misconception for cleaning that we come across on a daily basis.  Did you know that steam mopping a vinyl plank floor, even the newer waterproof vinyl plank floors, has the potential to damage the floor?  The steam results in dripping water that will seep between the planks loosening the glue that holds the planks in place and the heat from the mop will cause the vinyl to warp or bend.  The entire process will also dull the finish.  

What is recommended?  The "Laminate Floor Tips" video above is a great start for your vinyl plank floors with these exceptions:  It is okay to lightly damp mop vinyl, ahem...lightly, and a Neutral-PH balanced floor cleaner designed for vinyl floors is the go-to for restoring the luster.

Do Use The Power Of Steam For . . .

With all of our "don'ts", we actually love saying "Do"!  And, we put the steam mop back into action when it comes to tile.  There are so many different types of tile to consider though, and I think this photo captures them all with natural stone and man-made tile as well.  Avoiding harsh chemicals is the best rule to follow along with these tips on how to clean the shower that apply just as well to your floors.  Click for more on cleaning tile.

Thank you so much for joining in on this Blog post!  We do have an attachment to our floors long after the sale is through. Preserving the quality of the floors through care, cleaning and maintenance is a great first step to loving your own floors for years to come. We hope you'll help us get the word out to the world-wide-web by liking and sharing this blog post.  If you do have any questions or comments on the care and maintenance of your own floors, please leave them in the comment section, or give us a call at (805) 237-1400. 

We’re happy to be of service.