Care & Maintenance

Carpet Care & Maintenance

Carpet is an excellent way to add warmth and softness to any home. With the vast number of carpet styles and types of carpet available today, it’s no secret that carpet continues to be a top choice. While carpet has many advantages and some disadvantages, what you might be asking yourself is, “How do I care for carpet?” We have some recommendations, tips, and tricks on how to keep your carpeting looking fresh and clean. Whether you have a home full of children or pets, or you simply want to maintain your carpet to ensure it lasts as long as possible, you’ll love our easy-to-follow guide on how to clean and maintain the carpet in your home.

Vacuum 101

Vacuum regularly and more frequently in high traffic areas, and everywhere according to a vacuuming schedule, using a Seal of Approval-certified vacuum.

Proper vacuuming is the easiest and most effective way to keep your carpet clean. Regular vacuuming can also have the largest impact on the air you breathe by removing dust, dirt, allergens, and particles.

To get the most out of your vacuuming regime, remember these few easy tips:

A quick once-over doesn’t do much. Slow and steady does the trick.

When vacuuming, don’t ignore those corners and crevices where dust builds.

Remember to replace or empty vacuum bags when they are half to two-thirds full as this improves the efficacy of the vacuum.

How often should you vacuum?

As a rule of thumb, you should vacuum at least once a week with a quality vacuum cleaner. However, the more foot traffic over your carpet, the more you need to vacuum. The general formula is:

Vacuum daily in high-traffic areas.

Vacuum twice weekly in medium-traffic areas.

Vacuum weekly in light-traffic areas, using attachments at carpet edges.

Spots and spills

Clean spots and spills quickly with products that do not damage the carpet or cause it to resoil quicker. SOA-certified solutions to clean effectively and maintain the life of carpet.

Deep clean

Professionally deep clean your carpets every 12 to 18 months to remove embedded dirt and grime. SOA-certified cleaners are recommended and sometimes required by the manufacturer.

Leave dirt at the door

Stop dirt at the door by using mats outside and in, taking your shoes off when you enter the house and changing your air filters to reduce airborne dust particles.

Timber Care & Maintenance

Dirt and grit can lead to excess wear and scratching of a engineered timber floor. Use dirt trapping mats at all exterior doors to minimise dirt, sand and grit that might be brought inside. Small rugs and hall runners are also helpful for collecting dirt that can scratch a hardwood timber floor.

Regularly sweep high traffic areas with a soft bristle broom or electrostatic mop.

Fit protective pads to furniture legs to reduce risk of scuffing the floor when moved. To protect the floor surface use protective mats for furniture with castors. Barrel castors are less likely to damage a floor than ball castors.

In areas where extreme temperature changes or moisture variation are common, gaps or cupping may appear in the floor. Maintain an ambient temperature to avoid dryness that may cause gaps, or moisture increases that may cause cupping.

All engineered timber floors will fade, darken or change shade over time. Exposure to sunlight will increase this process.

Rotate rugs periodically and protect the floor from direct sunlight with curtains or blinds.

High heel shoes can dent a hard floor surface. Remove shoes that have exposed heels with sharp points to avoid potential damage to a hardwood timber floor.

Pets with long nails or claws can scratch and dull the floor finish, make sure pets nails or claws are trimmed regularly and kept blunt.

Cleaning tips

A hardwood timber floor will look better for longer if it is kept as clean as possible. To remove surface dirt and grit, regularly vacuum, with a soft bristle head or an electrostatic attachment, or sweep with an electrostatic mop. Keep door mats clean.

For stubborn dirt, damp-mop the floor using a well rung mop. The use of a pH neutral floor cleaner can help remove stubborn dirt (use as per manufacturer’s instructions).

Never clean a floor with common household detergents, polishes, steel wool pads, wax or similar products.

These products can be too abrasive and scratch the surface or may make a floor dangerously slippery.

Some products may leave a film of silicon or wax on the timber which may hamper recoating of your floor in the future. Never use Methylated Spirits or Kerosene, as any type of petroleum distillate will degrade the coating and irreversibly dull the floor. Only use a pH neutral floor cleaner as per manufacturer’s instructions.

Use only quality lint free floor mops and thoroughly wash new mops to remove any lint.

Wipe up spills and leaks promptly with a dry cloth or dry paper towel. For sticky substances, moisten the cloth slightly.

Over wetting a floor when mopping or cleaning can change the moisture balance and cause a floor to expand, with some resulting in cupping.

For this reason, it is important to ensure that mops and cloths are well wrung so that as little water solution as possible wets the floor.

Steam mops are not recommended for cleaning timber floors. Steam (moisture) is forced into the joints of the timber and any small, breaks or cracks on the timber floor surface which could result in unusual reactions in the timber such as cupping. The heat from the steam mop could also cause

damaged to the coating on the floor.

Best tool to clean hardwood floors

When it comes to hardwood and hardwood maintenance, you don't have to use tons of wood floor cleaners, cleaning solutions, or other homemade cleaning supplies. In fact, homemade hardwood floor cleaners and other non-recommended cleaners can damage the finish or void your floor warranty. It's important that you check with your hardwood manufacturer and the maintenance guidelines to ensure that you are not using cleaners that could cause damage to your floors or void your warranty!

Broom & Vacuum - A broom and a vacuum are excellent tools to use on hardwood floors because they pick up loose dirt and debris. We recommend that you sweep or vacuum twice a week for the best results. Sweeping or vacuuming hardwood floors will ensure that your space is free and clear of loose debris that can be tracked around easily by foot traffic. Also, be careful when using your vacuum as vacuum wheels and beater bars can take a toll on wood floors or damage them.
Microfiber Mop - A microfiber mop is another tool that is beneficial for cleaning UV Lacquered wood floors. These mops are gentle and effective, and they pick up dust and allergens from crevices and seams. Microfibre mops must NOT be used on oiled wood floors. It’s best to start with these tools and remove loose dirt before moving on to the next steps. High traffic areas like entryways, hallways, and stairs will see more debris, so take extra care when sweeping, vacuuming, or dust mopping these areas of your home.
Don't Use a Wet Mop - We don’t recommend that you use a wet mop with water or steam at any time. Hardwood is susceptible to warping when exposed to water, which means that damages happen quickly when using any water-based product to clean them.

Vinyl Care & Maintenance

Vinyl flooring is an excellent choice for almost any home because of its durability, long-lasting strength, and beautiful looks. While these features are beneficial for many, vinyl is also known for its easy maintenance. Properly caring for your vinyl floor can help extend its life and preserve its appearance, so it’s an excellent idea to get ahead of it. Whether you have a home full of pets or children, you’ll be able to keep your home looking its best with our tips and tricks for cleaning and maintaining luxury vinyl floors.

From the best tools to clean vinyl planks, everyday cleaning tips, how often to clean vinyl, and ideas on how to prevent damages and dirt, our guide is full of ways to ensure that your home is ready to handle any accident, spill, or pile of dirt that happens.

Keep your floor clean & protect it against scratching

Keeping dirt off the floor is easier and less expensive than removing it. Proper entrance walk-off material is able to remove large amounts of dry soil as well as absorb water or oil-based moisture. Protect your floor against scratching from furniture feet by using wide, free-moving, castors, glides, rollers or pads.

Vacuuming regularly

Regular vacuuming is the most important part of a successful maintenance program to remove all grit, debris and other solid particles.

Remove a spill quickly!

The prompt removal of stains/soil marks is necessary to maintain your floors appearance. If stains are not dealt with immediately, they may become permanent and even a professional cleaner may be unable to help.

Avoid rubber stains or discolouration!

Avoid mats, furniture legs, castors and the like with rubber or latex undersides. These can cause stains. Provide the necessary sun protection so that harmful UV rays do not change the colour of the floor.

Routine cleaning

DAILY: Sweep or vacuum a vinyl floor in high-traffic areas to prevent scratches and scuff marks. You can also use a dust mop.

WEEKLY: Mop the floor.

Laminate Care & Maintenance

Laminate flooring might be more durable than traditional wood floors, but it’s still possible to damage or stain it if you’re not careful. The damage can range from surface-level blemishes to multi-layer penetration. The staining can be simple grime through to bleaching.

Water damage to laminate floors

Less is more when it comes to water on your laminate flooring – yes, even while cleaning. While properly installed laminate floors will be as water-tight as possible, excess water will seep in. Left unchecked, this can cause your planks to swell, damaging your floor irreparably.

Using the wrong cleaners

Incorrect usage of cleaning products is almost always the culprit of chemical damage to laminate floors. The wrong cleaner can dull the look of your laminate floors or worse, eat away the protective upper layers.

Vacuuming and sweeping

Dirt is a universal enemy and the same goes for dirt on your laminate floor. Regular sweeping and vacuuming are essential to keep the abrasive action of dust and debris from dulling the finish of your laminate. That said, vacuuming or sweeping the wrong way can also deal damage. Vacuum with the brush roller switched on and it will cause micro-scratches to build up on your floors. The same goes for sweeping with a bristle broom, no matter how soft.

Houseplants

Keeping your indoor plants watered is great for the plants, but it only takes a bit of spillage to go a long way to damaging your laminate flooring. And the larger the pot, the bigger the area that’ll be masked until it’s too late!

Sunlight

A sun-dappled house may look great on Instagram, but harsh sunlight that hits your laminate floor in a regular pattern every day can gradually fade out sections of your chosen style in the pattern layer.

Heavy furniture

That perfect statement piece might just be making a statement gouge in your laminate flooring. Furniture without proper furniture pads is a no-no when it comes to laminate. This goes double if it’s a piece you get a lot of use out of such as couches or tables. Just the act of pulling out a chair every day can build up to hefty damage over time.

The best way to clean wood laminate floors? Prevention!

The optimal way to keep your laminate floors clean is to stay on top of routine maintenance. Consistent once-over cleaning will keep them in much better condition than an occasional attempt at a deep scrub. Here is what we recommend.

Sweep or vacuum

The simplest of all floor-cleaning routines. Dirt doesn’t just affect the look of your home, it also causes tiny scratches in laminate that build up to dull the surface of your floors. You should sweep or vacuum your laminate flooring at least once a week. To ensure your broom or vacuum isn’t scratching your floors, employ the use of a soft dust mop and ensure your vacuum’s brush is in the ‘up’ setting.

Wipe up spills ASAP

Laminate floors seem like they are totally waterproof, but they’re not. Liquids will seep in over time (think of those small leaks that can build up under fridges). The best advice is to clean up the spill and then use a completely dry cloth or paper towel to remove all dampness.

Rugs Care & Maintenance

Caring for your rugs is essential to preserve their beauty and longevity. Regular vacuuming and shaking out dust and debris are the first steps in rug maintenance. Additionally, consider rotating your rugs periodically to ensure even wear and exposure to sunlight. With these simple yet effective practices, you can enjoy the charm and durability of your rugs for many years.

Vacuum regularly

Regular light vacuuming is recommended with your vacuum on the lowest setting (without bristles or combs) A good quality vacuum cleaner is recommended to remove dust and dirt from a shag pile or high pile rug. We suggest avoiding powerful vacuums or power heads as stiff bristles and strong suction can damage the pile. For everyday cleaning, a simple shake outside will remove excess dust, dirt and fluff.

Clean spills & spot immediately

The prompt removal of stains/soil marks is necessary to maintain your rugs appearance. If stains are not dealt with immediately, they may become permanent and even a professional cleaner may be unable to help. Spills should be cleaned immediately. Never rub a spill, instead blot any liquids with a dry absorbent white cloth or white paper towel. Some stains may be cleaned with a mild detergent and lukewarm water. If the stain cannot be removed, like a paint, nail polish, shoe polish, seek specialist advice. Do not machine wash rugs.

Sunlight & fading

Placing rugs in direct and continuous sunlight will cause them to fade. It is best to avoid placing a rug in direct sunlight if possible, and to regularly rotate your rug if sunlight is falling on one area of the rug. Fading will happen slowly over time, and this bleaching effect will permanently damage your rug. It occurs more obviously with darker coloured rugs and natural fibres.

Rotating your rug

Try to rotate your rug every 6-12 months to ensure even wear.

Furniture markings

Be aware that some heavy furniture can mark and flatten the pile in rugs, causing irreversible damage. Some heavy or sharp-edged furniture pieces, or constant moving of furniture, can pull the rug out of shape so it appears less square.

Get your rug cleaned professionally every year

Try to have your rugs professionally cleaned once every 6-12 months, using a professional carpet/rug cleaner. Professional cleaning should be carried out only by a reputable company, and they should avoid using any shampoos or cleaners with a spirit base.

Sisal Care & Maintenance

Caring for sisal is crucial to maintain its natural beauty and durability. Regularly vacuuming your sisal carpet helps to remove surface dirt and prevent it from becoming embedded. Additionally, it's essential to keep sisal dry as moisture can cause damage, so avoid placing it in high-humidity areas and clean spills promptly to prevent staining. With these practices in mind, you can ensure your sisal rug or carpet remains an elegant and long-lasting addition to your space.

Cleaning Sisal flooring

Regular vacuuming with a cylinder vacuum is perfectly adequate to keep your Sisal flooring looking fresh and clean. For any stains or marks that the vacuum won’t remove then there are cleaning products designed especially for natural fibre and these should be used. Never use water on natural fibre products unless specified by the manufacturer to do so. If you wish to give the product a full clean after years of use or after a spillage etc there are local cleaners in all areas that specialise in the dry extract cleaning methods of plant fibre flooring.

Placement

As sisal is derived from a natural plant fibre it is inherently absorbent. It is important therefore that sisal carpet and rugs are not placed in areas that are damp, where spills are likely to occur or where significant changes in humidity levels are likely to cause condensation.

Cleaning

NEVER steam clean or wet shampoo your sisal carpet or rug. A dry-cleaning process is recommended.

As liquid spills will attract dirt particles, when a spill occurs, even if it is clean water, it is important that it is promptly removed by blotting with a clean white cloth or absorbent paper.

NEVER rub as this can spread the spill to a larger area and may also work the spill deeper into the sisal fibres.

To remove solid substances, first remove by scraping with a spoon or dull side of a knife, being sure to work from the outside of the spot to the centre.

Artificial Grass Care & Maintenance

One of the most appealing features of an artificial grass lawn is its minimal maintenance. It doesn’t require the amount of care that real lawns need. You don’t have to mow, weed or aerate artificial lawn to keep it green. Plus, you won’t waste huge amounts of water and fertiliser, so an artificial grass lawn installation can be cheaper in the long run, even if it’s a bit pricier than natural grass.

However, accidents happen. Your pet might urinate on the grass or food and drinks might spill during one of your outdoor brunches. These stains and spills must be removed to keep your artificial lawn looking its best. Proper and regular maintenance will also prolong the lifespan of the grass, maximising your investment.

Regularly remove leaves and debris

The first step to cleaning and caring for your artificial grass is to regularly remove leaves and debris using a petrol leaf blower (for best results), a stiff brush, or a plastic rake. Additionally, to limit the number of leaves falling onto the lawn, regularly trim back hedges and overhanging trees.

Brushing

If there is no transfer of dirt or soil, artificial grass is pretty much self-cleaning. However, if the grass needs cleaning, hosing it down using a light detergent and a stiff brush (or a mechanical brush for best results) is recommended.

Remove pet waste

If you have dogs or pets, it’s important to eradicate pet urine odours and mess to keep your lawn clean and fresh.

Avoid mirrors and other reflective surfaces

Please be aware that outdoor mirrors, mirrored walls, reflective and shiny surfaces, and energy-efficient windows can have an adverse effect on our surfaces, and, as such, are not recommended to be used in any project where Artificial Lawn is laid, as any damage caused by such items will not be covered by any warranty.

Avoid using BBQs and other heat sources directly on the lawn

Please be aware that barbeques and other items that generate heat should not be placed directly on the artificial lawn as they can burn the grass due to the intense heat generated from them. It is best practice to place BBQs on a patio.

Hybrid Care & Maintenance

Overall, hybrid flooring is a versatile and durable flooring option that offers the best features of both laminate and vinyl flooring. It is suitable for use in a wide range of applications, and can provide a beautiful and functional flooring solution for any space.

Post-installation care of hybrid flooring

While hybrid flooring is incredibly durable, it still benefits from some care and maintenance.

When moving heavy furniture or appliances across hybrid flooring, avoid dragging or pushing lest you create scratches or gouges.

If an item must be dragged or pushed, use a mat or towel beneath the item to facilitate smooth movement and protect the flooring.

Not enough people know that heavy furniture can do damage even when it is stationary. To help protect your floor, install rubber floor protectors under your larger household items. If your furniture is on wheels, ensure the wheels themselves are suitable for a vinyl floor.

You should avoid exposing your hybrid floors to intense heat, such as cigarette ash. It can cause permanent singe marks that damage the floor.

Post-installation maintenance of hybrid flooring

As with any floor, careful cleaning and maintenance will extend the lifetime of your hybrid flooring. Here are some everyday tips for caring for your floor.

To avoid bringing dirt and sand indoors, install a suitable floor mat with a non-staining and non-marking backing at each entrance to your premises.

You should sweep or vacuum your hybrid floors regularly to avoid the buildup of dirt and grime. When vacuuming, ensure you’re doing so without the beater bar engaged – this will prevent accidental scratches.

All spills should be wiped up immediately. This prevents water or chemical damage to your floors. When cleaning spills, avoid using abrasive scrubbing tools or cleaners on your floors.

While our hybrid floors are waterproof, this doesn’t prevent the transmittance of moisture. Care should be taken to keep liquids from collecting on either side of the planks. This will prevent the growth of mildew and mould.