Browse the Tabs Below for Our Floor Care Guides…
Carpet Care
Carpet is the most widely sold floor covering in the United States.
A good checklist to handle spills should include the following items. Do not use any household cleaners other than those listed, since many household products contain chemicals that may permanently damage your carpet.
A solution of a mild liquid detergent (no more than 1/4 teaspoon of detergent to 32 ounces of water). A clear, non-bleach liquid dishwashing detergent such as Dawn, Joy, or clear Ivory is recommended. Do not use detergents that are cloudy or creamy because they may leave a sticky residue.
- A solution of 1 part white vinegar to 1 part water.
- White cloths or white paper towels.
- An ammonia solution of one tablespoon of ammonia to one cup of water. Do not use on wool or wool-blend carpets.
- Non-oily nail polish remover.
- Chewing gum remover (freeze or solid type).
- Spot remover specifically for grease, oil, or tar, such as Carbona or Energine.
NOTE: Difficult stains on carpets made from solution-dyed fibers such as polypropylene (olefin) may be removed with a mild bleach solution (one part chlorine bleach to five parts water).
WARNING: Do not use bleach solution unless you are absolutely certain your carpet is solution dyed. Carpet dyed by other systems will be damaged. If in doubt, call 1(800)441-SHAW.
General Cleaning Instructions:
Prompt attention to spots and spills is essential. No carpet is stain proof, although many are stain resistant, which allows time to act.
- Remove as much of food spills as possible by scraping gently with a spoon or dull knife.
- Absorb wet spills as quickly as possible by blotting repeatedly with white paper or cloth towels.
- Always blot; never rub or scrub abrasively, as a fuzzy area may result. When blotting, work from the outer edge in toward the center of the spot to avoid spreading the spill.
- Always follow up with water to remove detergent residue that may become sticky and cause rapid re-soiling.
- Draw out any remaining moisture by placing several layers of white towels over the spot and weigh them down with a heavy object that will not transfer color, such as a plastic jug of water.
NOTE: Wool fibers absorb more water than synthetic fibers without feeling damp, so it is important to remove all excess moisture.
For rooms with light traffic, vacuum the traffic lanes twice weekly and the entire area once weekly. Those areas with heavier traffic require that the traffic lanes be vacuumed daily and the entire area twice weekly. Up to three passes of the machine will suffice for light soiling, but five to seven passes are necessary for heavily soiled areas. Change the vacuuming direction occasionally to help stand the pile upright and reduce matting.
Tile Care :
Natural stone and slate : Most natural stones are very porous and apt to stains. The best advice we can give is to seal your stone as needed depending on the brand and quality of sealer to prevent penetrating stains. As far as cleaning the tile, any one rinse cleaner will take care of most jobs. Grout: Grout is very absorbent and will soak up all water, oil, and other substances introduced to it.
Grout : may be cleaned with any quality cleaner, but is very difficult to KEEP clean. You may stain, seal, or color grout after you clean it if the stains have soaked in and will not come out. Grout stain is available in almost any grout color you can get. The best piece of advice we can give you is to seal your grout as needed to prevent discoloration. If you grout darkens after cleaning, it needs to be resealed.
Ceramic and Porcelain : In order to clean your ceramic or porcelain tile, you may use soap and water. These tiles cannot be sealed because they are glazed and nonabsorbent.
Hardwood Flooring :
Your floor is protected by Robbins exclusive ForEver polyurethane no-wax finish, which makes taking care of a hardwood floor easy. And the finish is ultraviolet (or UV)-cured for even greater durability. What is more, its guaranteed not to wear through for a full five years (see Premium Lifetime Guarantee brochure for details).Thanks to these advances in finishing technology, your hardwood floor is actually easier to care for than carpet or vinyl. Here is all you have to do for average minimum care: 1. Vacuum or sweep your floor once a week. A good quality dust mop is also highly recommended to eliminate finer particles of grit and dirt that can act like sandpaper on a hardwood floor.2. Spills and tracked-in dirt should be cleaned immediately. Using Robbins ForEver Hardwood Flooring Cleaner, lightly spray the surface and wipe with a sponge mop or a soft cloth. Excess cleaner that does not evaporate immediately should be dried with a clean towel. No rinsing is necessary.3. Twice a year, apply Robbins ForEver Coat Polyurethane Top Dressing. The application of this top dressing can be done in one-step and is ultra-easy. Simple apply with a sponge mop and let dry. (See the product container for complete details.)
Laminate Flooring :
Once a Mannington Laminate Floor has been installed, it will be extremely easy to care for since its melamine wear layer with DiamondGard is impervious to dirt and dust. Ordinary vacuuming or sweeping is usually sufficient for cleaning, with occasional wiping or damp mopping with Mannington Award Series Cleaner solution. IMPORTANT: a Mannington Laminate Floor should never be waxed, sanded or lacquered. Take a look at how easy even tough stains can be removed from our laminate surfaces. Its no wonder this is the right floor for you life. TOUGH STAINSEASY SOLUTIONSJuice, wine, grease, chocolate—Dampen a rag with Mannington Award Series Cleaner .or warm water and mild detergent and spot clean. Cigarette burns, shoe polish—Dampen a rag with alcohol or nail polish remover and spot Asphalt, paint, crayon, ink, clean. Dried foods, nail polish, Candle wax, chewing gum—Allow to harden and gently scrape with a plastic scraper.
