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Flooring Care and Maintenance

Please read this information carefully. These instructions are intended to provide the homeowner with proper care and maintenance instruction for the flooring products that have been installed in your new home. Following these care instructions will help keep your flooring looking new for years to come. While your flooring is manufactured and installed to last it’s full intended lifespan, failure to follow these care instructions will cause premature wear or permanent damage to your flooring

WHILE YOUR FLOORING IS MANUFACTURED AND INSTALLED TO LAST IT’S FULL INTENDED LIFESPAN, FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE CARE INSTRUCTIONS WILL CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR OR PERMANENT DAMAGE TO YOUR FLOORING.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring weekly care – Your hard laminate floor has a laminate finish that makes it resistant to dirt and dust. It is critical to follow these guidelines to keep your floors clean and protected. Sweep the floor frequently to remove loose dust and grit. This is very critical to the long term performance of the floor and its finish. Small particles of loose grit act like sandpaper on the surface, wearing it down over time and dulling the gloss. Regular sweeping will help keep these harmful particles off the floors. Day to day wear will ‘dull’ the floor as dirt and oils get deposited onto the surface. To clean these away, use a cleaning solution specially formulated for your floor.

  • Recommended Cleaners – An alcohol-based laminate cleaner. Never flood the floor with water, never damp mop your floor, never spray cleaner or water directly onto the floor, and never use a steam cleaner on your laminate floors. Do not use soap-based detergents, oils, waxes, polishes, lacquers, bleach, scouring agents, ‘all in one floor cleaners’, or oil soaps. These products will either damage the finish, or leave residues that dull the appearance of the floor or cause the floor to warp or bubble up from excessive or prolonged exposure to moisture.
  • Pre spray a microfiber/terry cloth dry mop lightly then mop the floor. Spot clean with a damp rag if needed.
  • Never flood the floor with water, never damp mop your floor, never spray cleaner or water directly onto the floor, and never use a steam cleaner on your laminate floors. Do not use soap-based detergents, oils, waxes, polishes, lacquers, bleach, scouring agents, ‘all in one floor cleaners’, or oil soaps. These products will either damage the finish, or leave residues that dull the appearance of the floor or cause the floor to warp or bubble up from excessive or prolonged exposure to moisture.

Items to Consider to Increase the Longevity of Your Floor

  • Use doormats outside each entrance to your home to prevent dirt, sand, grit and other substances such as oil, asphalt and driveway sealer from being tracked onto your floor.
  • Promptly remove all liquid spills, including pet urine, water, ice, drinks, rain, snow, etc. as these can cause permanent unwarrantable damage to your laminate floors.
  • For furnishings, use wide-bearing, non-staining floor protectors. Use clear, hard plastic, for lighter items. Use felt protectors, for heavy furnishings.
  • Promptly put window coverings on all large windows that get a lot of sunlight. Heavy sun exposure can affect performance of the flooring and cause it to expand and fade.

Manufacturing Recommendations

For additional questions about care and maintenance, call your flooring manufacturer.

Contact EDGE Homes Customer Service if you need assistance locating the manufacturer information for the flooring installed in your home at edgehomes.com or on the EDGE Homes App.

Touch Ups and Repairs

Use a Gel stain or Wax repair kit. These can be purchased at most Home Improvement Centers.

Tile Flooring

  • Tile is waterproof and very low maintenance. Use non-abrasive cleaners and sponges to avoid scuffing the tile finish.
  • Use cleaners with a balanced pH level as cleaners high in acid or ammonia can discolor/damage grout as well as the glaze on the tile.
  • Cracks in the grout and caulk will happen as the house begins to settle. Repair of those cracks is considered homeowner maintenance.
  • Grout is not sealed as part of the construction process of your home. It is recommended that you seal the grout within 30 days of moving in and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations thereafter.
  • If mopping your tile floor, be careful not to dampen any surrounding non-waterproof materials such as laminate floors, carpet, baseboard, cabinets etc.

Carpet Flooring

  • In addition to frequent vacuuming, it’s important to deep clean your carpet on a regular basis. Cleaning systems will remove the oils and sticky soil that vacuums can’t remove, and will help keep your carpet looking great over time.
  • Cleaning systems target the soils that result from cooking vapors, air pollution, and tracked-in dirt. These particles of oily soil deposited on carpet fibers can cause gradual but significant dulling of colors and wear. The color isn’t lost, but is hidden under the film. If this type of soil is allowed to accumulate, it begins to attract and hold the dry soil expediting the premature wear.
  • Get on a cleaning schedule. Carpets in a typical household should be professionally cleaned using a truck mount system every 12 to 18 months, depending on the number of residents and amount of activity.

Types of Cleaning

Spot and Spill Removal – Prompt attention to spills can prevent a stain from setting. Avoid using bleach or spot removal products that will leave a residue.

Vacuuming – Vacuum high-traffic areas to prevent matting. Use a vacuum with soft bristles and an adjustable beater bar.

Hot Water Extraction or Steam Cleaning – Every 12-18 months depending on the traffic in your home to remove oils and particulates that accelerate soiling.

Mats – Place mats at doorways to prevent the majority of staining and soiling. Oily/wet/sweaty feet and socks can cause carpet fibers to mat or lose texture retention and attract dirt (especially in high traffic areas). Remove shoes and wear house slippers when possible.

Tack Strip – The tack strip is needed to hold your carpet down and maintain a good stretch. We use industry standard tack strips with standard pin heights. You may feel some tack pins along the edges of your carpets and on carpeted stair treads. Feeling tack pins IS NOT a warranty item. If there are pins that you feel in your heavy traffic areas, you can lightly tap/hammer down the sharp point of the pin. Do not bend the pin all the way down to the floor as this will cause the tack strip to lose integrity and not keep your carpets properly stretched.

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