Flooring

Some shrinkage or warpage of hardwood floors may occur, especially around heat vents or heat producing appliances. If your wood floors become wet repeatedly (via tracking in of wet shoes), or are soaked through even once, warping will occur. Moisture, tracked in on wet shoes, also causes a filmy, white surface on hardwood floors.
Clip snagged carpet fibers with scissors, don’t pull.
If you have to move appliances across resilient flooring, roll the appliance straight forward, don’t “walk” it side to side. You may also try laying a piece of cardboard on the floor for protection.
Use white toothpaste and an old toothbrush to clean tile-grout stains. The pumice in toothpaste is a sufficient abrasive.
Do not add attic flooring which will compress the insulation. Compressed insulation loses its effectiveness in saving energy.
Vacuum at least once a week to keep allergens down. For maintenance, vacuum against the grain occasionally.
For a cheap and convenient dusting tool, wet 2 socks and place 1 on each hand. 2-fisted dusting in half the time!
Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges and limes, when freshly squeezed, make good all-purpose cleaners. Simply mix the juice with water for day-to-day regular cleaning, but for stubborn stains, use full strength.
Club soda should be applied to a red wine stain as soon as possible. However, a stubborn (or dried) red wine stain can often be removed by dabbing with a little hydrogen peroxide or a paste of cream of tartar and water.
Durable and decorative, ceramic tile requires relatively little maintenance. Although the tile itself is impenetrable to water the grouted joints between the tiles can absorb water.
Tiles may separate from the area directly next to the tub, shower or counter tops due to normal shrinkage and settling. This separation is a normal occurrence and should be remedied to prevent water from seeping into the tiled area.
Attach furniture protectors underneath furniture legs to protect floor finishes.
Apply grout sealer to ceramic tile grout if you wish to give the grout additional protection against discoloration from spills and stains.
It is important to understand that concrete is a porous material that will expand, contract, and crack as a result of temperature changes, shrinkage, stress and settlement. Hairline cracks that may appear on foundation walls and be visible on garage floors are common and are usually cosmetic, as opposed to structural. Shrinkage occurs from the normal curing process of concrete that varies with the time of year and the moisture conditions that exist when the concrete is poured. Slab stress and settlement are typically caused by soil conditions and loads such as the weight of the walls. These forces can create a variety of stresses which, in combination with seasonal temperature variations, can cause concrete and masonry foundations to develop non-structural cracks.
Home Slab & Garage Slab: Due to the large size of concrete home and garage slabs, shrinkage cracks (less than ¼’ wide) are common, and are usually the result of the expansion and contraction. These shrinkage cracks are normal and it is best to leave them alone, since attempts to fill the cracks will not stop the expansion and contraction. Cracks in slabs, patios, garage floors, sidewalks and driveways are common and require no additional attention. They are cosmetic in nature and do not affect the integrity of the concrete. Any attempt to repair chips or cracks will result in product and color variation.
While normal vacuuming will only remove loose fibers from carpet yarns, an occasional tuft may be lifted above the surface. Do not pull out the tuft, just snip it off with scissors to the length of the other tufts. Color fading and spots caused by sunlight are normal and can be minimized by using the draperies during the day, or by using sheer drapes to reduce incoming sunlight. Some colors may fade faster than others.
Vacuum twice each week lightly and once a week thoroughly. Heavy traffic areas may require more frequent cleaning. A light vacuuming is three passes; a thorough job may need several passes. A vacuum cleaner with a beater-bar agitates the pile and is more effective in bringing dirt to the surface for easy removal.
Vacuuming high-traffic areas daily helps keep them clean and maintains the upright position of the nap. Wipe spills and clean stains immediately. For best results, blot or dab any spill or stain; avoid rubbing. Test stain removers on an out-of-the-way area of the carpet, such as in a closet, to check for any undesirable effects. Have your carpet professionally cleaned regularly, usually once a year.
Stains: No carpet is stain proof. Although your carpet manufacturer designates your carpet as stain-resistant, some substances may still cause permanent staining.
Crushing: Furniture and traffic may crush a carpet’s pile fibers. Frequent vacuuming in high-traffic areas and glides or cups under heavy pieces of furniture can help prevent this. Rotating your furniture to change the traffic pattern in a room promotes more even wear. Some carpets resist matting and crushing because of their level of fiber, but this does not imply or guarantee that no matting or crushing will occur. Heavy traffic areas such as halls and stairways are more susceptible to wear and crushing. This is considered normal wear.
Fading: Science has yet to develop a color that will not fade with time. All carpets will slowly lose some color due to natural and artificial forces in the environment. You can delay this process by frequently removing soil with vacuuming, regularly changing air filters in heating and ac systems, keeping humidity and room temperature from getting too high, and reducing sunlight exposure with window coverings.
Seams: Carpet usually comes in 12’ widths, making seams necessary in most rooms. Visible seams are not a defect unless they have been improperly made or unless the material has a defect, making the seam appear more pronounced than normal. The more dense and uniform the carpet texture, the more visible the seams will be. Carpet styles with low, tight naps result in the most visible seams. Seams are never more visible than when the carpet is first installed. Usually with time, use and vacuuming, the seams become less visible. You can see examples of how carpet seams diminish after they have been vacuumed and have experienced traffic in model homes.