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Laminate Flooring Maintenance - The Ultimate Working Parent Flooring Solution
Fri 27 Apr 2007 - 13:28
Laminate Flooring Maintenance - The Ultimate Working Parent Flooring Solution
By Rika Susan
Overloaded, working parents love laminate flooring. These innovative click-together lines offer the low-maintenance cleaning solution desperate housewives and schedule-juggling job-holders dream about. A Pergo Laminate Flooring installation, Armstrong Flooring line, or Bruce Flooring face-lift will remove much of the tedium of keeping floors spotless.
Your kids are also likely to heave a sigh of relief if you opt for installing laminate flooring. Where a toddler mishap previously turned into a carpet calamity, you will now be able to handle flooring fiasco's with a smile. With a laminate flooring installation, you will be able to use a damp mop or cloth to blot up any spill as soon as it occurs. Your flooring should be none the worse for wearing. Just make sure that the cloth is light-colored or color fast. For everyday dust, a quick sweep or brushless vacuum is all you need. Get rid of dust or grit as soon as possible, as it is likely to scratch your floor or dull the wear layer.
The number one rule with laminate flooring is never to allow fluids to remain on the floor for any length of time. Any spill needs to be taken care of immediately. Moisture is the main enemy of laminate flooring, as it may seep into the joints, causing the core of the planks to swell. This unfortunate eventuality will lead to unsightly buckling, warping or blistering of the flooring. This is why a laminate flooring installation in a bathroom or kitchen needs to be done with great care. Every joint or expansion space has to be glued or sealed diligently.
In most cases, an acetone nail polish remover takes care of spots such as heel marks, oil, paint or lipstick. The residue can be wiped away with a damp cloth. Never use a wet cloth or water to clean your floor. By limiting the exposure to fluids as much as possible, you will extend the durability of the floor significantly.
Never use an abrasive cleaner on laminate flooring. A scouring pad and steel wool are other no-no's. Ordinary detergents and ammonia are also not recommended in most instances. Any of these may damage the wear layer, voiding your warranty. The use of buffing or polishing machines are also against warranty conditions. If you have candle wax or chewing gum on the floor, you can use ice to harden the spot and then utilize a credit card or soft plastic scraper to remove the residue. Work with care so as not to damage the wear layer of the floor.
Most laminate flooring manufacturers supply a range of dedicated cleaners that are safe to use. Always check with your flooring supplier to ensure that you use the correct means to maintain the good looks of your floor. If you deviate from the warranty conditions, you will lose all the protection the guarantee offers.
Your home improvement efforts with a laminate flooring installation necessitates the use of ordinary common sense. Incorporating Trafficmaster Flooring or Pergo Laminate Flooring in your decorating and interior design is of little use if you don't take proper care of it. A few basic steps will ease your cleaning chores significantly, contributing to retaining a gleaming, elegant floor for years to come. Non-slip area rugs help to catch grit and dirt that can scratch the wear layer of your laminate flooring. Just make sure that the backing of the rug won't discolor your floor. The best option is an approved vinyl rug underlayment.
All the major laminate flooring manufacturers supply felt pads to place underneath furniture feat. Wide-load bearing leg bases or rollers are also available. Casters should be plastic, and even then you need to be careful with these. It is preferable to use a rug when moving furniture with casters. Sliding heavy objects across the floor will damage or dent your laminate flooring. If you have pets, keep their nails trimmed to prevent scratches. Stiletto heels or spiked sports shoes are also detrimental to the flooring finish.
If your family suffers from allergies, you should see an improvement when you replace carpeting with laminate flooring. It is much easier to keep these clean. Ultimately, no matter how conscientious you are, carpets are dust-traps. Opting for decorating or interior design with laminate flooring isn't just great for time-management. It also benefits family health.
A variety of color-coordinated fill pens are available from laminate flooring manufacturers. These can be used for minor scratches and hold up well to wear. Filling putty is also available for more pronounced problems. In this case you simply neaten the edge of a hole with a knife, fill it and smooth the area with a plastic scraper. Excess putty can be wiped away. Of course, one of the benefits of laminate flooring is that you have the option of replacing an area of flooring if there is a serious mishap.
A laminate flooring installation will lighten your load and give you more time to enjoy your beautiful home with your family.
Awnings-and-Blinds.com - where you can grab your free copy of the Ultimate Laminate Flooring Buyer's Guide ebook. The author, Rika Susan also offers more info on flooring, awnings, blinds and other home remodeling issues in Pergo Flooring and many other articles at Awnings-and-Blinds.com. Copyright of this article: 2007 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.
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