Simply Cork Flooring

Archive for the ‘Care of’ Category

We all know that things happen. It’s a fact of life that ‘stuff’ will happen, usually at the most inconvenient times–like when we can less afford them. Because cork is so resilient, it does not dent, and major damage to it is not as common as with other flooring materials, however, as we’ve said, ‘stuff happens.’

If an unfortunate occurrence happens, involving your floating cork flooring, relax’it can easily be repaired. No-glue snap together floating cork floors was invented for those of us who have small children, spouses who insist on pushing heavy furniture across our cork floors, or beloved pets with very tiny bladders, or a teenager studying from exams and tapping a ballpoint pen into the floor, not realizing that he’d been doing so. If you need to replace a plank/tile or two (or more) it is a simple process.

1.Clear away all furniture, rugs, etc on the side of the room where the damaged tile(s) or plank(s) are located. 2.Remove the base and quarter round molding. 3.Carefully pry up the damaged planks/tiles and replace them. 4.Reconnect all floor tiles/planks. 5.Reattach molding/and quarter round. 6.Move furniture, rugs, etc. back in place’or rearrange the room. 7.Sit back and admire your beautiful cork floors. NOTE: When you originally install your cork floors, try to order at least one extra box of tiles or planks so that you will have the correct color match if you ever have to repair your floors. Keep in mind, ‘Stuff happens.’

The secret to keep and maintaining any flooring is proper cleaning. This includes regularly sweeping or vacuuming the floor to remove all dirt and debris. If you must scrub or clean any surface, make sure that you use a cleaner that is specially formulated for that type of surface. If you are not sure, then contact the flooring manufacture.

It is important to realize that the key to cleaning any floor and especially less common flooring materials is to read, understand, and follow the manufacturer recommendations. Floor covering manufacturers, no matter how large or small, all want their products to last and remain looking as good ten years after they were installed as good as the day they were installed. Because in essence, how well a flooring material looks is a testimony to the quality of product that manufacturer produces.

In addition, many companies offer warranties, however, if you do not properly maintain their product will cause the warranty to be voided.

To ensure that any flooring material last, you have to use preventative maintenance, that begins outside. Start by placing breathable floor mats at all entrances and keep sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots free of dirt, grease, and debris. If you prevent the debris from entering your home or business, you prevent the damage it can cause to your floors.

There is no way that you can prevent dirt from entering your home or office, but by using doormats, you can reduce the amount that does enter. By placing mates both inside and outside your home or office, you can trap dirt and moisture. There are specially designed mats that will trap both. You can find these mates both through the Internet and at many home improvement centers.

However, if the mates are not kept clean, they can be the source of dirt. Therefore, keep mats clean by frequently vacuuming them and you may want to pressure-wash them twice a year, depending on the amount of traffic. In addition, keep extra mats available for when you care cleaning the soiled and wet mats.

Regular sweeping and vacuuming is critical for all types of flooring. By daily sweeping any flooring surface, you can guarantee that it will look great for years and it will not require frequent restorative care.

For cleaning specialty surfaces including, rubber, ceramic tiles, and even cork the first, and perhaps most important, thing to do is sweeping and dust mopping. All types of floors should be dust mopped or vacuumed at least every other day and every day, depending how heavy the foot traffic as well as the weather. If water is tracked in or spilled, immediately mop up the water. This will prevent water stains from occurring.

Possible the largest mistake people make with their flooring is the neglect of sweeping and dust moping. If you remove the grit from the floor, it will not have a chance to scratched up and wear the flooring. By taking a few minuets daily, you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars in restoration work.

Other routine cleaning tasks should include damp mopping. This does not mean emptying a pail of water onto the floor then mopping it up, but rather the use of a damp-almost dry feeling mop. Many people make the mistake of applying too much water to hardwood and cork floor coverings. Water should never be used on laminate or engineered floors. However, floors such as stone, ceramic, and rubber, do require wet cleaning, which should be done once a week to a few times a month depending on the traffic. When wet cleaning stones, be very careful with calcareous stones such as marble, limestone, and onyx, which will quickly dull if acids or high-alkaline cleaners are used on them. For such stones, use only neutral-pH cleaners.

Because of the new protective coating used on most wood floors including cork, damp mopping can actually extend the life of the finish. Again, damp mopping is not the same thing as wet mopping. Care has to be taken that moisture does not seep into the seams between the wood or cork tiles or planks, as this can and will cause the tiles and planks to swell and warp.

When damp mopping, the trick is to use just enough water to clean the floor and not any more. If you apply too much water, it will seep into the floor before you mop it up and you’ve damaged your floors.

Another thing, in recent years, many individuals have purchased auto scrubbers to use on their hardwood flooring. The same principle applies; if you are going to use an auto scrubber make sure that it does not apply too much water. In addition, you also want to ensure that you use only soft brushes as medium and hard brushers will scratch your wood floors, damaging them.

To restore their original shine and luster, certain floors will periodically require an additional coating of finish. How often this will need to be done depends greatly on the type of floor and how heavy the traffic is on the floor. This can be as often as a monthly task or as infrequently as every other year.

When adding an additional protective coating to most wood floors, its as simple as light sanding to even out the surface then applying the coat, making sure that you dust mop, then damp-mop to remove all debris before applying the finish. Then, allow the finish to completely dry. However, cork floors should not be recoated unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer as recoating can damage the surface.

In addition, other specialty floors, such as rubber cannot tolerate topcoats as they make these floors lose their oil, which makes the floors become white and brittle.

For rubber flooring, it is best to machine-polish the floors, using a soft polishing brush. If you desire a higher gloss then contact the manufacturer for information on special polishes that are especially formulated for use on rubber floors.

Today, many natural and synthetic stone floors are protected with sealants, which protect the surfaces from becoming stained. However, not all stone surfaces can be sealed, such as marble. Therefore, before using any cleaning product, make sure that it can be used on the type of stone floor you have. Many cleaners will turn white marble dull and yellow. Therefore, it is vital that you read the manufacturer’s instructions on the cleaner to make sure it can be used on marble.

Sealed natural stone floors are protected from staining, but not from abrasion and wear. Therefore, stone floors, including marble, do require dry polishing, using a brush and pad or spray buffing in order to maintain their shin and luster. To guarantee that you do not damage the stone, it is usually best that you hire a professional to do this unless you have been specially trained. However, usually polishing natural stone does not have to be done very frequently.

The main difference between such floor coverings as wood, cork, and rubber compared to stone and ceramic floor coverings such as marble, granite, and even synthetic flooring is that when wood, cork, and rubber wears and scratches, usually you can mildly sand the area then recoat it. However, stone and ceramic flooring does not have a protective coating that can be simply sanded away. If stone or ceramic floors scratch, to remove the mar requires the use of a diamond grinder or an acid polish as well as a lot of time and skill. Therefore, for owners of stone and ceramic flooring, it is vital to prevent the stones from becoming scratched.

In closing, I will say that there are exceptions to every rule. However, to keep your floors looking like they did the day they were first installed, it is critical for you to know the type of floors in your home and or office. This requires you to read and understand the type of care the manufacturer recommends.

I’ve only touched on a few specialty floor coverings in this article. There is no limit to the type of floor coverings around the world. I have walked on floors that are leather, glass, and metal, among other materials and all of them require special treatment. However, the one thing that all floors have in common, is that if they are kept clean’this means daily sweeping, or vacuuming, and dust mopping they will last a very long time.

When you own beautiful cork floors there are several do’s and don’ts you should follow in order to keep your cork floors looking like they’ve just been installed.

DO’s:

1.Vacuum or sweep your cork floors regularly. 2.Immediately wipe up spills, using a soft cloth. 3.Use breathable floor mats in front of entryways and sinks. 4.Let your children or grandchild enjoy the freedom of playing on your cork floors. The little ones will not hurt your floors. 5.Do use area rugs in high traffic areas. If you prefer not to use rugs, then periodically check your cork floors for wear. 6.Do place felt pads on the feet of your furniture to protect your cork floors from scratches. 7.To prevent impressions, rearrange heavy furniture regular.

DON’Ts:

1.Don’t use a wet or excessively damp mop a cork floor. Excessive amounts of water will cause cork floor to swell and warp, or cup.

2.Don’t drag furniture across cork floors as sharp edges and corners can tear and severely mar cork floors. This also holds true for pet claws, which aren’t regularly trimmed.

3.Never use wax, or an oily soap or other harsh household cleaners on polyurethane finished cork floor, as these products will dull the finishes.

With proper maintenance and regular light cleaning, cork flooring could last a life time, after all, the cork floor Cork in Chicago’s First Congregational Church was installed in 1890. To help your cork floor last just as long, we’ve listed some basic tips to help illustrate the ease of caring and maintaining a cork floor. However, for proper maintenance, you should always refer to your cork flooring’s manufacturer’s recommendations and care instructions.

TIPS:

1.Always use breathable mats in front of sinks and in doorways as rubber mats, or other non-porous backings can trap moisture and harm the cork’s finish.

2. Place felt pads under the feet of furniture to prevent scuff marks especially when you are moving furniture. If possible, always lift furniture instead of dragging it.

3.Use drip pans under all of your potted plants to catch water seepage to prevent water makes. If possible, place potted plants up off of the cork.

4.To reduce fading from excessive sunlight, use window treatments, such as curtains, drapes, blinds, or have your windows tinted with a window film.

5.When cleaning cork flooring never use harsh chemicals, simple immediately wipe up spills. Being a wood product cork will absorb moisture. If you have to clean a stubborn stain, only use a cleaner that is specially formulated for use on cork floors or with a product recommended by the flooring manufacturer.

6.Sweeping and vacuuming regularly will reduce scratches.

By following these tips and the care instructions provided by your flooring manufacturer, your beautiful cork floors will last a life time and rival the cork floors historical libraries and churches.