A Consumer s Guide to Maintenance of Laminate and Wood Flooring

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1 The Flooring Guild 36 Meadowsweet Eaton Ford St Neots Cambridgeshire PE19 7GR Website: Tel: Consumer Information Service A Consumer s Guide to Maintenance of Laminate and Wood Flooring The Flooring Guild is dedicated to raising standards in the flooring industry through the delivery of high quality training and education. We believe Consumers should be given unbiased information to help make an informed choice and have produced a series of guides to help in that process. The contents of each Guide are believed correct at the time of printing. Nevertheless, The Flooring Guild cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions or for changes in the details given in this Guide or for the consequences of any reliance on the information provided in the same. Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, we will always welcome any information to assist in such efforts and to keep the Guides up to date. We gratefully acknowledge the information given by various contributors including: Gründorf (UK) Ltd Kährs UK Ltd Margaritelli Group Mays Carpets Ltd All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from The Flooring Guild. The Flooring Guild is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England No at the above address

2 The Flooring Guild 36 Meadowsweet Eaton Ford St Neots Cambridgeshire PE19 7GR Website: Tel: Contents Consumer Information Service Page MAINTENANCE OF LAMINATE AND WOOD FLOORING 1 General Care and Maintenance Guidelines 1 WOOD FLOORING WITH UV-LACQUER 3 Care and Repair Guidelines 3 Preventive Measures 3 Thorough Cleaning 3 Normal Cleaning 4 Stain and Mark Removal 4 Repairs 4 Renovation 4 WOOD FLOORING WITH UV-OIL 5 Care and Repair Guidelines 5 Cleaning 5 Stain and Mark Removal 5 Repairs 6 WOOD FLOORING WITH NATURAL OIL 6 Care and Repair Guidelines 6 Initial Treatment 7 Normal Cleaning and Care 7 Thorough Cleaning 7 Removing Stains 7 Easy Local Repairs 8 Renovation 8 WOOD FLOORING OIL-WAX 8 Care and Repair Guidelines 9 Cleaning 9 Removing Marks 9 Repairs 10 Renovation 10 LAMINATE FLOORING 11 Care and Repair Guidelines 11 Reproduced by kind permission of Kährs UK Ltd The Flooring Guild is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England No at the above address

3 MAINTENANCE OF LAMINATE AND WOOD FLOORING General Care and Maintenance Guidelines The floor is installed. Now its everyday life, with all its challenges, begins. Stiletto heels and dirty or wet shoes put the floor to the test, time and time again. When it comes to maintenance, prevention is better than cure. The need for maintenance depends on a number of factors and varies from case to case. More regular maintenance is required on floors where there is greater wear, such as where people walk with outdoor shoes. It becomes evident when a floor needs maintenance since it starts to feel more difficult to clean than before. The following are a few general tips and rules to protect and give the floor a longer life. Floors of wood/wood materials need a healthy room climate, ie a temperature of approximately 200C and a relative air humidity of 50-65%. If the humidity is too low, gaps or cracks can occur while the floor can swell or arch if the humidity is too high. Always use the manufacturer s recommended cleaning products. They are specially matched to the floor. Never use soft soap, hard soap or a scouring agent (they attack the surface) or furniture polishes or other film-forming cleaning agents. Make sure there is a correctly-designed entrance and an effective wiping-off system. If possible, provide a scraping-off grating first, then a coarse mat outside followed by a textile mat inside any external door that removes moisture and fine grit. The best entrance design makes it possible to walk at least three steps on each mat - the more the better. This method, not only saves the floor, but also makes day-to-day cleaning easier. The cost that is incurred in designing a good entrance pays for itself many times over as a consequence of lower maintenance costs. Loose dirt and sand should be removed immediately with a vacuum cleaner, mop, soft broom or dust cloth. Normal dirt can be wiped off with a damp cloth. Always wipe lengthways along the floor planks with a well wrung-out cloth. The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 1

4 Attach felt gliders (not metal pads as these can cause marks on wood flooring) to chairs and all furniture to avoid unnecessary marks and scratches to the floor. Use soft castors especially with engineered wood floors. Hard castors affect the surface like emery paper. The point loading and the circulation of the castors destroys the melamine resin layer of the laminate. When conducting maintenance, it is best to move the furniture to one half of the room, treat the cleared area, and wait 1-2 hours. All the furniture is then moved to the other half and the treatment is repeated on the rest of the floor. Subsequent maintenance can be done on the parts of the floor surface where it is really needed, such as areas where people walk. Maintenance work does not necessarily mean, therefore, that all the furniture must be moved out of the room. The surface dirt s resistance, along with its resistance to moisture and durability, increases each time maintenance is done. Thus the need for maintenance decreases over time. Clean the floor thoroughly. If there is dirt on the floor when maintenance is done, it may be difficult to remove later. Always follow the manufacturer s recommended maintenance procedure. The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 2

5 WOOD FLOORING WITH UV-LACQUER Care and Repair Guidelines Polymers are created when curing using UV light and these produce a hard and chemical-resistant surface. The lacquer does not contain solvents or formaldehyde. During UV curing, there are only traces of bensaldehyde (bitter almond oil) and this evaporates very quickly. Bitter almond oil occurs naturally in cherries and almonds for example. The lacquer is durable, easy to care for, hygienic and retains the real wood s natural character. Since the lacquer maintains such a high quality, it is possible to keep the quantity of lacquer at a low level so that the appearance of the wood comes into its own. As a consequence, wood with a strong character, such as Oak and Ash, retains its characteristics so that, in optical terms, scratches show less than on wood with a softer structure. Preventive Measures Please refer to the maintenance guidelines above. In rooms where water is often spilt and where there is also a risk that it is allowed to remain, additional lacquering of the floor is recommended. In this way, the joints between the planks are covered to provide better protection against liquids. Thorough Cleaning When? The floor should only be subjected to thorough cleaning if it has stubborn, adherent dirt that cannot be removed by normal cleaning. On floors subject to light traffic (eg living rooms and bedrooms), this is usually likely about every 12 months. On floors subject to medium traffic (eg hallways, stairs and offices) about every 6-12 months and on floors subject to especially heavy traffic (eg restaurants, shops and schools) about every 3-6 months. Also, after laying the floor and when it becomes unsightly because of the frequent application of care products. How? Lower the temperature of any underfloor heating system before every thorough cleaning. Always wipe lengthways along the planks. Do not allow any water to remain. Always use the manufacturer s recommended products for care and maintenance. The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 3

6 Normal Cleaning When? Normal cleaning removes adherent dirt. On floors subject to light traffic, this is usually necessary about every 2 weeks; on floors subject to medium traffic about once a week or more often on floors subject to heavy traffic. How? When? How? Damp wiping with the manufacturer s recommended care products. After every thorough cleaning. Parquet and wood veneer floors should be treated one to two times with the manufacturer s recommended polish after every thorough cleaning. After 2-3 applications, the floor should be cleaned with polish remover and then treated with polish again. Stain and Mark Removal A mark on the floor can often be removed using the manufacturer s recommended cleaning agent. If this does not work, the following are a few hints on how to remove difficult marks. Always test first in an inconspicuous area to check how the wood will react. Marks from Asphalt, rubber, oil, shoe polish, soot or dried-in residues of chocolate or fat Wax crayons, lipstick. felt tip pens Candle wax, chewing gum Blood Removed using White spirit, benzene or similar White spirit Coolant spray or place a plastic bag containing ice cubes on the mark. Then carefully scrape off. Cold water Care should be taken when using strong stain removal materials, since using too much and applying too much pressure could affect the surface. Repairs Small scratches and scrape marks can be dealt with using touch-up lacquer. Small impact marks can be filled with wood filler of a suitable colour and lacquered using touch-up lacquer. If there are deep scratches, cracks and damage, the strips or planks that are damaged can be replaced. Renovation Engineered Wood Floors: Complete and partial renovation is possible after many years of use by simply sanding the wear layer and then resealing the floor. Due to the ready-for-use factory sealing of the surface, sanding and refinishing of these floors is not necessary in small rooms in the home but is recommended in, for example, kitchens and entrance areas. Wood Veneer floors: Partial renovation is possible by sanding the lacquer coat. The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 4

7 WOOD FLOORING WITH UV-OIL This floor is ready oiled for use in a domestic environment. It is treated with UV-cured oil which, for the most part, comprises renewable raw materials. UV-oiled flooring does not need maintenance, other than regular cleaning and polishing, for several years under normal domestic conditions. Floors in areas where there is a risk of water being spilt, such as in a kitchen or hall, should be maintained according to the manufacturer s recommendations. Care and Repair Guidelines For preventive measures, please refer to the maintenance guidelines above. Cleaning Daily cleaning should be done using dry methods such as vacuum cleaning. Where necessary, the floor can be wiped with the manufacturer s recommended cleaner or a well-wrung out floor cloth. The floor must not receive excessive moisture. Unnecessary cleaning using damp methods causes more damage than good. This applies particularly during the first weeks after maintenance. The frequency of damp cleaning depends on the use and how dirty the floor gets. Regular cleaning of the floor prevents dirt sticking to the oiled surface. Stain and Mark Removal Remove marks as soon as possible using the manufacturer s recommended cleaning agent. If this does not help, the mark can be removed using a green nylon pad such as Scotch-Brite. After removing the mark, apply a small amount of new oil. Always test first in an inconspicuous area to check how the wood will react. Marks from Asphalt, rubber, oil, shoe polish, soot or dried-in residues of chocolate or fat Wax crayons, lipstick. felt tip pens Candle wax, chewing gum Blood Removed using White spirit, benzene or similar White spirit Coolant spray or place a plastic bag containing ice cubes on the mark. Then carefully scrape off. Cold water The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 5

8 Repairs Small scratches and scrape marks can be dealt with using touch-up oil. Small impact marks can be filled with wood filler of a suitable colour and oiled using touch-up oil. If there are deep scratches, cracks and damage, the strips or planks that are damaged can be replaced. Partial renovation of wood flooring: A small area that is worn or damaged can be scraped or sanded down to clean wood. However, always check the manufacturer s recommendations before starting any repair work. Total renovation of wood flooring: If normal renovation of surface treatment is insufficient, the wood flooring can be machine sanded down to clean wood and then refinished again. Always check the manufacturer s recommendations before starting any renovation work. WOOD FLOORING WITH NATURAL OIL Natural oil contains no solvents (100% solid particles). It is made up exclusively from vegetable raw materials. Natural oil should not be confused with UV-cured oil. The special care instructions are quite different. In order to attain lasting beauty from a natural-oiled floor, proper initial treatment at the beginning of its life is important. With time, the floor will then become less demanding and especial tough because regular care fills the wood pores and forms a protective film on the surface of the wood making it less sensitive to dirt. Follow the wood floor manufacturer s instructions. Natural oil is very suitable for use in both domestic and public areas, such as dance floors and restaurants, that are subject to considerable wear. With proper and regular maintenance, there is no floor that is better at withstanding heavy-duty wear. It is easy to look after a floor in a domestic environment and polishing is not necessary. Care must not be neglected otherwise walkways or a greyish coating can be formed. The floor can be renovated a number of times. It is also possible to renovate only parts of it. Care and Repair Guidelines For preventive measures, please refer to the maintenance guidelines above. The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 6

9 Initial Treatment This should be done immediately after installation. Clean the floor of dust with a broom or vacuum cleaner. Then wipe the floor with the manufacturer s recommended wood floor soap and a damp floor cloth (without microfibres) or special mop. Always use 2 buckets - one for the clean soap solution and the other with clear water for rinsing of the floor cloth or mop. Mixing ratio - 1/8 litre soap in 5 litres of water. Wipe the floor more often in the first few weeks (2 to 3 times a week), in the evenings if possible, because the wood floor soap not only cleans the floor but also forms a protective film that, with time, makes the floor increasingly insensitive to dirt. Floors subject to especially heavy traffic should also be treated with the manufacturer s recommended care oil before use. Normal Cleaning and Care Vacuum cleaning or sweeping and regular wiping with a damp, well wrung-out cloth will suffice for normal cleaning. Add the manufacturer s recommended wood floor soap to the cleaning water. Mixing ratio - 1/8 litre soap in 5 litres of warm water. Always use 2 buckets - one for the clean soap solution and the other with clear water for rinsing of the cloth or mop. Pressure marks will, depending on their depth, large disappear as a result of care. Additionally, the floor should be treated with the manufacturer s recommended care oil 1 to 3 times a year to freshen and fill the surface of the wood. IMPORTANT: Do not go over the floor with clear water after treating it with wood floor soap because the protective coconut and soya fats in the soap will be removed. Thorough Cleaning If the floor is very dirty, clean thoroughly with the manufacturer s recommended intensive cleaner. Mixing ratio - about 1/8 litre intensive cleaner in 5 litres of warm water. Wipe with the manufacturer s recommended wood floor soap immediately after thorough cleaning so that a new protective film forms. When required, use a coating of maintenance oil prior to the soaping regime. Removing Stains Stubborn stains can be removed from the floor either with the manufacturer s recommended intensive cleaner or stain remover or by lightly sanding the floor with sandpaper (grain 180). The floor must be treated with the manufacturer s recommended care oil afterwards. Then wipe with the manufacturer s recommended wood floor soap so that a new protective film forms at this point. The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 7

10 Easy Local Repairs Small scratches, burns or other stubborn marks and minor damage can be removed with local repairs. Roughen the floor with sandpaper (grain 180) or a green abrasive pad. Then treat the area with oil and allow it to dry. Do not forget to go over the floor again with wood floor soap afterwards. The area repaired is virtually invisible immediately after treatment. The nuances of colour that form in local repairs merge with the rest of the floor over time. Renovation If the floor begins to lose its shine or look drab after long use, it can be livened up by applying a thin layer of the manufacturer s recommended care oil. Before treating the floor with oil, wipe it thoroughly with the manufacturer s recommended intensive cleaner and allow it to dry for four to eight hours. Then apply a thin layer of the manufacturer s recommended care oil either by machine or with a roller paintbrush or cotton cloth. The right amount of oil is reached when the surface has a matt satin lustre. The oil may not form a film on the surface. Remove any excess oil with a squeegee. Then polish the floor with a soft cotton cloth or polishing pad. The floor can be used again after 4-5 hours (at minimum C). The floor should be treated further with the manufacturer s recommended wood floor soap at the earliest after 24 hours so that a new protective film forms. SAFETY TIP: To prevent spontaneous ignition of the oil-soaked cloths and pads, rinse them with clear water after use and dry in the open air! WOOD FLOORING OIL-WAX The need for maintenance depends on a number of factors and varies from case to case. Maintenance needs to be carried out more often if the floor is cleaned with a damp cloth regularly, since this has an abrasive effect on the protective coating. More regular maintenance is required on floors where there is greater wear such as where people walk with outdoor shoes. Light, soft and porous types of wood also require more regular maintenance. It becomes evident when a floor needs maintenance, since it starts to feel more difficult to clean than before. In most cases, this means that the floor needs maintenance twice during the first year and then annually. It is recommended that the first maintenance be done directly after the floor is installed. The first maintenance exercise should cover the entire floor area and, if this is done directly after the floor installation, there will be no need to move any furniture. Extra protection will be achieved against moisture that can get into the joints between planks. The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 8

11 Care and Repair Guidelines For preventive measures, please refer to the maintenance guidelines above. In rooms where water is often spilt and where there is also a risk that it is allowed to remain, it is recommended that care wax is applied to the floor after installation. In this way, the joints between the planks are covered to provide better protection against liquids. Cleaning Daily cleaning should be done using dry methods such as vacuum cleaning. Where necessary, the floor can be wiped with a mop or a well-wrung out floor cloth. Always use the manufacturer s recommended cleaning agent. The floor should only receive minimum moisture. How often the floor needs to be cleaned depends on its use and how dirty it gets. Regular cleaning of the floor prevents dirt sticking to the oiled surface. On the other hand, when cleaning, the surface wax coating wax coating is worn away which means that new wax needs to be applied every now and then. Removing Marks Remove marks as soon as possible using water and a neutral cleaning agent. If this does not help, the mark can be removed using a green nylon pad such as Scotch- Brite. After removing the mark, the cleaned surface required a small amount of fresh oil to be applied. Always test first in an inconspicuous area to check how the wood will react. Marks from Asphalt, rubber, oil, shoe polish, soot or dried-in residues of chocolate or fat Wax crayons, lipstick. felt tip pens Candle wax, chewing gum Blood Removed using White spirit, benzene or similar White spirit Coolant spray or place a plastic bag containing ice cubes on the mark. Then carefully scrape off. Cold water The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 9

12 Repairs It is important that the manufacturer s instructions are followed before any repairs are undertaken. Worn or damaged surfaces can be sanded or scraped down to clean wood. Finish with 220 grit sandpaper and then apply a thick layer of touch-up oil. After 30 minutes wipe off the oil that has not be absorbed by the wood. Allow the renovated surface to dry overnight. A coating of protective care wax should then be applied. Care wax treatment can be repeated as required. The differences between the part of the floor that has been treated and the rest of the floor disappear with time. Damaged planks or strips can be replaced. If indentations are to be removed, as well as renewing the oil treatment, it may be better to sand the entire floor. Then treat the floor again with oil and wax. Please follow the wood floor manufacturer s recommendations. Renovation Renovating the surface of wood flooring: After a long period of use, it may be necessary to renovate the surface treatment and apply a new oil treatment. Spread of thick layer of satin oil on the floor. Then polish the floor using a polishing machine (150r/min) so that the oil dissolves any dirt in the floor. Use a nylon pad, such as a green or coarse Scotch-Brite. Remove any excess oil and dissolved dirt with the help of a rubber scraper. Remove any residual oil by attaching a cloth under the polishing machine roundel and polishing the floor as dry as possible. Work over small areas at a time so that the dissolved dirt does not have a chance to dry. The floor can be used again once the oil has dried. Total renovation of wood flooring: If normal renovation of surface treatment is insufficient, the wood flooring can be machine sanded down to clean wood and then oiled and waxed again. The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 10

13 LAMINATE FLOORING Laminate flooring is extremely impact and scratch resistant but can be scratched by dirt or by dragging heavy objects across the floor. However, some laminates come with no guarantees and generally should be avoided for obvious reasons. Laminates from quality manufacturers generally come with a manufacturer warranty against fading, stains and wear of between 10 and 25 years. They are designed to look good for many years with a minimum of effort. Please refer to the manufacturer for warranty periods on specific products. Care and Repair Guidelines Laminate flooring is easy to keep clean especially if the following points are followed: use a broom or vacuum cleaner remove loose dirt or grit marks or stains can be removed using a damp cloth use the manufacturer s recommended cleaner - do not use polish or wax never clean with abrasives, scouring powder or steel wool wipe up spills immediately avoid allowing any liquids to remain on the floor (including flower pots and pet s water bowls) If scratches do appear, it may be possible to buy a touch-up stick from the manufacturer. Due to the thin wear layer, these floors cannot be sanded or refinished. They are not suitable for wet, damp or moisture laden environments since the common HDF laminate, if punctured, can absorb moisture into the HDF causing swelling and distortion of the flooring. Some laminates are manufactured with a synthetic moisture resistant core material and various manufacturers do recommend their use in bathrooms, kitchens, etc. Nevertheless, it is important to check the manufacturer s recommended usage for each particular product. Remember: Moisture resistant is not moisture proof! The Flooring Guild 2015 Page 11