Proper floor care is critical to keep your home and office hygienic and appealing. Constant foot traffic results in dirt, debris and allergens accumulated on your floor. After all, they are the ground that you step-on every day. Proper care and maintenance keep your floor looking great for years.

Floor maintenance and care doesn’t have to be complicated. It is because clean floors are the expectation, not an exception.

 If you follow some simple tips and smart cleaning solutions, you can add years to your floor’s life.

Tips for the Maintenance and Care of Different Types of Floors

Use these tips to preserve your precious flooring and add value to your home.

Carpet

Your carpet needs proper maintenance and care on a daily or weekly basis. Clean all the dirt and debris from your carpet by vacuuming frequently. Depending on the type of the carpet, you will vacuum with a rotating brush, a beater bar or suction only. To keep your carpet soft, choose vacuum cleaners with efficient airflow and large wheels.

If you accidentally spill the liquids on the carpet, add water and blot to the affected area. Vacuum back and forth with the highest suction. Add more water if necessary and suck it out with a vacuum cleaner till it is completely dry.

If you do not prefer to use a lot of detergents and cleaners, carpet steam cleaner is the best choice. Once you steam clean your carpet, wipe off all the soil and debris with towels and rags.

Tile

Floor tiles can easily be cleaned by sweeping or vacuuming followed by moping with warm water.

On a weekly basis, you need to thoroughly clean the grout lines. Choose a mild cleaner and scrub with a non-scouring tool like a sponge or brush.

Avoid using acidic cleaners as they can dull the shine of your floor.

Laminate

It is important to frequently clean your laminate floor tiles as dirt and sand particles can cause scratches on the surface. Similarly, spills should be wiped off immediately.

Avoid flooding your floor because water can easily seep through the laminate boards and damage your floor.

You can occasionally mop your floor. Ideally, a mop with a microfiber pad should be used to clean the floor so that it uses minimal water and cleans all the debris.

Hardwood Floor

Hardwood floors require sweeping and mopping with minimal water. It is important to remember that there are various types of wooden floors and require care and maintenance accordingly.

Lacquered wood floors can be cleaned with a synthetic cleaner (with no grease content) whereas oiled floors can be cleaned with soap (containing grease).

Consider applying a polish or a finisher after every few weeks to keep them looking great.

Vinyl

Vinyl can mimic many other flooring types like hardwood floors or tile. It can withstand a lot of foot traffic and requires relatively less maintenance.

You can clean the floor with a brush and mop it with warm water. Wipe up spills as soon as possible. The tough stains should be cleaned with a good Vinyl floor cleaner.

Make sure your furniture or heavy appliances have protective pads to protect denting and scratching. You can also use protective mats where there is a lot of foot traffic.

Luxury Vinyl

Luxury Vinyl Floor is fairly easy to maintain. Remove the dirt or grit by sweeping or vacuuming. Using brush roller agitation on your vacuum is not recommended. While mopping, use a pH neutral floor cleaner or a solution of ammonia and water (4 parts water, 1 part ammonia).

Avoid using abrasive cleaners, one-step polishes or vinegar on your Luxury Vinyl Floor. Protect your floor from dirt and debris and dents by using non-staining mats.

Cork

Cork is vulnerable to dents and scarring. Choose a soft-bristled brush or a static duster to clean the dirt and debris. If you prefer to vacuum, avoid using the vacuum with a beater bar.

Mop the floor with as little water as possible. A few drops of detergent or a mild wood cleaner is all you need to clean the cork floor. Use a cleaner that is pH balanced and made specifically for the Cork floor.

Also, remember that a standard Cork floor needs to be properly sealed to protect it from water damage. The sealer is usually a UV-resistant polyurethane mix that creates a protective layer on the floor. When the sealer wears off, consider re-applying it as it protects your floor against water damage.

Natural Stone

According to the Marble Institute of America, the Natural Stone is broadly categorized into two main categories: Siliceous Stone and Calcareous stones. The flooring consisting of either of the two types requires certain maintenance and care. Dust mopping and cleaning with mild soap and water can keep your floor looking great. Avoid using vinegar, lemon juice, or abrasive cleaners as such cleaners can make your floor dull. Similarly, avoid using the vacuum cleaners which are worn out as the metal or plastic attachments can scratch your floor.

The tough stains can be removed by cleaning with an effective stone-cleaner. The stone specific poultice is another great way to remove the tough stains. However, you must remember that the efficacy of poultice depends on the nature of the stain and how long it had been on the stone.

Key Takeaway

Routine Care and maintenance are extremely important to maximize the beauty of your floor. Clean and well-maintained floors can add value to your home as well as a refined look. By following these handy tips, you can keep your floors looking clean in the years to come.

The Benefits of Laminate

The solution? Laminate. It has the classic, attention-grabbing aesthetic of hardwood with more durability and cleanability than carpet. Laminate is perfect for the fashion-forward family with rambunctious kids, pets or a combination of both. Not only does laminate look as good as hardwood flooring, it’s much cheaper and can really benefit a family on a budget.

Laminate is the perfect hybrid of style and performance. It comes in a number of different styles, textures and colors and is extremely strong and durable; perfect for any age kids or pets. Laminate is spillproof and easy to clean with anything from vacuums to wet-jet Swiffers. It also holds up against wear and tear and can complement any décor.

Selecting a Style and Color

That brings us to the next step in the flooring-decision process: selecting a style and color. Jessica did some research as well as visited her local retailer to narrow down her choices. She wanted something stylish with a rustic feel. The advantage of laminate is the wide variety of selection. If you can think of a style or a color, you are more than likely going to find something close or identical to your vision. Once she’d done a little research, Jessica went to her local flooring retailer to check out samples and gain more insight. There are so many advantages to going to a local retailer. Unlike the big box stores, your local retailer specializes in flooring, so they are going to know every detail of their products. They can listen to your vision and narrow down the selection so you can take home samples and visualize how the laminate will look in your space, or in Jessica’s case, her entire home.

Once you have decided on your new flooring, the next step is installation! For full details on Jessica’s installation process, check out this blog post. Installation can be summed up in these two steps though:

• Move your furniture out of the way.
• Let the installers demo your old floors and put in your new floors.

It’s that simple! The amount of time or days it will take all depends on the size of the project. In Jessica’s case, the installers had to demo the old flooring in the entire house. But after a few days, Jessica’s home was done, and the results were amazing! You can’t tell if the floor is laminate or high-end vintage hardwood. It’s beautiful.

Laminate flooring is truly the hybrid of all flooring types. It is strong and durable with endless color and texture options. It can make any space look great, and it performs in any room of your home. If you think laminate is the floor for you, visit us today to see it in person.

Stylistically, there have never been more options in laminate than there are right now. It looks real and even feels real. Go for a vintage look with a textured plank, or opt for the sleek modernism of smooth laminate.

Laminate flooring has come such a long way. It’s easy to install, affordable, strong, durable and easy to clean. These are qualities you want whether the laminate lives on your floor or on your walls. Keep reading for five creative ways you can make a big style statement in your home with a little effort and some Mohawk laminate flooring.

Bedroom Accent Walls

Laminate walls look especially awesome in carpeted rooms like bedrooms and playrooms, where the realistic wood visual really pops. Do you have a contemporary bed frame with a big, empty space above it? Install laminate on the wall behind your bed, adding the design feel of a headboard without the bulk.

TIP: This is not to say that laminate can’t look good in a room with hard surface flooring. If you already have hardwood floors, try picking a laminate accent in a contrasting but complementary color palette. Accent walls should stand out!

Shelving and Insets

If you’re lucky enough to have a home with built-in shelving or insets, you have a built-in opportunity to do something creative—like add laminate flooring!

TIP: With a smaller space (compared to an entire accent wall), you can get a little more creative. Try choosing a bolder design for your inset. If you have multiple insets, think about alternating vertical and horizontal laminate installation.

Kitchen Backsplash and Accents

In most homes, your kitchen is where the mess happens: spills and splashes, tomato sauce bubbling over, and even literal spilt milk. So, if you’re going to go for the wood look, the strength, rigidity and easy cleanup of laminate is a necessity. Let me save you a headache and tell you that all peel-and-stick options should be ruled out immediately. And while ceramic tile also has excellent resistance to moisture and heat, it doesn’t offer the affordability or easy installation of laminate.

STYLE TIP: Here’s the thing. If you already have wooden cabinetry, a wooden backsplash might be overkill. But for painted cabinets or kitchens with open shelving, a laminate backsplash adds just the right amount of rustic texture to your impossibly clean yet modern kitchen.

Mounting Walls

Elevate the look of your living room or playroom with laminate walls behind the TV. Before you mount the TV or other items, screw in a sheet of plywood on the wall. Then install the laminate planks on top of the plywood for added support for the screws bearing the weight. Now you can Netflix binge in style!

STYLE TIP: No need to fill an entire wall with laminate. Have it placed on one section to get the look without overwhelming the room. This works well where the laminate wall can act as a frame for an object in the room—like a TV, fireplace, photo gallery, or even a bed.

Bathrooms and Vanities

Dress up your bathroom and vanity area with a gorgeous wall made of Mohawk laminate flooring. Adding a laminate accent wall is a beautiful stylistic choice for an area that can sometimes be a little tricky to decorate because of the moisture in the room.

Ready to begin? Start by browsing Mohawk laminate products or simply contact your local retailer for advice on style, design and installation!

Texture

Love the look and feel of a hand-scraped, textured wood floor? Not only do today’s laminates emulate the beautiful visual of true hardwood, they also feature realistic texture and character. This is great for active dogs as the texture will add traction for playing and running and help as dogs get older. If those furry claws should accidently scratch the flooring, the texture and character will better disguise the marks. Who knew that in-demand wood looks would also be the best fit for dogs? Now that’s a win-win.

Finish

The first line of protection in laminate flooring is the finish, and some are a better fit for dogs than others. For instance, a high gloss finish will not hide scratches very successfully and will be more vulnerable to damage. The best laminate finish for dogs will be a product with aluminum oxide added for ultimate anti-scratch resistance. A key sign when shopping for laminate with a strong finish is the manufacturer’s warranty. If a laminate manufacturer backs the finish for at least 20 years, there’s a good chance you are choosing a superior product that will withstand your pups!

Hardness

When it comes to measuring the hardness rating of laminate product, the AC (Abrasion Classification) Ratings reflect the laminate’s performance through many wear tests of extreme conditions. The higher the AC Rating, the more likely your laminate can handle playful dogs and still remain durable. When shopping for laminate, avoid any product that is unrated because it won’t be tough enough. Starting at AC1 and up to AC5, laminates that are either AC4 or AC5 rated will be better suited against critter claws.

It’s estimated that 78 million dogs are owned in the United States alone and that equates to approximately 44% of all US households. Not only do these numbers show how much we love our doggies but also that they will factor in our purchasing decisions. With some thoughtful investigating and planning, we can design homes that are ready to be lived in and loved by all members of the family. Now bring on the laminates!

Parents of active kids know just how much wear and tear their little ones can dish out inside the home. The floors will be played upon, spilled on, chased on and will need to resist scratches, particles and anything from markers and nail polish to sodas and messy food. With its durability, attractive visuals, budget-friendly price points and ease of maintenance, laminate flooring makes a great choice for families with children.

It’s also worth saying that laminate flooring is extremely easy to install and is a good fit for nearly every room in the home. And with all of the great qualities that laminate provides, you can still fine-tune your choices to be even more kid-friendly. Factors such as texture and color are more than just style-makers, they can become style-savers! And how do eco-friendly and Made-In-USA options weigh in? Here’s our take on the best laminate options for families with kiddos:

Texture & Color of Laminate

Wood-look laminate visuals are more realistic than ever, and in addition to adding major style, they work to keep floors looking fantastic- even with playful kids living on them. In particular, oak and hickory wood looks with bold graining will help hide scratches and dents. Today’s laminates are effectively produced with distressing and hand-scraped surfaces that are not only attractive but ideal for blending in any marks left behind. Hardwood visuals with knots and color variations will go a long way in keeping your laminate floors looking newer for longer.

Eco-Friendly Flooring

Laminate flooring is a great choice in combatting childhood allergies since they do not trap dust and other allergens. However, it is important to be mindful of the presence of formaldehyde and other chemicals that can harm indoor air quality, especially around children. Look for manufacturers that create laminate products from recycled materials and use sustainable practices in manufacturing to greatly reduce the overall amount of formaldehyde. Laminates that are CARB Phase 2 compliant for low formaldehyde will be the safest choices to put in a home with kids.

Laminate Made-In-USA

Laminates that are manufactured in the US face much stricter regulations regarding formaldehyde levels than similar products produced overseas. National headlines were made in the last few years when it was discovered that some laminates manufactured in China being sold in the US exceeded almost 20 times above the regulated formaldehyde level. Higher levels of formaldehyde can create higher risk of chronic respiratory irritation and asthma. Definitely look for styles such as Mohawk Laminates that are 100% produced and manufactured in the United States.

Easy-To-Install

Installation doesn’t get much easier than laminate flooring, which is ideal for a home with kids. Since laminate can be installed over many subfloors and is ready for use immediately following, your home and furniture are not displaced for days or even weeks on end. Look for laminate planks that have click-and-lock technology such as UniClic Technology for flawless, adhesive-free installation. And if your kids ever damage a portion of the floor to where it can’t be repaired, you only have to remove the damaged planks and replace them as opposed to an entire floor. Always have extra laminate planks from your installation saved for that very reason!

It’s safe to say that a home with children is ever-changing and evolving as well as exciting and tons of fun.. Choose surfaces for the home that can roll with the punches and adapt to the chaos that comes with kids. Laminate floors are not only a viable solution but a valuable solution across the board!