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PROPER CARE AND MAINTENANCE WILL HELP ENSURE YOUR FLOOR ALWAYS LOOKS ITS BEST. SIMPLY FOLLOW OUR MAINTENANCE AND PREVENTION STEPS OUTLINED BELOW
Maintenance Video: How to Remove Drywall Dust from Floors
CARE AND MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES:
For all Hardwood, Laminate and WPC Floors
- Area rugs are recommended in front of kitchen sinks, at all pivot points and within high-traffic areas. Don’t use rugs with solid rubber or vinyl backings. The rugs must be made of a breathable material to prevent moisture entrapment.
- Use interior and exterior doormats at all entrances to collect dirt and moisture and prevent it from being tracked onto the floor.
- Protect your floor from direct sunlight. Use curtains and UV resistant film on large glass doors and windows. Move area rugs occasionally as they block sunlight and may give the appearance of discoloring under the rug.
- Keep animal nails trimmed to minimize finish scratches.
- DON’T wear shoes with spiked heels or heel taps on your hardwood or laminate floor. Remove shoes at the door to avoid potentially dragging in sharp objects in your shoes treads.
- Do not roll or slide heavy objects directly upon the floor. When moving appliances or heavy furniture, lay a plywood panel on your floor and gently “walk” the item across it. Carpet or cardboard is not adequate to prevent surface compression scratches.
- Use floor protectors or protective caster/caster cups on the legs of furniture to prevent damage to the flooring. Make certain to keep them clean and well maintained.
- Certain types of casters on furniture may damage hardwood and laminate flooring. Barrel- type caster wheels or wide, flat glides are best for protecting your hardwood floor. If your furniture does not have the right type of caster, we recommend that you change them. Replace hard, narrow furniture rollers with wide rubber rollers.
- Keep the relative humidity in your home between 30% and 50%.
HUMIDITY’S IMPACT ON YOUR FLOOR:
To protect your investment and ensure that your floor provides lasting satisfaction, the following precautions should be taken to help control humidity levels in and around your floor. For best results, keep the relative humidity in your home between 30% and 50%.
- Heating Season (Dry Conditions) – a humidifier is recommended to prevent excessive shrinkage in hardwood floors, which causes gaps between the boards, due to low humidity levels. Wood stoves and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions.
- Non-Heating Season (Humid and Wet Conditions) – To prevent excessive expansion, cupping and peaking of the floor, which could lead to cracking and checking of the wood finish or delamination of the product, maintain proper humidity levels with the use of an air conditioner, dehumidifier or by turning on your heating system periodically during the summer months. Immediately wipe up spills and wet areas to avoid excessive exposure to water. Do not obstruct in any way the expansion joint around the perimeter of your floor.
INITIAL CARE:
Following installation, clean the floor by sweeping, dust mopping or vacuuming and use Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner. If the floor was glued down, remove any residual adhesive with Bruce® Adhesive Cleaner.
ONGOING ROUTINE CARE AND MAINTENANCE:
- Never use any of the following products (or products similar in nature) on your floor: ammonia-based cleaners, acrylic finishes, wax-based products, detergents, bleach, polishes, oil soap, abrasive cleaning soaps, or acidic materials such as vinegar. Many of these products can pit or etch the finish of your flooring or prevent the proper use of recommended maintenance materials.
- Vacuum, sweep or dust mop your floor once a week, or more if needed. The vacuum head must be brush or felt, and a wand attachment is preferable. Do not use vacuums with beater bars or hard heads. A Bruce® swivel-head mop with soft cover is also highly recommended to eliminate finer particles of grit and dirt that can act like sandpaper on hardwood floors.
- Spills and tracked-in dirt should be wiped up immediately. For spot cleaning, apply Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner onto a clean cloth and wipe onto the spot. Never apply wax treatments to your urethane-coated floor.
- Regularly clean the floor with Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner using the recommended swivel-head mop with cloth cover. Spray the floor cleaner directly onto the floor or on the mop cover. DO NOT allow excess cleaner to remain on the floor’s surface. Excess liquid may damage the fiber of the wood or laminate core.
QUICK FIX TIPS:
Spills and Tracked-in Dirt
- Clean immediately.
- Apply Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner lightly to the surface and wipe with a sponge mop or a soft cloth.
- Excess cleaner that does not evaporate immediately should be dried with a clean towel. No rinsing is necessary.
Spots Caused by Food/Water/Animals
- Apply Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner to a clean soft cloth.
- Wipe the area to remove the stain or spot.
- More stubborn spots may require additional cleaning with odorless mineral spirits, followed by cleaning with Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner.
Grease/Lipstick/Crayon/Ink Spots/Rubber Heel Marks
- Apply Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner to a clean soft cloth.
- Wipe the area to remove the stain or spot.
- If stain remains, wipe with a cloth dampened with odorless mineral spirits and follow by cleaning the area with Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner.
Chewing Gum/Candle Wax
- Apply a sealed plastic bag filled with ice on top of the deposit.
- Wait until deposit becomes brittle enough to crumble off.
- After deposit has been removed, clean entire area with Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner.
Minor Abrasions/Scratches
- Use a Bruce® Touch-Up Kit, which blends with your flooring product’s color to make minor repairs for hardwood and laminate. Color coordinated touch pen can be used for minor abrasions and scratches on WPC.
- Apply Bruce® Fresh Finish™ to recondition larger areas of hardwood.
- Bruce Fresh Finish should not be used on laminate flooring.
Deep Scratches/Gouges
- Individual hardwood and laminate planks that are heavily gouged or damaged may be repaired with Bruce® Touch-Up Kit. Major damage will require board replacement. WPC with deep scratches/gouges will require a board replacement.
- For hardwood and WPC flooring only: If needed, the entire floor can be refurbished by applying one or more coats of Bruce® Fresh Finish.
Please refer to the hardwood and laminate warranty or call 1 866 243 2726 for
additional instructions and product recommendations.
RECOMMENDED FLOOR CARE PRODUCTS:
Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner:
- Use on all no-wax Bruce, Hartco, Robbins, and Capella hardwood floors
- Apply to a clean cloth for cleaning small areas or spray directly onto the floor and use a Bruce swivel-head mop with cloth cover for cleaning larger areas.
- Available in convenient ready to use spray quart, and half gallon refills.
- Shelf life is 2 years (from date of manufacture) if not opened.
Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaning Kit:
- A convenient cleaning kit with all the components for hassle-free cleaning of all urethane-finished floors.
- Kit includes one hardwood and laminate floor cleaner spray; one swivel-head mop; and one cloth mop cover that is both reversible and machine washable.
Bruce Fresh Finish for Urethane Finish Hardwood Floors
- Fresh Finish is an easy do-it-yourself touch-up for all urethane-finished hardwood floors.
- A great alternative to sanding and re-coating, it restores the original gloss level of your floor even after years of traffic and wear.
- Available in ready to use quart size. Shelf life is 1 year (from date of manufacture) if not opened.
- Soft, absorbent, replaceable mop covers are available for quick and easy replacement on the swivel-head mops.
- Covers are machine washable.
- Used for blending scratches and nicks on Bruce, Hartco, Robbins, Capella, and tmbr., hardwood floors.
- The kit contains touch-up markers and filler sticks that blend with factory-finished stains plus complete instructions and materials to easily repair many problems.