Flooring Care
Although we list a little advice for general floor care and maintenance, the best best is to identify the brand and click its own link on the left side of this page. From there you will be able to follow the correct approach to caring for your floor. Please call us directly if you have any questions and we will help.
Care and Cleaning of Floors
IQ Floors of Colorado Springs strongly recommends professional care for the floors you purchased. From time to time, however, you'll need to address specific issues. This page is a collection of guides from various flooring manufacturers, regarding the best way to care for your carpet and flooring.
Carpet
The best way to ensure long-lasting beauty, comfort and durability in your carpet is to vacuum it regularly, as it prevents soil from becoming embedded in the carpet’s pile.
A wet/dry vacuum cleaner is the best way to effectively remove stains. Use the attachment with the best suction and vacuum as much of the stain as possible, continuing to add water to the stain as you go.
If detergent is required, use it sparingly and gently rinse the area with water while moving the vacuum wand back and forth. Use a towel to absorb all moisture.
If spot removal solvent is necessary, apply several drops to a clean white cloth and blot the carpet in an inconspicuous area. If a color change occurs or color transfers to the cloth, consult a professional carpet cleaner. Place towels or cloth over wet area and weight with a heavy, colorfast object to absorb moisture. Leave overnight.
If stains remain after cleaning, moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let stand for one hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain-free. No rinsing is necessary. Apply a pad of paper towels and weigh them down, allowing carpet to dry.
Some stains cannot be removed because they permanently alter the carpet’s color. These stains include acid toilet bowl cleaners, acne medication, alkaline drain cleaners, chlorinated bleaches, hair dyes, iodine, insecticides, mustard with turmeric and plant fertilizers. For these types of stains, call a professional.
Tips for Removing Common Carpet Stains
Beer, wine, coffee and tea
Blot and neutralize with a white vinegar solution, then work a small
amount of a detergent solution into the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per
1 qt. of water). Continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is
completely removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water and blot
to remove excess moisture. Apply paper towels and weigh them down,
allowing the spot to dry.
Blood, catsup, cheese, chocolate, cola,
cough syrup, mixed drinks, soft
drinks, soy sauce, starch, toothpaste, white glue
First, note that all solutions for removing blood must be cool in
temperature. Blot and neutralize the spot with an ammonia solution,
using a spray bottle to saturate the spot. Next, work a small amount of
a detergent solution into the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of
water) and continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is
removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water and blot to remove
excess moisture. Apply a pad of paper towels, weigh them down and allow
to dry.
Mud and dirt
Allow mud to dry completely. Shatter the dried mud with the handle of a
knife, then vacuum. For dirt, apply a small amount of a detergent
solution to the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water) and
blot with a white paper towel to work the detergent into the affected
area. Continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is removed.
Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water, and then blot to remove
excess moisture.
You should never wet mop a hardwood floor, this will raise the grain and may permanently damage the wood's surface.
Providing proper maintenance begins with knowing two key components of your cork floors, cork will fade if it is exposed directly to sunlight/UV light and it will react to humidity and temperature fluctuation. Cork contains organic pigments. Just like a wood floor, cork will fade and should never be exposed directly to sunlight/UV light. Where possible, use drapes or other systems to protect your floor from excessive light. Additionally, UV inhibited clear coat protectors can be applied over your finished floor. Area rugs and large furniture will block light exposure and cause uneven coloration. To minimize this, furnishing and floor coverings should be moved periodically.
Cork floating floors expand and contract in response to fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Maintain a moderate temperature and relative humidity around 50-60%; use de-humidifier or humidifier where necessary.
Simply sweep or vacuum your floor frequently in order to avoid dirt build up, which may scratch the finish. Do not use any abrasive or aggressive cleaners or solvents that contain glycerin, as these will attack the surface and could make refinishing impossible. Simply sweep and mop with a well wrung -out sponge with neutral detergent (pH of 6 to 8) or cleaners that mist over the surface and damp mop up as you go. You can also use 4 parts of water to a 1-part vinegar. It is not a good idea to use the old bucket-and-mop method, as excess moisture will cause swelling at the seams.
Laminate Flooring Care
Our flooring is virtually maintenance free; designed to look great with minimal care. Routine cleaning requires only dust-or-damp-mopping or vacuuming, although vacuum beater bars should be avoided. Mohawk’s Floorcare Essentials™ Hard Surface Cleaner or plain tap water are best for damp-mopping; no waxes, polishes, varnish coatings, detergents, abrasive cleaners or “mop-and-shine” products should ever be used. For stubborn stains, carefully use a little acetone (nail polish remover) or other solvents containing alcohol.
Even though we make our laminates moisture-resistant, cloths or mops should be wrung out well so liquid doesn’t saturate the floor. Some additional tips to preserve your floor’s gorgeous appearance: put felt or plastic caps on the feet and legs of your furniture and chairs; rolling chairs and wheelchairs should have soft rollers suitable for laminate flooring. Doormats are a great investment, as are sturdy drip trays for your house plants. When moving large appliances such as refrigerators, use some thick pads or rags. Lots of help and extra caution are good to have on hand.
Vinyl Flooring Care
Tile Flooring Care
Natural Stone and Tile, such as granite, slate, and travertine require different care. Please look under the "natural flooring" selection for detailed instructions.
As with any investment to your home, routine care and treatment will help maintain the beauty of your Mohawk surfaces for years.
Keep your walls sparkling by wiping them periodically with a cloth or sponge. Maintain the luster of your floors by vacuuming to remove dirt and other particles first, then cleaning with a mop or sponge. In both cases, use a neutral, all-purpose, non oil-based household cleaner instead of ammonia to avoid discoloration of the grout joints.
Since grout joints are porous, they should be treated with a silicone sealer shortly after tile has been cleaned and dried to simplify future maintenance. For maximum stain-protection, reapply this sealant semiannually to keep pores extra tight.
Of course, some instances require a more heavy-duty cleaning than the normal tile touch-up. In these cases we recommend treating your Glazed Wall Tile with scouring powder or an all-purpose cleaner applied to a non-metallic pad. After cleaning the surface thoroughly, rinse and wipe dry.
For your Glazed Floor Tile you can use a commercial tile cleaner, an all-purpose, non oil-based cleaner, or a scouring powder paste. Let the cleaning agent stand for five minutes, brush, rinse, and wipe dry. Badly soiled countertops will require a solution of hot water and scouring powder to get the job done. Scrub with a stiff brush after letting stand for five minutes and rinse.
Your Stone and Slate surfaces need a unique care regimen to preserve the original appearance of natural stone. The only appropriate cleaners are those with a neutral pH between 7 and 10. Additionally, any cleaners containing water-soluble inorganic or crystallizing salts, alkali or acids should be avoided completely. Depending on the desired look, Stone and Slate tile should be sealed with a penetrating or surface coating type sealer.
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