Maintenance

Now you have your new floors, learn how to keep it beautiful.

Carpet
Tile
Hardwood
Laminate
Rugs
Granite

Carpet

Keep your carpet just-like-new
Carpet may be one of the easiest types of flooring to take care of. Learn how to keep yours looking great over time with a simple care program:

No carpet is absolutely stain proof
Some carpets have stain resistant treatments that improve your ability to clean stains, but not prevent them. Similarly, carpets with soil resistant treatments reduce the rate of soiling, but all carpets require regular care and maintenance. Resist carpet soil and stains with R2X, Shaw's own breakthrough technology.
Stains and soil
The majority of stain complaints are actually soil related. For example, many sugar-based spills, such as soft drinks and coffee, leave a sugar residue after removal. This sticky residue readily attracts soil from ordinary shoe traffic, and the resulting discolored area appears to be a stain. The same thing happens when spills are cleaned with a detergent solution and the area is not sufficiently rinsed with plain water, leaving a sticky detergent residue. It is important to rinse thoroughly with water and blot dry after removing any spill.

Tile

Maintenance
Proper maintenance is the key to a trouble-free ceramic tile floor.
Damp mop weekly
Wipe down your ceramic floor with a damp mop at least once a week (or more often for heavy traffic areas) with R2X Hard Surfaces Flooring Cleaner from Shaw's line of Floor Covering Care Products. If R2X Hard Surfaces Flooring Cleaner is not available, a mixture of 1 cup of white vinegar to 2 gallons of clean tap water can be used. Never use a detergent or soap, because it can dull the surface or promote the growth of mildew.
Caution: Wait at least 72 hours after installation (to allow new ceramic tile and grout to dry) before damp mopping.
Use protective mats Good quality entry and exit mats will help protect your ceramic tile from premature wear. They trap the dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that would otherwise be tracked onto your floor. Mats are also suggested at heavy pivot locations, such as in front of your kitchen sink or stove.
Add protective pads to furniture
Protect your tile by affixing felt or similar pads to the legs of any metal, iron, wood, or plastic furniture that will be placed on it. Exterior metal furniture, which rests on tile floors or patios, may rust and cause staining.
Use recommended sealers and cleaners only
We do not recommend cleaners other than Shaw's own line of floor care products or the vinegar solution described above. They may cause unwarranted damage to your tile and/or grout.
Check cure time before adding grout sealer
Unless noted otherwise on its packaging, grout should cure for at least 28 days before applying a sealer.
Use a penetrating sealer on quarry tiles
Sealers are absorbed into the tile, forming a stain resistant shield just below the surface. Most sealers will darken or change the appearance of the tile, and resealing is usually required every 12 to 18 months. None of Shaw's other tiles will need a sealer, as they are not porous enough to absorb it.

Hardwood

Protect the natural beauty of your Hardwoods flooring
Shaw Hardwood products, with their DuraShield XL advanced finish, provide superior wear; easy, no-wax care; plus superior resistance to staining from all common household products such as coffee, shoe polish, lipstick, acetone, mustard, and more. A few simple maintenance steps, however, will help protect your investment and keep your Shaw Hardwood flooring looking like new.

For cleaning, make sure you...
Use a damp cloth to blot spills and spots as soon as they happen. For tough spots, such as oil, paint, markers, lipstick, ink, tar, or cigarette marks, use acetone/nail polish remover on a clean white cloth, then wipe with a damp cloth. Always avoid allowing liquids to stand on your floor. Sweep, dust, or vacuum the floor regularly with the hard floor attachment (not the beater bar) to prevent accumulation of dirt or grit that can scratch or dull the floor finish. Occasionally wipe the floor with a damp mop or cloth.

While cleaning is easy, there are a few things to avoid:
Dont use oil based, wax, polish, or strong ammoniated or abrasive cleaners.
Dont use steel wool or scouring powder.
Dont wash or wet-mop the floor with soap, water, oil-soap detergent, or any other liquid cleaning material. This could cause swelling, warping, delamination, and joint-line separation, and void the warranty.
Dont use any type of buffing machine. Other routine care instructions:
For spots such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden the spot with ice and then gently scrape with a plastic scraper, such as a credit card. Be careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Do not use any type of buffing machine.
Use protective mats
Good quality entry and exit mats will help collect the dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that can otherwise be tracked onto your flooring. Do not use rubber- or foam-backed plastic mats as they may discolor the flooring. To prevent slippage, use an approved vinyl rug underlayment.

Use floor protectors on furniture
Use floor protectors and wide-load-bearing leg bases/rollers to minimize indentations and scratches from heavy objects. As a rule, the heavier the object, the wider the floor protector should be.

Maintain relative humidity level
Maintain a normal indoor relative humidity level between 45 and 65% throughout the year to minimize the natural expansion and contraction of wood. Heating Season (Dry): A humidifier is recommended to prevent excess shrinkage due to low humidity levels. Wood stove and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions. Non Heating Season (Wet): An air conditioner, dehumidifier or periodically turning on your heating system can maintain humidity during the summer months. Avoid excessive exposure to water during periods of inclement weather.
Avoid sharp objects
While your Shaw Hardwoods floor is one of the most wear resistant floors on the market, sharp or pointed objects can damage it nonetheless.
Watch your feet
Don't walk on your flooring with stiletto-style heels, spiked golf shoes, or cleats. They may cause indentations in your flooring.
Watch your pet's feet
Keep your pet's nails trimmed to keep them from scratching your flooring.
Rearrange your rugs and furniture
Periodically rearranging your area rugs and furniture will allow the flooring to age evenly. UV sunlight will soften the tone of different species of hardwood to varying degrees.
Protect the floor when moving
Use a dolly when moving heavy furniture or appliances. But first, put down a sheet of quarter-inch plywood or Masonite to protect the floor. Never try to slide or roll heavy objects across the floor.

Laminate

Laminate Flooring Care
Shaw Laminate Flooring is naturally durable; learn how to keep it looking great while standing up to the toughest household conditions.
Follow routine maintenance guidelines to clean your laminate flooring
Use a damp cloth to blot up spills as soon as they happen. Never allow liquids to stand on your floor.
For tough spots, such as oil, paint, markers, lipstick, ink, or tar, use acetone/nail polish remover on a clean white cloth, then wipe the area with a damp cloth to remove any remaining residue.
Sweep, dust, or vacuum the floor regularly with the hard floor attachment (not the beater bar) to prevent accumulation of dirt and grit that can scratch or dull the floor finish.

Do not wash or wet mop the floor with soap, water, oil-soap detergent, or any other liquid cleaning material. This could cause swelling, warping, delamination, and joint-line separation, and void the warranty.
Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong ammoniated or chlorinated type cleaners.
Do not use any type of buffing or polishing machine.
For spots such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden the spot with ice and then gently scrape with a plastic scraper, such as a credit card. Be careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
A more frequent dust-mopping or vacuuming schedule may be required in very sandy areas such as a beach home. Protect your laminate flooring to keep it looking like new
Entry mats will help collect the dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that might otherwise be tracked onto your floor.
To prevent slippage of area rugs, use an approved vinyl rug underlayment.
Use floor protectors and wide-load bearing leg bases/rollers to minimize the chance of indentations and scratches from heavy objects. As a rule, the heavier the object, the wider the floor protector.
Maintain a normal indoor relative humidity level between 35% and 65% throughout the year to minimize the natural expansion and contraction of the wood.

a. Heating season (Dry): A humidifier is recommended to prevent excess shrinkage due to low humidity levels. Wood stove and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions.
b. Non-Heating Season (Wet): An air conditioner, dehumidifier, or periodically turning on your heating will help to maintain humidity levels during summer months.
Avoid excessive exposure to water during periods of inclement weather.
Keep your pets nails trimmed to prevent them from scratching your floor.
Never try to slide heavy objects across the floor.
A protective mat should be used for furniture or chairs with castors.

Rugs

Cleaning and Care
Regular vacuuming will help rugs retain their beauty and will extend the life of the rug.
Clean spills immediately with the following method: blot with a clean cloth, spot clean with a solution of clear dish washing detergent (non-bleach) and water, rinse with water, and blot dry. Professional carpet cleaning is recommended using the hot water extraction method. Do not dry clean your Shaw Rugs and or use bleach.