Caring for your Wood Floor...
Our Hardwood Flooring is constructed with a durable, easy to care for Diamond-Hard™ Seven (7) Layer UV Polyurethane with an Aluminum Oxide Coating. This coating not only protects your new wood floor, it also provides an easy-to-clean & maintain slip-resistant surface. By following our cleaning & maintenance tips, you can help your new BKR floor to look like it’s brand new for years to come.
Cleaning & Maintenance Tips for your Wood Flooring:
Cleaning Tips
- Sweep, dust or vacuum your floor regularly to prevent the accumulation of dirt or grit that can scratch or dull your wood floor’s finish. Note: use the bare floor attachment on your vacuum cleaner – the regular “beater bar” can cause scratches or damage your flooring.
- For simple spills and spots, use a clean, damp cloth, to immediately blot them up as soon as they happen. Never let liquids stand on your hardwood floor.
- For tougher spills or spots such as paint, oil, markers, lipstick, ink, tar or cigarette marks, clean the area with a clean, white cloth dampened with an acetone nail polish remover. Then, rinse the area by wiping it with a clean, damp cloth.
- For spots such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden the spot with ice and then gently scrape the area with a plastic scraper (such as a credit card), being careful not to scratch the floor’s surface. Wipe clean with a clean, damp cloth.
- Occasionally wipe your floor with a clean, damp cloth or mop.
- Periodically clean your hardwood floor with a BKR-approved hard surface cleaner (ask the retailer where you purchased your floor for information about where you can buy an approved cleaner). To avoid damaging your hardwood flooring, only use a BKR-approved cleaner and read & follow the Hard Surface Cleaner instructions carefully.
Cleaning Don'ts
- Do not use oil-based, wax, polish, strong ammoniated or abrasive cleaners.
- Never use steel wool or scouring powder.
- Don’t wash or mop your flooring with soap, water, oil-soap detergent or any other non-approved cleaning materials.
- This could cause your floor to swell, warp, delaminate and/or separate at the joints. In addition, this will void your floor’s warranties.
- Do not use any type of buffing machine.
Maintenance Tips
You can help protect your new floor and keep it looking as new and beautiful as the day it was installed by following a few simple preventative measures including:
- Use good quality, protective mats on the outside & inside of any outdoor entrances.
- A good quality mat can help collect dirt, soil, sand, grit, hair, water, oil and other potentially harmful substances that can be tracked into your home.
- Don’t use rubber or foam-backed mats as these may discolor your new flooring. You can prevent mat slippage by using an approved vinyl rug underlayment.
- Install rollers and/or floor protectors on furniture.
- If you have furniture that will be moved, use a floor protector to minimize potential scratches on your floor. Keep in mind that even smaller furniture such as dining chairs, high chairs for small children, coffee and end tables and cribs can scratch your floor.
- When moving furniture or large objects, use an approved dolly.
- Never drag heavy objects across your floor as it may cause extensive scratching and damage to your hardwood flooring.
- To minimize the natural expansion & contraction of your hardwood flooring, it is recommended that you keep the indoor relative humidity between 45% and 65% year round.
- You can help regulate the humidity level in your home by utilizing a dehumidifier in the warmer seasons and a humidifier in the cold season. Keep in mind that electric heating and wood stoves tend to create very dry conditions.
- Avoid using sharp and/or pointed objects on your floors such as razor blades, knives and scissors. Many types of shoes also have spiked soles such as cleats, golf shoes and stiletto-style high heeled shoes.
- Keep your pets toenails trimmed and if your pet likes to scratch, try using an approved scratching post and bedding that your pet can “nest” in.
- If you have areas of your floor that are exposed to direct sunlight, rearrange your furniture and rugs periodically to avoid uneven aging.
