FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

Question:

We have recently had a limestone floor installed in our bathroom. The installer had previously applied a sealer.   I have looked at your web page and find it helpful, but my question is “can I use a Swiffer wet mop for day to day cleaning”?

Answer:

The Swiffer wet mop is safe to use on sealed limestone. One very important thing to remember is that sealers do not last forever and have to be reapplied depending on the amount of traffic your floors receive. Another thing to keep in mind is that limestone requires very little maintenance. For daily cleaning, you can simply sweep or dry Swiffer the floor. You only need a liquid cleaner when you have spills or stains.

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Question: We were hoping that you could help get us some information about how to remove residue (we think it is MOP & GLOW) from our laminate wood floors. Any information?
Anything you can tell us would be helpful.  Thank you.

Answer: From the Mop and Glo website:

Q:   What causes a build-up on my floor?

A:   As with any wax or polish, MOP & GLO® Triple Action™ Floor Shine Cleaner should be removed periodically to prevent a build-up of old polish. This can occur if the floor is polished too frequently, and/or if not cleaned thoroughly in-between polishing.

Q:   How do I remove this build-up?

A:   Use a solution of 1/4 cup all purpose cleaner (such as LYSOL® All
Purpose Cleaner with out Bleach) and 1 cup household ammonia in ½ gallon of
warm water. Wet the area with the solution and mop.

I would test this in an inconspicuous area first. I would also recommend cleaning the floor with an approved laminate cleaner first, just to be safe. This may require extra cleaning with some elbow grease! If that doesn’t remove the Mop and Glo, then I would try what the Mop and Glo website recommends.

Question:

Question: Do you recommend any products to clean laminated floors? Our home is located on sandy soil and no matter how much I sweep you can see dog and shoe prints. Help, please. There is no information available from the manufacturer.

Answer: Normally the product that is recommended is from the manufacturer, but if there is no information available from the manufacturer, I have only heard good things about Bona Floor Care Products.

For more information on other cleaning and maintenance practices that are equally as important as the cleaner itself, refer to an earlier post on Test Your Laminate Flooring Knowledge.

Often, the problem with foot and paw prints is that the dirt was not trapped outside and is being tracked inside. One solution to help with this problem is using walk off mats at each entrance to your home.

Daily maintenance like sweeping with a terry cloth head mop (also available from Bona) will help with this problem.

Reader question:

I have laminate floors in my home, but have a problem cleaning them. I have used many products and now have a film all over them. I need to remove the film and clean the floors. What can I do?

Answer:

The first thing I would do is call the flooring store where you purchased your laminate flooring or the manufacturer and let them know what your problem is and see what their recommended solution is. This will help in the case that you end up having a warranty issue or causing any further problem.

There are many variables that could cause a film on your laminate floor. Using multiple cleaners and too much cleaner are certainly two of them. However, I have heard that Swiffer products leave a film on laminate floors. I have also heard of vinegar reacting with urethane where it was able to penetrate via surface scratches in the finish. Some people have been able to remove the film by cleaning with water only and no cleaner. This removes excess cleaner. Others have tried a very small amount of dishwashing detergent, being sure to rinse thoroughly without saturating the floors with water. This may take some scrubbing and elbow grease to remove. It is always best to test cleaners in an inconspicuous area first.

If you are able to get the film removed, the best thing to do moving forward is to use the manufacturers recommended cleaning products and follow the instructions directly.

For more information on how to maintain laminate floors, click here.

Reader Question:

We have 4 kitties.  Last night they got rambunctious and knocked over one of our oil lamps that were sitting on the end table.  They broke the glass and the blue tinted oil spilled all over the table and dripped on the carpet.  We soaked up as much as we could with some paper towels, but there is still a faint blue stain on the carpet.  Is there any way to get this out without using a general store bought carpet cleaner?

Answer:

According to Wear-Dated’s stain removal guide:

Asphalt, butter, calamine lotion, Crayon, furniture polish, gravy, grease, hand lotion, ice cream, ink (ballpoint), ink (Fountain Pen), lacquer, make-up, mayonnaise, milk, oil, paint (latex), paint (oil), Play Dough, rubber cement, salad oil, sauces, shoe polish, shortening, tar, Vaseline, unknown spots

Remove as much foreign material as possible by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife. Apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol to a clean white cloth, white paper towel or cotton ball. If the spot extends deep into the pile, blot until it is removed or no color transfers to the cloth. Do not allow the alcohol to penetrate the backing, as it will destroy the latex bond. If the spot is on the surface only, rub in one direction at a time.

If rubbing removes the spot, blot dry and stack several white paper towels over the damp area. Place a brick or similarly weighted object on the towels to keep them in contact with the carpet. The towels will absorb any stain wicking up from the backing to the carpet surface. Allow carpet to dry, remove the brick and towels, and brush up the pile.

NOTE:  Never use a circular motion to remove a spot as this may destroy the texture.

 Reader Question:

I have vinyl flooring in my kitchen and I have put plastic tips on my wooden chairs.

The problem is there are black marks where the chairs are moved back and forth.  How can I get rid of this problem?  Is it best to have no tips on the chairs or what? I have tried to put felt tips on the end of the chair, but that only last a little while and they come off.  I would appreciate any help you could give me.   Thanks.

Answer:

Thanks for your question. To remove the black marks, rub each mark with a rubber eraser. If that doesn’t work, try mixing a small amount of baking powder and water. Rub the mixture on the scuff marks with a clean, dry, white cloth. Another solution that may work is rubbing non gel toothpaste on the marks with a clean, dry, white cloth.

Although felt is recommended, an alternative to the black plastic protectors, you can try non-pigmented plastic protectors.

Floor Talk! is celebrating its 1 year anniversary!

The mission of the floor Floor Talk! blog is to offer another valuable tool from the WFCA (World Floor Covering Association) that helps consumers make informed and smart choices when it comes to flooring.  Our goal is also to help those that have made flooring purchases learn more about what they have purchased as well as how to maintain their purchase.

Over the past year, Floor Talk! has offered:

• Answers to reader questions
• Maintenance tips and hints
• Advice on color trends for the year
• Findings from trade shows
• Green products and information

The most popular blogs of the past year have been:

• How to choose a grout color
• The right way to clean ceramic tile
• 2008 color trends
• The difference between vinyl and linoleum
• How to maintain hardwood flooring
• Exotic hardwood

We have thoroughly enjoyed finding the latest products to share with you, reporting on what’s hot and what’s not, sharing pictures of beautiful floors from around the world and more. We love hearing from you and writing about what you want to know -so keep the comments and questions coming!

Thanks for all of the support for a wonderful year and we look forward to another great one!

Question:

“What should I know about the manufacturers of area rugs? In the purchasing mode, I would like to find out who are the ones I should be looking at because of their quality and reputation. For instance, what are the differences between Karastan and KAS?”

Answer:

How long a company has been in business is often a good indicator of the quality of their product, and reputation for customer service before and after the sale. Most vendors offer a range of price points, but please do not confuse price with value. Natural fibers like wool and cotton, and the labor intensive processes of hand dying and hand knotting are time consuming, and therefore more expensive than many of the synthetic products and automated processes. The adage “You get what you pay for” still holds true and an accurate indication of value requires and apple-to-apple comparison.

I wanted the opinion of someone in the rug business for this question and I trust the opinion of rugsale.com to answer the question because: they are a division of Kaoud Oriental Rugs which has been in business for over 54 years and have found the following vendors to be there; Nourison, Momeni, Dalyn, Kas, Shaw, 828 International, Couristan, and Chandra. The broad range of styles these vendors offer have gotten many favorable comments from their customers.