General Introduction

Growing technology has enhanced the durability of flooring products immensely. Yet, our fast paced world still renders a lot of wear on our floors from spills to the family pet or foot traffic. Regular maintenance and preventative measures can significantly prolong the new look of this important investment. 

The following information is the accumulation of many years of experience, the guidelines of regulatory flooring agencies and the instructions provided by the leading manufactures of flooring products. The manufacturer of your flooring product may have unique guidelines that should be given seniority over the general advice given by Wolfe Flooring. The following guidelines are for regular maintenance, not initial care. Most likely, the initial care your flooring needs is different than regular maintenance. Generally, new flooring products need about 12 to 72 hours after the installation before they are ready for furniture, regular foot traffic, or cleaning of the seams, etc. Techniques, products, etc. change and some situations are very unique; thus, Wolfe Flooring assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome. These instructions may not apply to historic ceramic tile or antique oriental rugs and other very old and priceless flooring relics. Please exercise general caution implementing any of the following guidelines. You're welcome to call us for a specific professional address of your situation.

Sheet Vinyl

Retain the sales receipt and any product description from the purchase of the goods. If possible, document the manufacturer's name and the manufacturer's full product description including color. Furthermore, retain a sample of the vinyl for comparisons. For insurance purposes, it's good to have a picture of your new product in a safe place.

Retain extra vinyl for possible repairs that may be needed in the future. Keep the materials in a dry place that stays about room temperature. Do not put this in the attic. Extreme heat can damage the backing and cause discoloration. Do not allow the vinyl to be crushed while rolled up or folded. Roll the vinyl in an even roll or lay it flat. It is especially good if you can roll the remnant around a core for support.

Keep the outside entrance areas (sidewalks, porches, driveways) free of sand and debris.

Non-staining walk off mats (avoid rubber mats) and entry rugs are strongly recommended at building entry ways (both inside and outside) to catch most of the soiling. The mass majority of the soil and grit that will fall into the room will do so in the first six feet of the entrances. Mats should be cleaned recurrently; otherwise, the mats will accelerate the soiling.

Sweep or dust mop your main traffic areas once per day and the general areas once per week for residential vinyl. Commercial facilities usually need to sweep all areas once or twice per day. Sand and grit will scratch and dull the finish. As an alternative, you may chose to vacuum, but do not use a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar. (Follow the operating manual of the vacuum cleaner's manufacturer.)

Damp mop your residential vinyl floor once per week with an appropriate cleaner to thoroughly remove sticky residues, etc. Commercial properties may have to damp mop once per day.

Remove any residue build-up occasionally with a cleaner/stripper product.

Apply a polish or a "mop and shine" product to increase the shine. (This could also make the vinyl more slippery.) Some vinyl floors recommend against this. Check the manufacturer's instructions.

Use a nonabrasive polishing cleaner to remove scuff marks and black heel marks.

Be especially careful when handling household chemicals (e.g., food dyes, acne medicine, cosmetics, hair dyes, insecticide, plant food, paint, ink and other petroleum byproducts, etc.). These chemicals can ruin the surface with stains if not cleaned up immediately. Wolfe Flooring does provide solutions to these otherwise impossible problems.

Tend to stains and spills immediately after occurrence. Stains set with time. Many stains that may be removable will become permanent if not wiped up immediately.

Be careful when using over-the-counter cleaner on vinyl. Some over-the-counter cleaners will distort the finish leaving it dull or too slippery. Follow the instructions on the cleaner carefully. 

Reflect direct sunlight away from carpet to prevent fading and discoloration.

Avoid placing an appliance directly on your flooring that produces high levels of heat. Refrigerators and ovens are known to produce heat that can permanently damage your flooring.

Use underlayments under rugs to prevent possible dye transfer and to prevent the rug from traveling.

Relocate furniture occasionally to distribute traffic patterns.

Prevent indentations from furniture with pointed legs by using hard, plastic casters and cups. A wide caster will disperse the weight of the furniture.

Use carpet or felt pad protectors (not plastic or rubber) on the bottom of furniture that is moved frequently. Change out the furniture pads periodically.

Tend to repairs immediately to keep repair expenses as low as possible.

Avoid dragging heavy furniture across the vinyl.

Keep your pet's nails trimmed.

Do not walk on vinyl floors with stiletto or spiked heels, especially those with worn spiked heal caps.

Change the filters in your air conditioning system regularly.

All Materials are Copyrighted © 2000
by Wolfe Flooring, Inc. of Tampa, FL 33637   All rights reserved.
A Full Service Flooring Company:  Sales, Installation, Maintenance & Repairs
Carpet, Rugs, Hardwood, Laminate, Ceramic, Stone, Vinyl, Rubber, VCT
Serving Temple Terrace, Tampa, Brandon, and Surrounding Communities
of Tampa Bay in Central Florida
813-989-2101  or   813-989-2831
Designed by Morning Star Interactive, Inc.