Care & Tips FAQ
We often get questions from clients regarding keeping the beautiful items in your home looking their very best. These general instructions may be helpful to you or your home maintenance assistants. A home is full of a dazzling array of complex materials, all of which require knowledge regarding their construction, natural protective characteristics, and sensitivities. It is nearly impossible to be fully knowledgeable in every material and finish, but in most cases a little daily maintenance goes a long way to minimize heavy duty cleaning products potential damage to items in your home. Although not all-inclusive and not very glamorous, we hope you find the information included in this section helpful.
SUN — Sun fades everything. Although window construction improvements have slowed down the process, it is like applying sunscreen to your skin, it just delays the effect. Some stone yards do not put green or black slabs out in the sun. If the sun can fade stone, imagine was it does for wood, fabrics, leather, artwork and carpets. Leather, silk, cotton, rayon, and wood are all photo-sensitive. Many materials can be affected in only a few weeks (we had a leather sofa ruined in a Parade home in only three weeks). We know it’s difficult to buy that beautiful view lot and then cover the windows. We have had carpet installations that in the afternoon looked like they had never been stretched tight, that were perfect at 8:00 AM the next morning…all from the effect of direct sun exposure in the afternoon. Please install as good of quality of windows as you can reasonably afford and protect your inside materials with window coverings during the time of the day that you receive direct sunlight. Remember, in many areas winter sunlight can be even more damaging than summer because it enters more directly in to the home (more horizontally). Dust can magnify the effect of sunlight on window treatments, carpet, and upholstery. Regular maintenance is always the key.
CARPET — Carpets are comprised of many fiber types. Most typically, we install nylon and wool. Most manufacturers require that carpets be cleaned by a professional with a “truck-mounted, steam extraction unit” within one year of installation, and every six months thereafter, in order to maintain warranty. Most spot cleaners leave a residue on the carpet that trades a stain for a dirty spot later as a result of general soiling. In most cases, if you can remove the spot with plain water, it’s always the best solution. Carpet fibers should never be rubbed or scrubbed. Water should be applied and then blotted multiple times with a clean towel until the spot is removed. If a spot cleaner is ultimately required, rinsing and blotting is the key to removing as much cleaner as possible.
Some items are simply not cleanable from carpet (or upholstery). These include hair dyes, permanent markers, many soft drinks and juices, coffee, wine, pet food with dyes, medications, and many other things. Regardless of the ads on TV, soil and stains do not just jump back off the carpet. Your best hope is to remove the spill quickly by blotting and call a professional. As a side note, we are receiving some notices from selected carpet manufacturers that the use of a Dyson brand vacuum will void the carpet warranty. As with any carpet performance claim, in addition to the cleaning history, the manufacturer requires a professional inspection of the vacuum to determine that it is of the quality required to adequately maintain the carpet and is used frequently.
NATURAL STONE — Different stones require different care. Granites and slates are more durable. Marbles, travertines, and limestones are more sensitive. For complete information, we recommend that you check the Marble Institute of America’s web page. Maintenance is covered under the Consumer Resources section.
In general, acid-based foods or cleaners will etch or dull natural stone. Abrasives of all kinds scratch natural stone (dust, dirt, sand, grit, cleaners). The Institute recommends a neutral cleaner. Most consumers use too much cleaner in too little water, which leaves a film that can be unsightly and unsafe. No lemon, vinegar or other acids should be used on marble or limestone products. Cleaning products should be rinsed off the stone and then dried. The Institute recommends the occasional use of ½ C. ammonia to a gallon of water to remove soap scum. We simply recommend not using bar soaps, as the same materials that make the bar stick together stick the soap to the shower walls and floor. Grout is not stone and requires cleaning with a scrub brush. Rinsing is again important to not leave product that later attracts dirt.
Penetrating sealers should be used a minimum of once per year. Please check with your stone installer so that the maintenance product is consistent with the product used in the initial installation. Stone should be completely protected from toilet bowl cleaners, calcium, lime and rust removers, citric acid, and spray shower cleaners (such as Tilex). Some facial products will take the shine off stone (etching the stone like they remove the top layer of skin). Almost all stones will absorb grease. Oils, butters, shortening, and grease should not be left on stone surfaces. Stone showers absorb moisture and should be allowed to completely dry (open door, well-ventilated area) after use so not to promote mold and mildew growth on or within the stone. Ultimately, most damage is repairable by a professional stone maintenance company.
CERAMIC OR PORCELAIN TILE — Tile is inherently more resistant to dirt and stains than natural stone. The Tile Institute of America recommends a pH balanced cleaner and soap-less detergents. Acidic cleaners will eventually erode grout. Both tile and natural stone require annual caulking of all junctions of horizontal and vertical materials, e.g., exterior doors, fireplaces, shower floors to walls, kitchen backsplashes. This results from the natural movement of the exterior of the home and the movement of horizontal and vertical planes at a different rate. This is not a construction or installation problem, but simply an annual home maintenance task. Grout should not be used at these junctions.
WOOD FLOORS — The National Wood Flooring Association provides information on maintenance of hardwood floors. Floors are typically finished with either Glitsa or a water-based product. Older floors may have wax, shellac, linseed oil, or other products. The key to maintenance is to determine which type of finish you currently have. For Glitsa or water-based varnish, there are specialty cleaning products, such as Glitsa Clean. You can also use 1 C. of white vinegar with 1 gallon of water. As with all flooring, grit is lethal to hardwood floors. Regular sweeping or vacuuming is key. High heels are also lethal to your floors and non-maintained high heels will damage the floor immediately (that New Year’s Eve party with the friend standing at the end of the counter making holes in your floor the entire evening). You should protect your floor from chair rollers, refrigerator rollers, and chair legs. Carpet remnants without added backing are like putting sand paper on your floor and should never be used to protect a wood floor. A consistent temperature and humidity is key to the health of your floors. We see the most drying by the end of February each year and the healthiest floors in September (unless you don’t have air conditioning). Cracks between the boards are within industry standards and expected during the driest time of the year. Maintenance coats vary by usage and type. Most water-based products should be maintained every one to two years, Glitsa every two to three years.
WOOD FURNITURE — Contrary to lots of advertising, there are products on the market that do not make your wood furniture more beautiful (actually, they do for a short time period, then they make the finish cloudy so that you have to use more of their product again). A mist of water on a clean, soft cloth is generally effective for maintaining the beauty of wood. As with hardwood floors and pushing furniture, sliding items across table tops is the best way to get a dandy scratch. Wood should always be protected from sun, heat and water. Table leaves should be stored flat, not leaning in a closet.
PLUMBING FIXTURES — The best approach for the maintenance of plumbing fixtures is diligence. Water spots are difficult to remove once they are set. Shower doors are best maintained when wiped down after each use. We have found variable results with the shower “sheeting” products (they represent that the water will slide down the door). The alternative to daily maintenance is the use of hard cleaning materials that can affect your metal finishes, stone, and tile. They are also not healthy for your septic tanks or the city sewer. If you have purchased a plumbing fixture, please ask the plumber to leave the maintenance information. Many fixtures have a clear protective coating. These should never be cleaned with harsh cleaners or you will remove this coating. Alternatively, there are fixtures with “living” finishes, that mean they can naturally tarnish or age. Many specialty finishes have been ruined by over zealous cleaning people with a can of Brasso. Many of our plumbers discourage the use of the in-tank toilet cleaners (large tablets) as they have a tendency to make any rubber parts in the mechanisms brittle over time.
CANDLES — Candles can blacken paint and ceilings if burned for too long of time per usage or with untrimmed wicks. Some candles state guidelines with a label or on the box. Common sense rules in the absence of direct guidelines.
MATTRESSES AND FOUNDATIONS — Many of the problems we see with these products are lack of adequate support. All mattresses and foundations should have six points of contact to the floor.