Carpet Care

Use mats placed at all entrances to keep soil from being tracked into the house. Change or clean these mats as they become soiled.

Remove spills on your carpet promptly. Spilled material can permanently stain or discolour your carpet when left unattended for very long. Blot liquids. DO NOT SCRUB THE AREA!

The most important maintenance step is proper and regular vacuuming. You cannot over vacuum. In fact, high traffic areas should be vacuumed at least once a week. It is best to use a vacuum with a beater bar and brush on cut pile carpet. A suction only vacuum may be required to prevent fuzzing on wool loop pile carpet.

Help to reduce airborne pollutants by changing your furnace filters regularly and cleaning your furnace and vents annually.

Have carpets hot water extracted every 12 to 18 months for high traffic areas, and 18 to 24 months for other areas.

Hardwood Flooring Care

Floor mats are a wonderful thing when it comes to hardwood floors. Tiny particles, like dirt, can act like sandpaper and scratch your wood. By placing a floor mat at each entryway and encouraging family members and guests to wipe their feet, the majority of dirt and grime will remain on the mat. Also put a floor mat or rug in any area where water could be splashed — like near the kitchen sink. This will hinder any possible water damage.  

Note that rubber-backed or non-ventilated floor mats or rugs can damage your floor. Instead use floor mats or rugs made especially for hardwood floors and be sure to shake them out regularly.

Whistle While You Work

 Along with a hardwood floor comes the responsibility of keeping it clean. The better care you take, the longer your floor will maintain its original beauty. Step one is to purchase a high quality broom so that you can sweep your floor regularly of dirt, dust and other particles.

 Second step is a vacuum cleaner without a beater bar, to get in between the boards and other hard to reach areas.

 Deeper cleaning techniques vary depending on the installation and finish of your hardwood floor. For “Finish in Place” hardwood floors, using an 8”x14” terrycloth mop with a rotating head that makes cleaning corners, under cabinets and along base boards as simple as pie is recommeded

 Professional cleaning products recommended by your flooring retailer can be used to remove tough stains and spills without dulling the finish of your wood floor. Makers of “Pre-finished” floors recommend their own specific products for routine maintenance. Check with your retailer for details.

Do and Don'ts

 Don't wax a wood floor with a urethane finish

 Do use cleaners that won't leave a film or residue

 Don't use ammonia cleaners or oil soaps on a wood floor — they'll dull the finish and affect your ability to recoat later.

 Do use a professional hardwood floor cleaner to remove occasional scuffs and heel marks (just spray some cleaner on a cloth and rub the stained area lightly)

 Don't wet mop or use excessive water to clean your floor (wood naturally expands when it's wet and can cause your floor to crack or splinter). For information on steam cleaning hardwood floors, see The official blog of the World Floor Covering Association Floor Talk .

 Do clean sticky spots with a damp towel or sponge

 Do minimize water exposure and clean spills immediately

Go Deep

 If and when your hardwood floor begins to look like it belongs beneath the feet of gold miners in an old western saloon, it's time to consider screening and recoating.

 Screening is the process used to abrade or grind down your floor's polyurethane finish. Next, fresh coats of urethane are applied. The result is a rejuvenated floor that looks as good as the day it was installed!

 If the damage to your hardwood floor is severe, then you may require sanding and refinishing. This process involves sanding your floor down to the bare wood and refinishing it. Only go to this effort if screening and recoating doesn't solve your problem. Replacement boards may be available so you don't have to refinish the entire area. Be sure to go pro whenever you have work done on your hardwood floors!

Protect Your Investment

 All hardwood floors fade or change shades over time. Like our own skin, wood's exposure to sunlight may greatly increase this process and cause permanent damage.

 Window treatments are recommended to shade your floors from the sun's harsh rays. We also recommend rotating area rugs and furniture regularly, allowing wood floors to age evenly from UV exposure.

 To avoid permanent marks and scratches, it's a good idea to cover furniture and table legs with flannel protectors. Be careful when moving heavy objects across your floor to avoid scuffing.

 Ladies — your stiletto heels may be fashionable, but what's not in fashion (or covered by your warranty) are the dents and scratches they cause to wood floors. Likewise, trim your pet's nails regularly and keep any and all other sharp objects away from your floors.

 Love your floors and your floors will love you back for a long, long time

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Laminate Flooring Care

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.

 Periodically clean the floor with cleaning products made specifically for laminate floor care.

 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.

Caring for Vinyl

Vinyl / Resilient Floor Cleaning & Maintenance

 Keeping the floor clean is not hard, but there are some guidelines to increase the life of your flooring.

 Dust, sand and grit particles are the enemy.  Sweep or vacuum frequently.  Don't use a vacuum with a beater bar as it may scratch your floor. And don't use scrub brushes.

 When sweeping or vacuuming does not remove the dirt, mop the floor with clean warm water.  Rinse the floor thoroughly with fresh water.

 If water alone does not clean the surface, use cleaning products recommended by the manufacturer.  Most “no-rinse” cleaners will work just fine.

 When all else fails, use your head.  No — not like that, silly!  An ounce or so of liquid detergent or ammonia in a gallon of water will work, but you will need to rinse the floor well.

 Do NOT use detergents, abrasive cleaners or "mop and shine" products.

 And always toss in an ounce of prevention.  Mats or rugs in front of outside doors will help keep the dust and grit from getting to the floor in the first place.  Be sure the mats and rugs you buy are for vinyl floors.  Some rubber-backed mats may leave stains or marks.

How To Care For A Flag

No matter which flag you fly, whether it’s the star-spangled banner or your family colors, you want to keep it in good condition. But knowing how to care for a flag is a bit of a challenge. On the face of it, it seems like a regular piece of fabric, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can just throw it in the wash and forget about it. 

In this post, we’re going to take a look at how you can look after your flag and keep it in tip-top condition for years to come. 

Keep It Out Of Rough Weather

Think about when you usually see flags flying. Often, it is in bright, sunny, and mild weather. 

There’s a good reason for this: flags don’t do well outside of optimal conditions. 

You should, therefore, keep your flag out of snow, storms, and high winds. When flags get wet, microorganisms become established and degrade the material. Furthermore, high winds weaken fabric over time. 

If your flag does get wet, fold it out flat and leave it to dry to avoid permanent creases. 

Hand Wash In Mild Detergent 

Sometimes you need to wash your flag. 

The best way to wash a dirty flag is to fill a tub of warm water and then hand wash using mild detergent. 

Please note: you shouldn’t leave the flag in wash water for more than a few minutes, as this can make the colors run, reducing its visual appeal. 

Hang Your Flag Clear Of Other Objects

People can sometimes damage flags when they hang them in unsuitable locations. Flags hung next to trees, for example, can slap into branches in the wind, causing holes, rips, and gashes.

When you hang your flag, be sure that it cannot come into contact with any objects in its immediate vicinity. Locate it well clear of power lines, trees, garden fences, cables, and buildings (including your own house). 

If you notice a tear in your flag, you’ll need to repair it carefully using patches that match the original flag. If you see fraying at the end of the flag, you’ll have to rehem the material to stop the ripped area from growing over time. 

Also, be sure that you keep your flagpole in good condition. Ideally, it should be smooth with no sharp edges. Be on the lookout for rust, as this can create spiky lumps of metal that catch on the flag material as it moves in the wind. 

Store Your Flag Safely

For large chunks of the year, you may not use your flag. If so, be sure to store it in a cool, dry, and dark environment. Check that your storage facilities are bug and moisture-free, especially if you use a shed or attic. 

By adopting the correct approach, you can make your flag last for many years to come. PT Floors sells US flags in a variety of sizes, and flag poles. Our incredible range of high-quality products provides you with loads of options. See our site and find the perfect flag for your home.