Shaw Laminate Maintenance and Care

SHAW LAMINATE FLOOR CARE AND MAINTENANCE:

Routine Maintenance:

Important: All wood based products are hygroscopic (they will react to moisture) and as a result will expand or contract accordingly. All sources of subfloor moisture must be remedied prior to installation. Any construction dampness must be remedied prior to installation. Wetting is to be avoided and water spills dried immediately. At no time should water be left on the floor.

1. Use a dry or dry-damp cloth to blot up spills as soon as they happen. Never allow liquids to stand on your floor.
2. 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 dry-damp cloth to remove any remaining residue.
3. For best results, utilize a dry damp sponge mop for routine cleaning. Avoid wet mopping.
4. 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.
5. Periodically clean the floor with cleaning products made specifically for laminate floor care, such as Shaw’s R2X® Hard Surface Cleaner.
6. Do not wash or wet mop the floor with soap, water, oil-soap detergent, or any other liquid cleaning material.
7. Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong ammoniated or chlorinated type cleaners.
8. Do not use any type of buffing or polishing machine.
9. Do not use any type steam cleaner or any cleaning device that applies steam or water directly to flooring.
10. For spots such as candle wax or chewing gum, apply a gel solvent or isopropyl alcohol and let dwell for a few minutes. Gently scrape with a plastic scraper, such as a credit card. Be careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Always clean with neutral cleaner or blot clean using a dry or dry-damp cloth to remove residue.
11. A more frequent dust-mopping or vacuuming schedule may be required in very sandy areas such as a beach home.
12. Always remove everyday household spills immediately.
13. As with any flooring, due care should be exercised to extend the life of your Shaw floor. Place walk off mats at entrances, dry dust mop as primary cleaning method. DO NOT wet mop. DO NOT use detergents, cleaners, soaps, waxes or polishes. DO NOT use rotating beater bars, floor scrubbers, steamers, jet mops or similar products.

Environmental Protection:

 

1. 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.
2. To prevent slippage of area rugs, use an approved vinyl rug underlayment.
3. 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.
4. Maintain a normal indoor relative humidity level between 35% and 65% throughout the year to minimize the natural expansion and contraction of the wood. a. Heating season (Dry): A humidifier is recommended to prevent excess shrinkage due to low humidity levels. Wood stove and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions. b. Non-Heating Season (Wet): An air conditioner, dehumidifier, or periodically turning on your heating will help to maintain humidity levels during summer months.
5. Avoid exposure to water during periods of inclement weather.
6. Keep your pet’s nails trimmed to prevent them from scratching your floor.
7. Never try to slide heavy objects across the floor.
8. A protective mat should be used for furniture or chairs with castors.
9. Minor Repair Instructions: In the event that accidental damage occurs to one of the planks, minor scratches or dents can be repaired using a Flooring Touchup or Color-fill Kit. This special touchup kit is a filler material, color-coordinated to the color of your floor that, when used properly, makes repaired area often invisible. The repaired area will hold up to foot traffic and wear just like the rest of your laminate flooring.

Glueless Laminate Board Replacement Repairs:

1. Shaw glueless laminate may be assembled and disassembled several times.
2. Carefully disassembled glueless joints will retain their original locking integrity during re-assembly. New replacement plank(s) should be acclimated in the replacement area for at least 72 hours, to allow them to equalize to the conditions of the flooring in the room where the replacement(s) will take place.
3. Remove baseboard, wall base, or quarter-round as needed to replace the damaged board(s). Take the flooring apart, 1 row at a time, by lifting the rows to detach them, then separating the individual boards.
4. Be sure to stack the individual planks in the proper order for re-installation. This usually eliminates the need to cut planks for start or end of the row lengths.
5. Replace the damaged board with a piece from the edge of the original installation.
6. Insert the properly acclimated new plank(s) along the outer edge of the original flooring installation during re-assembly. This minimizes the chance that a newer plank might stand out from the wear condition of the original installation.
7. Re-install the baseboard, wall base, or quarter round, and the replacement-repair is complete.