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Flooring isn't cheap, and can be worn out easily. It's also a big job to renovate and involves a lot of logistics, so it makes sense to treat your floors with care right from the get-go! Of course, some general floor protection tips will be more than sufficient to keep your home's new flooring in pristine condition. HDB also has a flooring maintenance guide, FYI.
Vacuum or sweep your floors regularly, particularly in high-traffic areas, as small particles can drag along and scratch your floor. Place doormats outside every entrance to help trap dirt, sand and grit. Don't be lazy! Wipe up spills immediately to avoid permanent stains.
If you'd like to go a little further, stick felt pads under all chair and table legs to prevent scratches from dragging furniture around. Not fussy about aesthetics? Pop by Daiso and get some of those table and chair leg socks! These cute little mittens protect your floors and mute all that furniture noise - great stuff especially if you have elderly and children at home.
If you've got some boo-boo home accidents, remove hardened substances such as candle wax from your floor by placing an ice pack (or ice in a plastic bag) on the stained spot on your floor. Leave it there for about 10 minutes, or until the substance dries and becomes brittle. Scrape off gently using a butter knife or a credit card. All that basic floor cleaning tips should be more than enough for a regular household. If you're looking to maintain tiles, laminate, or wood flooring, keep on reading!
Interior Design: KNQ Associates
How to maintain tile flooring?
It’s important to make sure that dirt does not accumulate on your tile flooring because accumulated dirt and grit can easily scratch and dull the surface. Sweeping or vacuuming floors is usually sufficient for regular cleanings.
Damp mopping with plain water at least once a week should also remove minor dirt and dust. For more stubborn stains, damp-mop the floor with a mixture of warm water and mild dishwashing liquid – white vinegar works well, too, especially for greasy floors.
After cleaning, rinse and mop the entire area with clean water to remove any cleaning solution residue. Buff dry with a clean micro fibre cloth or old towel after.
Cleaning grout lines
Dirty grout lines equals dingy-looking floors. Grout is porous and absorbs dirt, grease and stains over time. Skip commercial cleaners; instead, make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply it to the grout lines using a toothbrush, and let it sit overnight.
Scrub the stain with a stiff nylon brush (a metal brush will damage the grout and scratch the tiles). Let the grout air dry, then apply a silicone-based grout sealer to repel future stains.
Tiles cracking
Have hairline cracks on your tiles? Fret not, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your tiles need replacing. Check your tile supplier or any hardware store for a scratch repair kit. You can also use paint and clear epoxy to cover the crack.
Wash the chipped portion with soapy water, and thoroughly dry the tile, preferably with a hair dryer. Using a small paintbrush, apply a thin layer of oil-based primer on the crack and let it dry for at least two hours. Then, paint on the crack using light strokes with an oil-based paint that closely matches the colour of the tile.
When the paint is dry, dab just enough clear epoxy to cover the cracked area and level the gap with the rest of the tile. Protect the area from foot traffic for at least 24 hours.
Tile floor scratches
Put protective pads under heavy furniture to prevent damage to your tile flooring. Place floor mats at entrances — they trap corrosive substances that can be tracked in, like dirt, sand, oil, and grit. To reduce tile wear, also place mats in high-traffic areas, such as in front of vanities, kitchen sinks and stoves.
Tile cleaner detergents
Never use cleaners containing acid or bleach for routine maintenance because these can alter the tile colour and/or stain the grout. Avoid oil-based detergents, wax cleaners and cleaners containing dye or colouring.
The future kids' room is painted in black chalkboard paint to allow for scribbling and drawing. Interior design by Space Sense
How to maintain laminate flooring?
Although it is more low-maintenance and less prone to scratches than real wood flooring, laminate flooring does have to be maintained in order to still look good in the long run.
Cleaning is easy — just use a damp mob once or twice a week. Never use a wet, dripping mop. You can also consider using special cleaning agents available in the market.
Laminate floor scratches
Laminate flooring is only scratch-resistant, not scratch-proof. This means that scratches and lines can still be caused by dragging objects across the floor, so take care when you move furniture around; it's best to use furniture protectors on the legs of your pieces.
Laminate floor popping
If the laminate starts to "pop up", it means that there wasn't enough allowance given for future expansion; the pieces may push against the wall and warp. It can also be due to water damage, when water seeps into the flooring, which causes floorboards to swell. This damage will have to be accessed by a flooring specialist.
A contemporary home along Frankel Street. Interior design by EightyTwo
How to maintain wood flooring?
Hardwood floors are beautiful and timeless. But if you don’t care for them properly, you’ll be left with dull, scratched floors. Learn how to extend the life of your flooring with the right cleaning routine: Maintain your hardwood floor according to its finish — not the type of wood!
There are typically 3 types of wood finishes - lacquered, varnished, and shellacked floors. These three are technically considered as surface-sealed wood floors. While "surface sealed" sounds like it's indestructible, note that these wood floors are not resistant to moisture, spills and wear!
Not sure what kind of wood floor finish you have? Using a sharp blade, scrape off a bit of the top layer finishing in an unnoticeable area. If you scrape up a clear material, the finish is likely a surface seal. If the floor smudges but no clear material is scraped up, it is likely a penetrating finish.
Wood floor sealant
Surface-sealed floors are finished with urethane or poly-urethane, which appears glossy. They make the floor resistant to stains and water damage.
Wood floor cleaning detergent
Use floor cleaning product recommended by the floor installer; otherwise, opt for plain water and mild, pH-neutral soap (like dishwashing liquid). Use a microfiber mop and wring it out completely (damp or nearly dry) before using on the floor.
Do not use oils, waxes, acidic products (such as vinegar) or furniture sprays, which can dull the finish. Also, never use a soaking-wet mop on wood floorings! Finally, never use acrylic or water-based waxes, which can discolour the woodwork.
Wax wood floors
Apply paste wax or liquid wax designed for wood floors once or twice a year. Buff regularly to maintain shine. Of course, never over-wax your wood floors! If your wood floors loses shine, try buffing your wood floorings first.