Maintenance & Care

Your custom interior floor will last a lifetime if properly maintained. A good rule of thumb is to treat it as though it were a hardwood floor. Plastic glides, felt pads or Magic Movers should be affixed to heavy furnishings or those that you will move frequently. A doormat at the outside (hemp or rope style) and inside entrance (one with a solid backing that can be shook off outside) of a home will pick up over 85% of the dirt that would otherwise be tracked inside.

Plastic-backed products should NOT be used for your mats. An acrylic or plastic-backed mat can cause discoloration under and around the mat. This phenomenon, called "plasticizer migration," occurs when a plasticizer in a floor mat or floor material transfers itself (migrates) into the floor finish or sealer. A plasticizer is an ingredient of a floor finish (or flooring/mat product) that makes it more flexible and less brittle. This is accomplished with an additive that reduces intermolecular forces in the polymers. Since the intermolecular forces are reduced, the molecules in the plastic mat surface next to your floor will actually want to bond with the molecules in the sealer MORE than the sealer bonds to the concrete.

Then when you pull up the mat, you may be tearing up part of your sealer. If a solid backed mat is used, it should be a mat with a backing of 100% Rubber material.

Daily dust mopping removes the fine dust and grit which can grind away floor finish. It will help prevent major floor finish deterioration caused by normal foot traffic. The best results are obtained by using a Micro-Fiber Dust Mop. The following procedures should be followed:

1. Damp mopping with cool water and a neutral ph cleaner extends the floor finish life. It will not dull the finish and will enhance the gloss retention.
2. Follow the recommended dilution rates on label directions.
3. The mop should be wrung out tightly so that it is just damp. Do not allow the cleaning solution to puddle.
4. NEVER use ammonia, bleach or Pine Sol because they will serve to break down the wax and sealer over time.
5. NEVER use a "Swiffer Wet-Jet" type of cleaning tool. The liquid in these devices contain trace amounts of Solvent material. The Solvent will not harm the sealer but will cause the wax to weaken.