You’ve made an investment in your floors, your countertops, your window treatments. Here’s how to properly care for them.
Countertops
Do’s and Don’ts
Do place a trivet or thick potholder or cloth under hot cookware or baking dishes to prevent heat damage.
Don’t cut directly on a countertop to avoid scratches, nicks, and even worse, gashes. Keep a generously sized cutting board at the ready that will give you plenty of room for knife work.
Don’t let dirty pots, pans, and dishes linger on the countertop as they can lead to stains, especially if they contained ingredients like tomato, wine, curry, and mustard.
Do use a spoon rest or small plate to hold whisks, spatulas, and other cooking utensils between uses.
Do clean up spills and smudges right after they happen when they’re easy to wipe up without scrubbing and are less likely to stain.
Do be careful with cans, especially if the surface is wet. If you have to leave a can on your countertop, place a paper towel underneath to prevent a rust ring.
Don't use paint removers, oven cleaners, or other strong chemicals on countertops.
Best Cleaning Products for Countertops
Granite / Marble / Quartzite
Natural stone countertops should be cleaned with neutral cleaners specifically designed for stone. These cleaners are concentrated pH neutral cleaners that will not affect existing sealers or other types of coatings. Stone cleaners should never contain acid or bleach. Acids, even a light solution of vinegar and water, will etch and eventually damage many varieties of natural stone.
A solution of the pH neutral cleaner and water mixed to manufacturer instructions should be applied to the stone surface with a sponge or spray bottle. Allow solution to sit per manufacturer recommended specified amount of time to ensure penetration of the stone. Agitate with a sponge, or soft bristle brush. Remove dirty solution with clean sponge and buff dry. Some textured stones may require a different cleaning method, or additional procedures not specified here.
PRO TIP: Most natural stone will need to be resealed periodically. You can tell it’s necessary to reapply sealant by spilling a little clean water on the countertop and watching for discoloration and absorption. If the surface gets discolored in about 10 to 15 minutes, it’s time to reapply your sealant.
Quartz
Quartz does not require sealants, and its non-porous surface makes it a durable, sanitary option for kitchens or bathrooms.
While Quartz is stain-resistant, some stains are more difficult to remove than others. Mild non-abrasive cleansers help to restore the original appearance. For dried spills, a non-abrasive scrub pad can be used. For substances such as paint, gum, or food, carefully use a razor blade to scrape away the residue prior to cleaning. The scraping may leave a grey metal mark on the surface which can be easily cleaned using a cleanser and non-abrasive pad. For stubborn spots or stains, apply a pad of soaked paper towels and approved cleanser to the area and allow it to sit for a few minutes then proceed with necessary cleaning methods and buffing. Rinse thoroughly and hand-dry to remove cleaning residues.
Routine cleaning should be done with warm water and a sponge or dish towel. This also helps prevent buildup of mineral deposits from hard water.
Using a little dishwashing liquid, a microfiber cloth, or a textured sponge that’s suitable for non-stick cookware can help remove spills or splashes. You can also use household cleaning products such as:
Formula 409
Multi-Surface Cleaner Formula 409
Natural Stone & Steel Cleaner Greased Lightning
Simple Green
Windex Disinfectant Cleaner Multi-Surface
Always read and follow the manufacturer’s labeled instructions. Do not use abrasive cleaners like Ajax or Comet, or a scrub pad that’s not suitable for non- stick cookware.
Laminate Floors
Take care of spills, grime, or stains as soon as you see them and only use products
WARNING: Vacuums with a beater bar or power rotary brush head should never be used.
Use vacuum tools designed for hard surfaces. Use a microfiber mop for dust mopping. Pay close attention to mop head. Once soiled, replace with a fresh one. Launder soiled mop heads without fabric softener. Fabric softener residue may cause streaking on the floors.
Never steam mop your laminate floor.
Do not get the floor overly wet, so limit water and product use (using too much cleaning product will leave a buildup over time.) Do not allow liquid to puddle or leave moisture standing on the floor.
Allow floor to dry completely before replacing rugs and mats.
Cleaning Products by Manufacturer
Mohawk:
If needed, use 1 cup of vinegar per gallon of water OR 1/3 cup non-sudsing, ammonia per gallon of water.
Karastan:
If needed, use 1 cup of vinegar per gallon of water OR 1/3 cup non-sudsing, ammonia per gallon of water.
LW Flooring:
We recommend Bona cleaning products. Never pour water or liquid cleaner directly onto the floor surface.
Quickstep:
Use one cap of Quick-Step Clean to one gallon of water.
Mannington:
Dampen a rag with a solution of clear, 1/3 cup non-sudsy ammonia-based cleaner in one gallon of warm water and spot clean.
Tile Floors
Cleaning tile floors is actually quite simple, which is good news considering that this task that should be done weekly.
First sweep or vacuum up any dry debris, like grit, dirt, sand, or crumbs.
When it comes to the best cleaning products for tile floors, avoid sponge mops. You can use a chamois mop, sponge, or cloth—but not a sponge mop, because it can push dirty water into the grout.
Tile should be cleaned routinely with concentrated tile cleaners that have a neutral ph. These cleaners are better suited for removing grease, oils and normal spills from unglazed products.
Grout Care
Grout Care The purpose of grout is twofold, to fill the joint between the tiles and to provide a space for tile to flex. It decreases breakage of tile and becomes a permanent, integral component of the finished installation. Grout is one of the more difficult parts of maintaining a tile floor. It tends to capture dirt and darkens over time. It requires more specialized cleaning and maintenance than tile.
Grout needs to be cleaned on a periodic basis to remove any surface buildup. Routine grout cleaning can be done with a daily concentrated household or commercial cleaner depending on the application. When heavy-duty grout cleaning is required, you will need to use a professional strength tile and grout cleaner that is capable of removing grease, soap scum, oils, mildew stains, algae, and synthetic or acrylic waxes from the grout joints. Select a product that does not contain polluting chemicals and is low VOC. You might also consider professional grout cleaning companies.
Wonderful World Of Window Treatments
Hunter Douglas window treatments are designed to require minimal care and cleaning.
Necessary care may include:
Regular, light dusting. Do not use magnetic cleaners such as a dusting mitt on light-dimming fabrics, as this will damage the light-dimming backing. Vacuum gently using the brush attachment on any vacuum cleaner. Most products may be vacuumed using a vertical stroke, except for Luminette Privacy Sheers and Architella Elan and Architella Elan Eclipse fabrics.
Use a can of compressed air or a hairdryer on the non-heat setting to dust off selected window coverings.
Not all Hunter Douglas window treatments can be spot-cleaned due to the process. Download our Care and Cleaning Guide to determine if this method is safe for your product.
For vinyl slats such as Palm Beach Shutters, use mild soap and water. Do not use ammonia-based products.
For wood or alternative wood slats such as Heritance or NewStyle shutters, no products should be used; the shutters should be dusted.
If spot cleaning is an option for your product, we recommend using a mild detergent (no additives and non-abrasive) and a clean, white cloth. To clean in between sheers, blow away dirt and debris between the vanes using clean compressed air. A hairdryer set on the cool setting may work.
Methods for Removing Bugs: To prevent damage to delicate fabrics, resist the urge to use any type of stick, wand or handle to push out pests that are caught in your window shades. We recommend gently blowing them out using a can of compressed air or a hairdryer on a cool setting.
Design Tip
Get an ottoman (or a few!) to use throughout your home – even outside.
Ottomans are perfect for summer decorating because they lend a feeling of softness and ease to any space.
Ottomans offer several advantages over traditional coffee tables. They can be used for extra seating and are easy to move from place to place. Best of all, they allow you to put your feet up and relax! Ottomans are also lightweight and available in many sizes and styles, allowing you to use them as a stylish and practical feature in any room — even out on the patio.
