Most of us tend to forget about our floors once they have been installed. But even though floors by themselves may not contribute much to the aesthetic appeal of a room, they are an omnipresent element of the environment of a room. This effectively means that any scratch, stain, crack etc., tends to be immediately noticeable if it is on the floor. Hence good care needs to be taken of the floor so as to ensure the continuity of the beauty of a room. This involves the following six steps:
1.Proper maintenance: Some amount of degradation is normal in any floor which has been used over a period of time. But this process can, however, be arrested by regular sweeping, mopping and vacuuming of the floor. This is because these simple acts prevent the accumulation of dust, dirt, debris etc. on the floor which would have otherwise left scratches on the floor with every footfall.
2.Ensuring proper protection of the floor: Even though materials used to make the floors have an inherent strength of their own, they are still vulnerable to damage from stains and liquid spills. Hence any type of flooring material used need to be sealed, preferably annually, using a good sealant to
* Protect its exposed surface.
* Stop unwanted and harmful materials from seeping into its grout lines.
3.Using Grout sealers: However durable might the flooring material be, the joints between the interconnecting pieces are still vulnerable to damage. Generally grout is used to enable expansion and contraction of the interconnecting units of the floor but by virtue of its pliant nature, it is very easy for liquids to seep into it. This seepage causes extensive damage to the subfloor or underlayment below. In order to prevent this, grouts should be properly sealed.
4.Be careful of pets: Having pets might be an enjoyable experience but they can be lethal for floors. Hence care must be taken to ensure that their nails are regularly trimmed so that they leave no scratches on the floors they walk on.
5.Making liberal use of rugs: A very good way to prevent floors from getting damaged, is to place rugs and floor mats strategically on them. The rugs and mats not only save the floor underneath from scratches, they also help to keep the floor clean by absorbing spills and stains. These mats and rugs can later on be washed to remove these stains and liquid spills. But care must be taken to ensure that moist, damp and unclean rugs are not left on the floor as these might give rise to bacteria and moulds.
6.Retain a few replacement pieces: In spite of taking good care of your floor there might still be instances wherein certain pieces of the floor might need replacement. Herein retaining a few pieces from your original floor installation can be a big help. This is because there is bound to be some difference either in the colour or texture of any new replacement piece purchased later on.
Taking care of your flooring is not a tough job. It is just a matter of following certain regular acts and keeping certain things in mind. However the praises and adulations that follow definitely make these maintenance methods seem worthwhile.
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