Floor Consult

Cork is a resilient, eco-friendly flooring material that has a unique aesthetic appeal and can reduce stress on your feet and legs when you spend a lot of time standing on the floor (as compared to other hard surface floors).  Cork is not as commonly used as other types of flooring materials, such as wood, vinyl and laminate.  Because of this, not everyone knows how easy it is to maintain a Cork floor.  Here are some basics for Cork floor care that will get you started in the right direction.

A Cork floor should be swept frequently enough, depending on the amount of traffic it gets, to remove loose dirt and debris off the floor thereby reducing the instances of microscopic scratches that occur when these particles become ground or rubbed into the floor.Microscopic scratches will dull the appearance of your floor. Always sweep your cork floor prior to mopping or use a vacuum on the “hard floor” setting.  Note: Vacuums with metal beater bars or in poor condition can damage cork so check your machine before vacuuming. Place mats near exterior doorways to limit dirt and debris tracking on your floor.  Avoid rubber or non-porous types of backings on mats because they tend to trap moisture that could damage your floor.

Clean up spills right away with a soft cloth because, like hardwood floors, moisture is not cork’s friend.  To clean up after a spill, if it’s something other than water, use a spray cleaner to remove any residue left behind.  Wipe the cleaner until it’s dry.  This will be the same product that you use to clean the floor.

Use manufacturer approved cleaners on your cork floor to uphold your warranty on a new cork floor.  Check your manufacturer warranty for specific time frames and details. If you don’t know the flooring manufacturer, there are products approved for use on cork floors such as Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner or Basic Squeaky Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner. These are spray cleaners that spray directly onto the floor then mop with a microfiber mop. Both, Bona & Basic, have a mop kit that includes cleaner and mop. Replacement mop covers (Bona,Basic) can be purchased separately.  Bona also has a spray mop for all-in-one cleaning.  If you are uncertain about what product to select, ask the retailer.  A knowledgeable retailer, local or internet, will be familiar with cork and what types of cleaner or finish is compatible.  Basically, you’re looking for a cleaner with neutral pH and that leaves no residue.1877floorguy.com is available by phone during our normal business hours at 1-877-356-6748.

Minimize scuffs and scratches. Save your floor from furniture scratches by using felt pads under furniture legs and bases.  This is a MUST DO to protect the floor from scratches especially on tables and chairs that are frequently moved!  Be aware of spike-heeled shoes or shoes with worn-out or excessively heavy heels that can dent and damage the floor.  Remove shoes or ask others to do so in order to save your floor.  These rules apply to any hard surface floor in your home.

When moving large pieces of furniture or appliances on cork, don’t drag!  Cork will scratch or gouge if a heavy or sharp object drags across it.  If possible, lift objects to move them.  If items are too heavy to lift, such as hutches or large appliances, use tools to assist you such as EZ Moves felt bottom slides. This will save your floor and your back! Again, good practice for any hard surface floor.

Follow these basic rules, along with the Manufacturer’s Care Instructions, and your cork floor should look good for many years. Finishes can sometimes be applied to cork for added protection in high traffic areas. To be sure you select a compatible finish, we recommend you call us at 1-877-Floorguy or contact the flooring manufacturer for guidance before you purchase and apply a finish.  If you buy from 1877Floorguy.com, use coupon code “FGBLOG” for a 10% discount off your order.

Check our website under Cork & Rubber Floor Care for some manufacturer recommended care products or our Hardwood Floor Caresection because many wood care products work well on cork floors.  For assistance from one of our knowledgeable agents, call 1-877-Floorguy, with your questions.

Whether you’re headed to your vacation home at the beach, lakeside or in the mountains, your first trip is likely to have your car loaded up with some or all of the following… kids, pets, boogie boards, beach chairs, fishing poles, tackle box, coolers, bed sheets, towels, toilet paper and the list goes on and on.  While you’re trying to fit all of this into your vehicle and realizing what a tight squeeze it is, remember… cleaning supplies to get rid of the must and dust that has settled into your vacation home during the winter months!

Have no fear… (1877)Floorguy is Here!  Before you leave for your lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer, take a few minutes to log on towww.1877floorguy.com, place your order for cleaning supplies and have it ship to your summer address.  This way, you won’t have to fit it into your car which leaves more space for lounge chairs, inner tubes, beach umbrellas, etc.  Don’t wait until you get there to buy it at the local grocer who will have a small selection at summer prices.  Shop smart at www.1877floorguy.com!

Check out our Top Picks for Summer 2010.  We’ve included products that take care of mold, odors and stains and convenient, easy to use items that will make cleaning your home away from home a breeze.  Then use our Shipping Calculator to estimate how far in advance you should place your order so it’s there when you arrive.  This feature is further explained in How Can I Reduce My Floorguy Shipping Costs Without Sacrificing Service blog.

Top Picks for Summer 2010:

Bona Spray Floor Mop with Refillable Hardwood Cleaner Cartridge will make cleaninghardwood floors easy with its all-in-one design, just pull the spray handle and mop. It’s that easy!  Comes with a Refillable Cartridge (we sell economical gallon size for refilling the cartridge) however, if you’re feeling kicked back and relaxed, you can order additional Hardwood Cleaner Cartridges for your mop.  Just replace it and you’re ready to go.  All we ask is that you, please, recycle the empty cartridges.

The same Bona Spray Floor Mop can also be used with theRefillable Stone, Tile & Laminate Cleaner Cartridge to easily clean hard surface floors in your vacation home such as stone, tile and laminate.

DuPont StoneTech Revitalizer Cleaner & Protector is a popular choice for cleaning and maintaining natural stone & ceramic tile surfaces often found in foyers, kitchens and bathrooms.  Available in spray or disposable wipes theRevitalizer Cleaner & Protector comes in two great scents, Cucumber and Citrus, and the built-in sealer protects the surface of the stone while it cleans for a worry-free surface.  No need to rinse.  Just clean and go.  This allows more time for you to enjoy fun in the sun!

Great for routine bathroom & kitchen cleaning, AquaKleenis a multi-purpose basin, tub and tile cleaner that effectively cleans even soiled grout joints.  The No VOC,water-safe formula is approved for use on ceramic surfaces, natural stone, tile, porcelain, grout, plastic, glass, fiberglass, cultured marble, metal surfaces laminate, and fixtures which will give you peace of mind that a guest staying at your house, while you’re not there, won’t use the “wrong” cleaner because it’s hard to go wrong with AquaKleen.

Grout-Aide is a great quick fix for grouted tile floors that have stains on the grout that just wouldn’t come clean at the end of last season. Or maybe the grout just looks dingy.  With very little effort Grout-Aide covers the stains and dries quickly.  Grout-Aide comes in 5 different colors.  More information on this product can be found in ourQuick-Fix for Dirty Grout blog.

Vital-Oxide is a must-have if mold or mildew has taken root or if you’re concerned about bacteria anywhere in your home. Eliminates 99.9% of bacteria on a wide range of surfaces in your home including counters, floors, mattresses, upholsteryand in the laundry.  Vital Oxide is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial disinfectant, safe for use around children and pets. Ready-to-use formula available in32oz Spray or Gallon Size.

Odorcide 210 is used alone, or with Vital-Oxide when a disinfectant is required, to neutralize and eliminate strong, adverse odors in the home.  Extremely effective and safe on a wide range of surfaces including wood, carpet, upholstery, laminate, tile. No residue, non-irritant, safe for use around people and pets.  Available ready-to-use orconcentrate.

Three can’t-go-wrong spot cleaners for carpet. All proven effective and easy to use to quickly remove stains from carpet.  Don’t worry if your son spills his chocolate milk, the dog has a little “accident” or your husband tracks grease in from the bbq.  Here are three convenient carpet spot cleaners to have on hand that can clean-up the mess:

Spot Shot removes both oil-based and water-based stains without leaving any residue or ring behind.

Capture Carpet Spot Eliminator works great on grease and oil based stains.

Host Dry Carpet Cleaner Shaker Pack is a dry carpet cleaner that absorbs stains, reduces allergens such as dust mites, mold and pet dander, has no drying time.

We’ve got many more fabulous floor cleaning & maintenance items at1877Floorguy.com, hundreds of products to keep your floors looking their best including equipment and tools, such as Bona Kemi Mops & Microfiber Covers and Manufacturer Supplied Care Kits such as Bruce Wood Flooring Maintenance Kit and Quick Step Laminate Cleaning Kit. We carry many hard to find floor care items so, if you don’t find what you need on our website, call us at 1-877-Floorguy (1-877-356-6748).

Thanks for taking the time to see our Top Picks for Summer Cleaning. Place your order today and take a 10% discount off your order by using coupon code “FGBLOG”.  We appreciate your business and wish you a Wonderful Summer!

I think you’ll agree that…Shipping is EXPENSIVE!  Shipping is IMPORTANT!  AND you’re a HAPPY Customer when our products ship to you in good condition and in a timely fashion.  We want to keep you happy by providing reliable delivery at the best possible price.  I am going to share with you some strategies you can use to improve shipping costs for the products you buy from us.

First, take a moment to find the Shipping Calculator located  on our“View My Cart” page by scrolling to the bottom of the page.  (At lease one item must be in your cart to be able to scroll.)  Our Shipping Calculator is linked directly to UPS and uses their rates based on weight, # of packages and destination.  This makes it easy for you to look at shipping cost before you place your order.

In order to maximize packaging opportunities and save money for our Customers we have figured out the right size boxes for each of our products and how many items per box create economy in shipping without sustaining certain damage en route to you.  You’ll notice, on our website, that most items are available in quantity discounts.  Minimum quantity for the price breaks correspond with the way our products are packaged because, for example, it costs less to package 2 bottles of 32 oz. Bona Pro-Series Hardwood Floor Cleaner than 1 so we pass the savings on to you.  In addition to the price break, your freight will be substantially less per item for 2 bottles than 1. (There is some difference due to handling and weight.)  The Shipping Calculatoris an excellent, easy to use tool that you can use to compare shipping costs for multiple quantities vs individual quantities before placing your order.

Our Customers have let us know that shipping cost is an important factor in purchasing decisions.  Customers also say that reliable delivery, without damage, is even more important.  Based on this feeback, we continue to ship our producst with UPS because they provide us and our Customers with the best record of successful deliveries, ease of order tracking and reliable estimates for transit time (also shown in the Shipping Calculator).  If damage does occur in transit, UPS has a system in place to promptly notify us of the damage so we can reship the order to you in the shortest amount of time.

Here’s what some of our customers have said about our shipments:

Amy in Buffalo, NY, “Good products, good prices. Shipping wasefficient and timely; the products were well-packaged.”

Miriam in Las Vegas, NV, “I received a confirmation email when I placed the order and another when the order was shipped. The email had a link to the UPS tracking website so I could see exactly when my products would arrive. The process was quick and easy.”

Mary in Newport, TN, “This was one of the easiest orders I have placed on line. The service was very fast and convenient. I received an E-mail confirmation immediately following placement of my order. The order was well packaged and it arrived as promised.”

In addition to quantity discounts, we offer FREE FREIGHT on orders of $150 or more.  If you place an order with $150 or more in products from www.1877Floorguy.com freight is FREE (valid for orders shipping within the 48 contiguous states).  To obtain Free Shipping enter the coupon code “FREESHIP” at Checkout.  If you only need a small amount of product, consider purchasing with a friend so you can both stock up on the floorcare products you need and share the benefit of free shipping.

The question, “Is there a way to reduce the shipping cost on my Floorguy order?”
The Answer is “Yes”…

Helpful Notes:

If you have any questions about our shipping policies as you place your order, call 1-877-Floorguy (1-877-356-6748) to speak with one of our courteous, knowledgeable Customer Service Agents.  Our “Thank You” for reading this blog post is coupon code “FGBLOG” for a 10% discount off your order. (This discount does not apply if you are using the “FREESHIP” coupon code. Sorry…only one discount per order:)