Hardwood floors are one of the most desirable and attractive features a home can have. While they’re not necessarily the right stylistic or aesthetic fit for every house, they look great in the vast majority of spaces, adding a touch of warmth, interest and comfort to any home. Keeping them clean and polished after installation is a key part of any contractor’s job, which is why floor polishing in South Amboy, NJ is usually the finishing touch that gives your floors that last bit of extra appeal and durability.
Our team at Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center are experts in installing and caring for all types of flooring, and hardwood is no different. Below, we’re happy to provide some insight into what polishing usually entails.
Use a pole sander
Once a floor has been sanded and edged, it will look wonderfully smooth and uniform, but there are actually some secret scratches that might be immediately apparent to the naked eye. Scratches in the main field of the floor and invisible “pig-tailed” curved scratches can run all around the perimeter of the room and can really compromise the quality of the job. Using a pole sander is a great way to finish off floor polishing in South Amboy, NJ, but you need to be thorough. Use it on every inch of the surface and be sure you’re not missing anything, because the finish will ultimately reveal any lingering scratches.
Clean it thoroughly
After you’ve completed that pole sanding task, there’s still quite a bit to do. Next, you need to clean the entire floor—vacuum every inch of it and anywhere else sawdust might have settled. This includes baseboards and windowsills, since sawdust here can easily be knocked back onto the floor later and contribute to ruined finishes. Next, you’re going to want to tack the floor, which basically involves using a “tack cloth” to run along the entire surface and pick up any and all lingering dust or other residue. This will prepare the floor for the final finish, which you’re going to apply next.
Apply the finish
Finally, you can apply the finish of your choice. Wrapping up floor polishing in South Amboy, NJ means that you now have some options—you can decide whether or not you want to use a stain, or just keep a natural look and let the color of the wood speak for itself. You can also decide on the sheen of the final coating that you’re going to put on. This is entirely a matter of personal preference, but our team would be happy to offer some advice on this front.
When customers wonder how to polish floors in South Amboy, NJ, we assure them that there is indeed a recommended process they can follow that will likely lead to good results. Once your floor is installed and looking great, remember that Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center offers waxing and buffing services that can help keep all hard flooring surfaces looking like new for years to come. Reach out to us today to learn more.
There’s nothing more stunning than tiled or hardwood floors. In any room, whether the property is commercial or residential, hardwood or tiled floors add so much value to the building, especially if these surfaces are well cared for year after year. To protect, maintain and extend the life of your floors, buffing and floor waxing in South Amboy, NJ are both absolute necessities.
What is buffing?
People often confuse waxing and floor buffing in South Amboy, NJ. Many use these phrases interchangeably, but they are two very different processes for maintaining your floors. Knowing the difference will ensure you are performing the correct tasks to keep your tiled or hardwood floors pristine.
Buffing a floor requires a floor buffer. You’ve probably seen one—it resembles a vacuum cleaner but has a horizontal handle with a large round brush at the bottom. A motor spins the brush to polish the floor. Buffing your floor will not restore any glossiness or smoothness that has worn off in the years since installation, but it will create a crisp wet-shine look.
What is waxing?
While buffing polishes, floor waxing in South Amboy, NJ increases the hardness of the floor along with providing stronger protection from scuff marks. This is the method of floor preservation we recommend to any client with hard surface flooring that they would like to maintain for many years to come.
The process of waxing floors is a bit more involved than buffing. While both techniques require that the area is thoroughly cleaned to remove any dust and debris, that is where the similarities end. Once all dirt has been scrubbed away, a stripping chemical is applied to remove any existing wax products on the floor. This substance is very toxic, so extreme caution is exercised when stripping a floor, including wearing protective equipment such as goggles, face masks, gloves and work boots.
After the floor is stripped, the wax is applied. Be aware that not all floor wax products are created equal. The wax should be designed for use on your flooring material specifically. Otherwise, the finished result won’t look nearly as lustrous as you had hoped.
A wet mop is used to thinly coat the floor with the selected wax. Once the wax has had sufficient time to thoroughly dry, you will want to buff the floors so they shine as though they were newly installed.
Buffing and waxing your floors
If you have consistently cleaned and cared for your floors, maintaining them with professional buffing and waxing services is much more effective. Even if that’s not the case, these methods can restore tired old floors.
Since buffing floors is much less time consuming, you should schedule an appointment for these services whenever your wood or tile is looking dull. Waxing should be scheduled every four to six months for floors in high-traffic areas and annually for floors that experience low to medium levels of traffic.
Locally owned and operated since 1948, Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center provides top-of-the-line services and the highest quality care available in the area. Contact us today for a free estimate on waxing and floor buffing in South Amboy, NJ.
When you install your gorgeous tile or hardwood floors, you hope that they will stay looking gorgeous for years. Yet, in the back of your mind, you understand that the only way your new floors will stand the test of time is with some tender love and care. That’s where waxing comes in!
This essential aspect of floor maintenance helps preserve your hardwood or tile even as it protects from scratches, marks and other unsightly mistakes. Waxing can also slow the progress of grooves caused by continuous traffic. And that’s just the beginning of the benefits to waxing. Of course, to get the job done right, you have to follow the correct process to wax floors in South Amboy, NJ.
Prepping the space
The first step in a floor wax is to deep clean the area that will be waxed. Start by removing any furniture that can be moved. Then, sweep and mop the area. A lot of DIY-ers make the mistake of using a soiled broom and/or mop. That’s no good. You’ll have to specifically clean your broom and mop to ensure that your space is entirely free from dust and dirt. Any particles left over could have an impact on the overall quality of your wax job.
Use caution with the stripping materials
Before you can properly protect a floor with a new coat of wax, you have to remove what’s there. Be careful, though, because of all the steps to floor wax in South Amboy, NJ, stripping the floor is the most hazardous. Use lots of safety gear, including a face mask, plastic boots, specialized gloves and safety glasses.
Stripping the floor
Once the stripping agent has been applied to the floor, it should sit for around 15 minutes. Do not let the stripper dry. Over a few minutes, the stripping agent will collect minute particles of dust and debris that you can get rid of as you remove the stripper.
Waxing
Once you’ve cleaned and stripped your area, it’s time to prepare the wax. Of course, waxing isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. You have to use the right kind of wax that will bring out the brilliance of your floors. Once you’ve selected your wax, pour it into a bucket lined with a heavy-duty garbage bag. Dampen a new mop with a thin coat of wax and apply it in small sections until the entire floor is coated. Allow the wax time to dry, then buff to a shine.
Skip the hassle
There are so many steps involved in waxing a floor, and so much that can go wrong if you don’t have the right tools or the know-how. There is no need to plod through all the steps to floor wax in South Amboy, NJ—not when you can call the professionals at Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center.
Since 1948, we have worked to provide the area’s best waxing, buffing, rug cleaning, carpet cleaning and more. When you need top-notch service at a fantastic price, call on Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center. Schedule your appointment today. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Carpet is a fantastic flooring choice for nearly any home. However, it does have one major flaw: it can become stained rather easily. The good news is that most stains can be lifted without a professional’s help—you just need to know the proper steps for removal. This post will cover how to remove oil from carpet in South Amboy, NJ.
Removing cooking oil stains
Just because your kitchen doesn’t have carpeting doesn’t necessarily mean that a cooking oil stain can’t occur elsewhere in the house. Follow these steps to remove cooking oil if it spills:
Blot with a paper towel: First, grab a dry paper towel and blot the stain until no more oil appears on the paper towel.
Apply rubbing alcohol: Take a clean washcloth and apply a little bit of rubbing alcohol to the stain. Be sure to blot the stain with the alcohol instead of wiping, as wiping can spread it to other areas.
Mix water and dishwashing liquid: A solution of one quart of water and a quarter teaspoon of dishwashing soap will be your heavy-duty cleaner for this mess. Just be sure that the dishwashing soap doesn’t contain bleach or lanolin—these chemicals will ruin the carpet.
Blot with a sponge: Soak up some of your cleaning solution on a sponge and blot it directly on the remaining stain. Continue blotting the carpet until the stain is no longer visible.
Removing motor oil stains
Another common type of oil spill involves motor oil. Although it’s a bit more time consuming, the answer to the question of whether oil can be removed from carpet in South Amboy, NJ is still “yes.” Here are the steps to take if motor oil spills on your carpet:
Scrape off excess oil: Using a butter knife, try to scrape off as much excess oil as you can from the carpet. Just don’t press too hard, because you don’t want to rub it in.
Sprinkle baking soda: Your next step in how to remove oil from carpet in South Amboy, NJ is to sprinkle a little bit of baking soda on the stain. After applying the baking soda, wait 15 minutes and vacuum the area.
Use dry-cleaning solvent: Place a few drops of dry-cleaning solvent on a clean cloth and apply it directly to the stain.
Mix a solution: If the dry-cleaning product doesn’t eliminate the stain, you’ll need to mix up a homemade solution. Two cups of warm water mixed with one tablespoon of white vinegar and one tablespoon of liquid dish soap may do the trick.
Apply and rinse: Use a sponge and work the solution onto the stain. Once you’re done, rinse the area with cold water and let it dry.
Hire our pros to remove all stains!
With a little hard work, the answer to the question, “Can oil be removed from carpet in South Amboy, NJ?” is an emphatic “yes!” If your carpet needs some professional help after you’ve worked on the stain, call Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center! Our team performs both full carpet cleaning and spot cleaning to ensure your carpeting looks as good as new.
From stains to tears, carpeting can run into a lot of trouble over the years. Another danger homeowners can encounter with their carpet is color loss. Although color loss is often caused by chemicals, it can also occur naturally over time. This post will cover everything you need to know about natural carpet color loss in South Amboy, NJ:
Sun fading: The most common type of natural color loss is caused by the sun. Over time, carpeting near windows will begin to fade due to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Sun fading can also occur with upholstered furniture placed near windows. In drastic cases, carpeting near southwest-facing windows can begin to lose its color in as little as six months. For this reason, it’s important to consider your flooring options near the windows in your home.
Fume fading: Carpet can also naturally lose its color due to fume fading. This occurs when pollutants in the air react with dyes in the carpeting. Fume fading often occurs in areas with high levels of car exhaust, like in a big city. But this kind of natural carpet color loss in South Amboy, NJ can also be the result of fumes from pools or spas. If you have an indoor hot tub or pool, we don’t advise installing carpeting.
What can be done to prevent color loss?
So, can carpet naturally lose its color in South Amboy, NJ? Yes, it can. Luckily, color loss is easier to prevent than you might think! Here’s how you can prevent both natural and chemical color loss:
Close the curtains: Besides not installing carpeting near windows, the only way to prevent sun fading is by keeping your curtains or blinds closed. If you really want to allow some natural light in, consider installing window film on your windows. Protective window treatments block UV rays from penetrating the glass, and they’re hardly noticeable if they’re installed correctly.
Invest in fade-resistant carpeting: There isn’t much that can be done once your carpeting starts to fade—you’ll have to remove and replace it with new flooring. If you’re still interested in carpet, consider buying fade-resistant carpeting. As the name implies, fade-resistant carpets will last longer before they begin to fade or become discolored. Although this type of carpet may cost a bit more, it’s worth the investment.
Watch how you clean it: Carpets can also fade or become discolored due to chemicals, mainly those found in some types of cleaners. Using a powerful carpet cleaner with the wrong pH value can permanently fade the carpeting, which is why you should avoid cleaning your carpet by yourself. Bringing in the pros to tackle heavy-duty cleaning ensures a sparkling-clean carpet that’s not going to become faded.
On top of knowing the answer to whether carpet can naturally lose its color in South Amboy, NJ, our team at Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center can help prevent it. We only install the highest-quality carpeting, and we use the right cleaning agents to prevent chemical color loss. Reach out to us to learn more about our products and services!
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