DO:

•Wipe up spills immediately.
• Vacuum, sweep or dust mop your hardwood floor once a week, or more, if needed. The vacuum head must be brush or felt.
• Use interior and exterior doormats at entrances to collect dirt and moisture and prevent it from being tracked onto the floor.
• Area rugs are recommended in front of kitchen sinks, at all pivot points and within high-traffic areas. The rugs must be made of a breathable material to prevent moisture entrapment.
• Place runners and area rugs (with slip-resistant backings) along high-traffic areas.
• Keep animal nails trimmed to prevent finish scratches.
• To prevent surface damage avoid rolling heavy appliances and furniture on the floor. Use plywood hardboard or appliance lifts, if necessary.
• Use Armstrong or Bruce furniture leg protector pads under all furniture legs.
• Replace hard, narrow furniture rollers with wide rubber rollers.
• Keep the relative humidity in your home between 35% and 55%.
• Protect your floor from direct sunlight.
DON'T:

•Use any of the following products (or products similar in nature) on your floor: ammonia based cleaners, acrylic finishes, wax based products, detergents, bleach, polishes and oil soaps, abrasive cleaning soaps or acidic materials such as vinegar.
• Allow water to stand on your floor for any length of time – wipe up immediately.
• Walk across your floor in poorly maintained shoes with heel taps, spike heels or with any sharp object protruding from your shoe.
• Allow furniture to rest on the floor on small metal tips or hard domes.
• Use rubber, foam back or plastic mats as they may trap moisture and possibly discolor your floor.
• Do not use vacuums with beater bars or hard heads.
HARDWOOD FLOOR CARE QUICK FIX TIPS

Spills and Tracked-in Dirt

•Clean immediately.
• Apply Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner or Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner lightly to the surface and wipe with a sponge mop or a soft cloth.
NOTE: DO NOT use on Bruce Dura Satin Wax finish floors. Refer to Bruce Dura Satin Wax Finish floor care.
• Excess cleaner that does not evaporate immediately should be dried with a clean towel. No rinsing is necessary.
Spots Caused by Food, Water or Animals

•Apply Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner or Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner to a clean soft cloth.
• Rub the area to remove the stain or spot.
• More stubborn spots may require additional cleaning with mineral spirits, followed by cleaning with Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner or Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner.
Grease/Lipstick/Crayon/Ink Spots/Rubber Heel Marks

•Apply Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner or Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner to a clean soft cloth.
• Rub the area to remove the stain or spot.
• If stain remains, rub with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits and follow by cleaning the area with Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner or Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner.
Chewing Gum, Candle Wax

•Apply a sealed plastic bag filled with ice on top of the deposit.
• Wait until deposit becomes brittle enough to crumble off.
• After deposit has been removed, clean entire area with Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner or Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner.
Minor Abrasions/Scratches

•Use Armstrong Touch-Up Kit or Bruce Touch-Up Kit in smaller areas.
• Apply Armstrong Restore Hardwood Floor Finish or Bruce Fresh Finish™ or Bruce Fresh Finish™ Low Gloss when larger areas are reconditioned.
Deep Scratches/Gouges

•Individual planks, strips or parquets that are heavily gouged or damaged can be replaced by a professional flooring installer.
• If needed, the entire floor can be refurbished by applying one or more coats of Armstrong Restore Hardwood Floor Finish or Bruce Fresh Finish™ or Bruce Fresh Finish™ Low Gloss.
BRUCE DURA SATIN WAX FINISH FLOORS

Initial Hardwood Floor Care – Bruce Hardwood Floors
Following installation, darker shaded floors should be waxed with Bruce Dark 'n' Rich® and light shaded floors should be waxed with Bruce Lite 'n' Natural®.

Sweep, vacuum or dust mop the floor to remove loose dirt before it can scratch or be ground into the floor’s surface.

DO NOT use Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner or wax finish floors.

NEVER clean or wet mop with water. Water may dull the finish and permanently damage the floor. DO NOT use and wax or cleaner that must be mixed with water such as oil soap, as this may ruin your floor and result in a loss of warranty.

Wax the floor once or twice a year, about as often as you would shampoo your carpet. DO NOT use Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner.

PERIODIC HARDWOOD FLOOR CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Buffing your hardwood floor between waxing will restore the original sheen. Large, heavy weight buffing machines impart a much higher sheen to wax finish than small, lightweight machines. Use a fiber bristle brush attachment only. It may be desirable to wax the floor slightly more often in drier climates, during the winter, and in heavy traffic areas.

Expansion Cracks and Squeaks

Seasons: Heating and Non-heating

Recognizing that hardwood floor dimensions will be slightly affected by varying levels of humidity within your building, care should be taken to control humidity levels within the 35-55% range. To protect your investment and to assure that your floors provide lasting satisfaction, we have provided our recommendations below.

Heating Season (Dry)

A humidifier is recommended to prevent excessive shrinkage in hardwood floors due to low-humidity levels. Wood stoves and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions.

Non-Heating Season (Humid, Wet)

Proper humidity levels can be maintained by use of an air conditioner, dehumidifier, or by turning on your heating system periodically during the summer months. Avoid excessive exposure to water from tracking during periods of inclement weather.
DO NOT obstruct in any way the expansion joint around the perimeter of your floor.

NOTE: Final inspection by the end-user should occur from a standing position.

Repair Tips on Bruce Dura Satin Wax Finish Floors

Wax Build-Up

Occasionally, wood floors become unsightly or lose their shine because of successive layers of old wax. To restore their natural beauty, strip old wax away with mineral spirits. Let dry and re-wax with Bruce Dark 'n' Rich or Bruce Lite 'n' Natural. Let dry, then buff to desired sheen.

Spots Caused by Food or Water

Rub lightly with a Bruce Scrub Pad dampened with either Bruce® Dark 'n' Rich® or Bruce Lite 'n' Natural®. If this does not remove the spot, repeat the process with Bruce Clean 'n' Strip®. Wipe dry and rub on a little wax. Then buff with a clean cloth, or the dry end of a Bruce Scrub Pad.

Initial Care – Armstrong Hardwood Floors

•Following installation, light shaded floors should be waxed with Armstrong Total Care.
• Wax the floor once or twice a year, about as often as you would shampoo your carpet. DO NOT use Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner.
Care and Maintenance Guidelines for Armstrong HartWood® Plank, HartWood® Parquet and Premier Performance. (Non-urethane finish)

Initial Hardwood Floor Care and Maintenance

•Remove any existing adhesive on the flooring with Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner and a clean cloth. Clean the floor thoroughly by sweeping and using Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner. When the flooring is clean and dry, apply several thin coats of Armstrong Pattern-Plus® Shine with a swivel-head mop with a terrycloth cover per direction on the label. Let dry thoroughly before using. No buffing required.
Routine Hardwood Floor Care and Maintenance

•Sweep, vacuum or dust mop regularly to keep clean. Wipe up spills or spots with a damp cloth or swivel-head mop with terrycloth cover using Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner. Large areas can be cleaned by misting Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner on the area and wiping until clean and dry with a soft towel or swivel-head mop. As needed, apply Armstrong Pattern-Plus® Shine and let dry. No buffing required.
Renewing worn areas:

•In worn areas refurbish the flooring with an application of Armstrong Spray Tone. Mist the Armstrong Spray Tone on the floor and rub briskly until it has been completely absorbed into the wood. Allow no excess to remain on the surface. Allow the Armstrong Spray Tone to dry overnight.
Renewing gloss levels:

•Apply several thin coats of Armstrong Pattern Plus® Shine as necessary to maintain the appearance of the floor.