Carpet Care & Maintenance

The most important part of any carpet care routine is regular vacuuming. Soil particles can get ground down by foot traffic and damage your carpet's fibers, so it's imperative to remove dirt often. For shag carpets with long,cable-like fibers, use a suction-only vacuum or one with an adjustable brush.

Preventive Maintenance

• Don't track dirt inside, place mats at all entrances
• Move heavy furniture carefully, never drag it
• Use carpet protectors under furniture legs
• Reduce exposure to direct sunlight with shades

Handling Spills

• Remove as much of the spill as possible. Work from outer edges toward the center.
• If necessary, use a recommended cleaning solution.
• Rinse affected area s with clean water to remove sticky residues.
• Absorb remaining moisture by layering clean towels over the spill & apply pressure.

Wool Carpet

• Ensure your wool carpet will last longer and look better by following the three basic rules of carpet maintenance.
• Remove spills immediately
• Professionally clean as required (usually no more than once every year or two)
• Use an upright vacuum cleaner with rotating beater bar and brush or canister type with a power hea d, they a re the most efficient cleaners.
• The head of the vacuum clea ner should be adjusted so that the brush barely touches the surface of the carpet.
• Don't use a self-adjusting vacuum, they adjust too deeply into the pile.
• Don't use an overly stiff brush on the beater bar sinee this wiII cause excessive fuzzing.
• Don't use any vacuum made by Oreck, Dyson, Miele, Shark, Robotic, or Whole House Central as these will also cause excessive fuzzing. We recommend using Sanitaire Vacuums. They have a manually adjustable head and very soft bristles.

Laminate Care & Maintenance

Laminate floors may be durable, but that doesn't make them immune to all damage. Keep your laminate floors safe from damage and healthy for years to come with these regular care and maintenance techniques.

Preventative Maintenance

• Use door mats at entryways to collect di rt
• Rug pads can prevent damage from slippage of area rugs
• Floor protectors can minimize dents and scratches
• Keep pet's nails trimmed to prevent scratches
• Don't try to slide heavy objects across the floor
• Avoid excessive water exposure during periods of inclement weather

Additional Tip

• Protect your laminated floors from scratches and wear protective mats placed under furniture or chairs with castor wheels.
• If you do get a scratch, you ca n cover it with a kit made specifically for laminate. Be sure to call our team for comprehensive cleaning solutions!
• Never use harsh chemicals or steam!

LVT/LVP Care & Maintenance

Luxury vinyl flooring is the ideal solution for busy households. Not only is it beautiful, but luxury vinyl is easy to clean and maintain with these tips from the experts. Resilient vinyl flooring is a great solution for the busy lifestyles that so many households lead today. Luxury vinyl requires only a few minutes' worth of care each day to stay looking clean.

Preventative Maintenance

• Sweep your floors regularly to remove any loose dirt and grit
• Wipe up any spills as soon as they happen
• Use large, non-staining floor protectors' underneath furniture

Additional Tip

• Clean your floors using one of our hard surface flooring cleaners from Holloway House & a dry mop or clean cloth.
• Never use harsh chemica ls or steam!

General Cabinet Care & Maintenance

Cabinets are one of the first things people notice about your kitchen or bathroom. Their appearance contributes to the ambiance and overall look of both spaces, which is why you should take good care of them to ensure they last over time. The secret to keeping your kitchen and bathroom cabinets looking and working great is proper maintenance. Clean your kitchen cabinets regularly to help extend their life, for both appearance and functionality.

Spills and Splatters

• Wipe immediately! Prolonged exposure to spills, water, other liquids including food and splatters of oil and grease can cause perma nent damage, discoloration to cabinet finishes.

Routine cleaning

• Wipe with a soft dampened cloth with warm water drying immediately with another dry clean, soft cloth. Food residue or oil/grease, daily spills, may require a fresh solution of mild hand dish washing liquid mixed with warm water. Use a blotting action, avoid wiping across wood grained materials.

Thorough cleaning

• For Wood doors and surfaces use a non-wax-based cleaner that is designed specificallyfor wood cabinets and woodwork. Or use mild soap mixed with water, rinse well and then dry with a soft cloth. Lemon oil also works, but it will leave the surface oily to the touch.
• For Painted or Laminate doors and surfaces use a cleaner that is designed for painted wood cabinets and woodwork; mild hand dish washing liquid soap and water, avoid acidic (vinegar) or ammonia-based cleaners.
• In all cases, after wiping surfaces with a clean damp cloth, follow up with a clean dry cloth to ensure all moisture has been absorbed and surfaces are completely dry.

Cleaning Products to Avoid

• Harsh detergents that contain ammonia, bleach, vinegar, citrus products, organic solvents, strong soaps
• Silicone-based, cleaning, waxing or polishing products
• Abrasive, cleaning products such as tub/tile sink cleaners, scouring powder, or steel/nylon cleaning pads
• Solvent/petroleum based products like mineral spirits, paint thinners, nail-polish removers

Avoid Excessive Moisture on Cabinetry around sinks, dishwashers and steam from appliances

• Do not allow water or other liquids to be in contact with outside or inside surfaces for prolonged periods of time. This may eventually dull the finish and stain interiors. Or it may absorb into the wood core of the veneer toe-kick or end panels and start to swell.
• Avoid steam from kettles, coffee makers, rice cookers etc., being directed at the underside of cabinets or the bottom edge of doors. This may eventually affect the adhesion of the edge banding and may aIso dull the finish.
• Scratches and nicks can be eliminated or hidden by using a touch-up color marker on shallow scratches, or by using a matching wood-tone putty stick-on deeper scratches or nicks. These areas can then be blended with surrounding a reas using a light coat of wax.

Temperature and Humidity Levels

• To help sustain the natural moisture level in your cabinetry, avoid wide swings of indoor temperatures and humidity.

Quartz COUNTERTOP Care & Maintenance

Quartz is a beautiful, durable and resilient countertop surface that will provide you with many years of trouble-free performance. Follow these simple and easy steps to keep your Quartz countertops looking brand new daily.

Preventative Maintenance

• Use a soft sponge or dishcloth with warm water
• For stubborn or greasy spots use a pH neutral liquid cleaner such as Mr. Clean, 409, Simple Green or ordinary dish washing detergent with warm water.
• For persistent staining issues, products without bleach can be applied first to a wetted sponge or dishcloth and applied to the surface. An aggressive use of abrasive non-chemical cleaners can result in the dulling of the quartz surface
• To sanitize use a 70% isopropyl rubbing a lcohol solution or a Lysol disinfectant spray
• Avoid using sponges that contain aluminum oxide this acts as an abrasive sandpaper and will dull the surface
• You do not need to seal your quartz unlike natural stone. The quartz is non-porous which means that any sealer applied will not penetrate beyond the surface of the material and will wear off unevenly in high use areas.

Additional Tip

• Brushed, honed or concrete finishes by nature of their textured surface may require daily cleaning in order to maintain a pristine appearance.
• Marble is tolerant of hot pots and pans, but you should always protect it with placemats and coasters.

Laminate COUNTERTOP Care & Maintenance

Laminate countertops are plastic, so they are non-porous and very easy to clean. Here are a few tips for laminate care that will keep yours looking new for many years.

Preventative Maintenance

• Always use a cutting board when cutting and chopping food
• Never remove a pan from the oven and place it directly on the counter
• Use a damp paper towel or cloth with warm water to wipe the surface with
• Use a cleaner formulated for laminate such as 409, Lysol All-Purpose, Simple Green, and any multi-surface cleaner
• Use a textured washcloth and mild detergent to remove oil and sticky residue
• Rinse away soda residue so it won't cloud the surface of the laminate
• Don't use bleach on laminate
• If food dries on the counter, moisten with water or cleaner to soften and gently pipe away with paper towel
• To remove tough stains, use a mixture of 3 parts baking soda, 1 part water and spread it over the stain and wait 5 minutes. The paste will absorb some or all the stain. Gently wipe away the paste. Do not use it as a scrub since it might damage the laminate surface

Additional Tip

• Laminate can be marred so don't scrub it, use harsh cleaners, or solvents as laminate cannot be sanded or polished to restore luster because it's plastic.

Appliance Care & Maintenance

When cleaning your home, don't forget to clean your appliances. We've come up with some tips on the best ways to keep them gleaming and fresh in between uses. For detailed instructions on cleaning your specific appliance, have your model number handy to find its Use and Care Manual.

Refrigerators & Freezers

• Make sure to remove everything from both freezer and refrigerator and dispose of any bad or expired food
• Take out the removable shelves and drawers
• Wash refrigerator and freezer shelves and drawers with warm soapy water to remove spilled foods. Then use a disinfectant spray cleaner to ensure they are germ-free
• Dry thoroughly and reassemble your unit
• Use a vacuum hose or long-handled duster to clean underneath the refrigerator
• Lastly make sure to wipe the exterior, including the top with a wet microfiber cloth and dish soap to wipe down any fingerprints or smudges.
• Use stainless steel cleaner for a good polish when needed.
• On Traditional stainless steel use a lightly dampened microfiber cloth with mild detergent for fingerprint resistance

Microwaves

• Use a paper towel to remove splatters after they occur
• If food is baked on, use a damp cloth or sponge with sudsy water. Be sure to rinse after with a damp cloth.
• Never use oven cleaner on any part of your microwave as with will strip the inside
• Be sure to clean the turntable and support ring with soap and water, rinse well,and dry thoroughly
• Use a wet microfiber cloth and dish soap to wipe down any fingerprints or smudges on the exterior of the microwave
• Use stainless steel cleaner for a good polish when needed.

Ranges & Ovens

• For ranges and ovens with touchpads, wipe the touchpad with a damp microfiber cloth with soap and water
• Do the same to the rest of the unit, when polishing make sure to use a stainless-steel cleaner and a microfiber cloth or a dampened microfiber cloth with mild detergent for fingerprint resistance.
• To clean the interior of your oven, make sure to check your Use and Care manual for specific instructions for your model.

Gas Cooktops

• Because gas cooktop surfaces are porcelain enamel coated, do not use abrasive cleaners, oven cleaners,steel wool, or any other rough cleaners or materials to scrub your range top
• Clean using a soft microfiber cloth with soap and water. You can also use a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water to remove grease. Make sure to rinse and dry thoroughly
• Wipe the burner caps with hot soapy water and soft sponge or microfiber cloth.
• You can scrub burned-on food from the burner cap with a plastic scouring pad
• Spillovers can cause burner heads to clog, so be sure to wipe down the burner heads and then rinse
• You can remove the burner grates to wash in hot soapy water and scrub with a plastic scouring pad. Do NOT use bleach or rust removers on your burner grates
• You can remove control knobs by moving the knobs to the OFF position and then pulling them off the stems. Wash them with warm soapy water and make sure to let them dry completely before putting them back on the unit

Glass Cooktops

• We recommend using a ceramic cooktop cleaner prior to using it and to keep your glass cooktop looking new after each use. Follow the instructions in your Use and Care Manual for more detailed instructions.
• For burnt-on food be sure the cooktop is cool and then spread a bit of the ceramic cleanser on the burnt-on food. Next take a non-scratch cleaning pad and with some pressure rub the cleanser into the area until it loosens

Induction Cooktops

• Much like our glass cooktops, we recommend cleaning your induction cooktop before you use it with a ceramic cooktop cleanser. For more detailed instructions be sure to search for your model's Use and Care Manual

Hoods & Vents

• Because there are several different styles and models of vent hoods and range hoods, we recommend you find your Use and Care Manual for further instructions

Dishwashers

• Before you start to clean the inside of your dishwasher, make sure to remove any food scraps or debris from the bottom
• Wipe the bottom clean with a cloth
• Make sure to clean the filter if it is removable.
• For a deep clean of your dishwasher, we recommend using a cleaner meant for removal of mineral build-up and hard water
• For a DIY method you can use a vinegar rinse. Take a bowl or cup and put a good amount of vinegar and place in the second rack of the dishwasher
• Select your clean cycle or the longest cycle you have on your unit
• When the cycle is done, crack open your dishwasher door and let the unit completely dry

Additional Tip

• Always crack your door open when your cycles are done, this prevents mildew build up and allows your dishes to dry even more.

Washers

• For front load machines you can wipe down the inside gasket using a mix of vinegar and water
• Remove the drawer if possible and wash in warm soapy water to remove residue
• Use a damp cloth or sponge with warm water to wipe out the dispenser box and replace
• Some washers have a Self-Clean Cycle. Select this cycle at least once per month or every 30 to 40 loads.
• Remove all garments and add one cup of liquid bleach to the basket or use with a clea ning solution specifically designed for washers
• Close the door and press Start
• Once complete your washer's interior will be clean and fresh

Dryers

• Simply wipe away dust with a damp cloth or sponge . For stainless steel be sure to wipe in the direction of the grain.
• Clean the lint filter between each use by using your fingers to loosen collected lint in the lint trap
• You may also vacuum lint from the dryer to remove even more lint if built up
• You can also purchase a Dryer Lint cleaning brush for deep cleaning