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Caring for your Marmoleum floor
Your Marmoleum floor is designed to last for many years. With a little care and attention, it will stay looking good through out its life. Marmoleum has a strong, durable protective layer- Topshield. This innovation from Forbo ensures a highly effective shield against dirt and scuff marks.
The floor takes more punishment than almost any other furnishing in your home and we have designed a finish and a cleaner especially for your Marmoleum floor. These will make care easier and enhance the richness of the colors.
Question
What do I need to do after my Marmoleum floor is installed?
Answer
You can use the floor at once. If you wish, sweep or dry vacuum the floor, but wait at least 5 days after installation before performing any "wet" cleaning procedures or moving heavy furniture on the floor. This gives the adhesive time to “cure” and become more resistant to moisture and indentation.
Question
What then?
Answer
1. Sweep/dust mop the floor or better, vacuum the floor.
2. Damp mop the floor with Marmoleum Concentrated Floor Cleaner at the correct dilution. Do NOT flood the floor. Marmoleum is made from natural raw materials and harsh alkalis or cleansers with high pH (such as Ammonia or similar products) should be avoided.
3. Rinse the floor with a clean mop .
4. Allow to dry.
Question
How often should I clean my floor?
Answer
This will depend on variables such as the type of use it gets and whether dirt has been trafficked in from outside. Sweeping/dust mopping or vacuuming is likely to be the most frequent procedure. If the floor is muddy, it can be cleaned with a damp mop, making sure the dirt is rinsed out of the mop and not spread back on the floor. Over time, you may wish to apply one or more additional thin coats of Marmoleum Floor Finish to restore the gloss level. Do not over apply finish over areas which are not walked on (such as wall base) as this just causes unnecessary build-up of polish. The need to apply finish may vary dramatically from perhaps every couple of months to annually, depending on the degree of usage or other circumstances.
Question
What if my floor is really dirty with ingrained dirt?
Answer
Adhered dirt will have to be removed with friction. A scrubbing sponge or nylon brush is ideal. Use care in spot cleaning if using aggressive cleaning tools. On larger floors, you can use mechanical methods. Small rotary floor machines and wet vacuum cleaners such as the Bissel system are very good at cleaning and removing the ingrained dirt. After cleaning, allow to dry completely before re-applying the Marmoleum Floor Finish.
If the soiling is severe, the old finish may have to be removed. For guidelines on this procedure, please contact Forbo Technical Services.
Question
Accidents can happen. If I stain my Marmoleum , what should I do?
Answer
The vast majority of spills can be cleaned off your Marmoleum satisfactorily. With spills or “accidents” with pets:
1. Act quickly.
2. Scrape or blot as much as possible
3. Mop with diluted Marmoleum Concentrated Floor Cleaner.
4. Damp mop with clean water.
5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 if necessary.
If the stain persists, as it may with glue, varnish, paint, ink, tar, cosmetics, or shoe polish, some wines and coffee and some other substances, the solution is to remove the surface finish and the stain with it. For guidelines on this procedure, please contact Forbo Technical Services.
Some Helpful Hints
DO…
• Mop up spills as soon as possible, prevent SPOTS from becoming STAINS.
• Remember to clean and rinse the floor before applying polish.
• Use a clean mop head.
• Try to clean your Marmoleum on a regular basis.
• Make use of suitable door or barrier mats to help minimize dirt and grit getting into the home.
• Protect your floor from sharp furniture legs by placing furniture caps or similar protectors on them. If moving a heavy object across the floor, place a piece of carpet (or similar) underneath it.
DON’T…
• Use too much water.
• Mix cleaning chemicals unless specified by the manufacturer.
• Apply wax Furniture polish or silicone products on to the Marmoleum.
• Apply finish to a floor with surface dirt. It merely seals the dirt in.
• Apply thick coats of finish. Two or three thin coats are better than one thick one.
DRYING ROOM FILM
Marmoleum is made from natural raw materials. An occurrence during the manufacturing process is that while it is maturing in the drying stoves, a yellow cast, termed “drying room film” may appear on its surface. This film, caused by oxidation of linseed oil, occurs intermittently and with varying intensity. It is most noticeable on the blue and grey shades. However, the discoloration is only TEMPORARY.
When exposed to light, the drying room film disappears. The process may take only a few hours in bright sunlight but longer with artificial light. Finishing over the drying room film makes NO difference – it will still disappear with exposure to light.
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