Whether it's fashioned from high-quality vintage stock or freshly-harvested lumber, your new floor will become even more beautiful with time, provided you follow a few simple guidelines.

Mop up spills quickly

The right tools and techniques help make it easy:

• Keep a supply of clean, dry, soft cloths—terry, cotton jersey, etc.—handy for wiping up spills.


• For regular food and liquid spills, dampen a cloth lightly with water before wiping.


• For grease, oil, or other water-resistant spills, apply a small amount of approved cleaner.
  Never use ammonia-based products on your flooring!


• Wipe spills with the dampened rag, then wipe area dry with a second, dry rag.


• Spot-clean only.


• Use SFC-approved cleaners only. Use of any other cleaner will void finish warranty.

Remove dust regularly

Whether it's tracked in by foot, wheel, or puppy, when gritty dirt (or any particulate matter) strikes your floor's surface, it abrades the finish. At best, this dulls the natural sheen; at worst, it creates scratches, nicks, and more serious damage. For these reasons, we strongly recommend you establish a professional maintenance schedule in between:

• Wipe or mop with a dry, static-cling microfiber-type tool: Swiffer® or Pledge® Grab-It™ are trusted brands.


• Vacuum with a quality machine. Many models today are designed to handle the special needs of wood flooring. The one you select should come equipped with a long hose, and have a soft-bristled brush at the end of the wand. Look for soft wheels; anything hard, like plastic, can scuff the flooring.


• Sweep lightly: Make sure the broom you use has soft bristles, is in good repair, and is free from old debris that could scratch your floor's surface. And use a soft, plastic dustpan, preferably with a flexible, rubber business edge.


• Only clean floor when needed. When you do, use only SFC-approved cleaner.

Schedule professional maintenance

A natural oil finish protects your floor's surface and color but will wear off with time and normal, everyday use. To avoid costly specialized repairs, SFC strongly recommends you have a full coat of finish professionally reapplied regularly—on average once per year, under normal circumstances.

You may need additional refinishing if your floor experiences unusual wear-and- tear:

• If your floor has been installed as part of new construction. Airborne debris from new landscaping and nearby construction can continue to filter inside your home and settle on flooring. Construction debris can and will wear out your floor's finish three times more quickly than normal wear.


• If you are moving into your new home. Carrying a houseful of heavy furniture inside creates an exceptional stress on flooring.


• If "traffic areas" look dry or dull, especially compared to areas which receive less use. Keep an eye on hallways, kitchen work areas, the spaces surrounding desks and dining-room tables, and so on. If you can see the difference, it's time to call in the professionals.

To avoid voiding your warranty, we require that all work on flooring, staircases, or finish pieces be performed by SFC Certified Technicians.

Alternatively, SFC can train and certify the maintenance person of your choice to care for your flooring, including your regular cleaning person or housekeeper. And don't worry: no extra work will be required of them, just different approach to the work of cleaning and maintaining.

To sum up:

• Avoid getting excessive water on flooring, and mop up any spills immediately.


• Use only approved products on flooring.


• Never apply ammonia-based products to flooring.


• Use only dry dust mops treated with approved dry agents (e.g. Swiffer, Grab- It).


• Never drag furniture or other heavy objects across flooring.


• Use only rug pads made from approved synthetic products: no latex or rubber!

We want to you enjoy your beautiful flooring for many, many years to come. If you have any questions about its care and maintenance, please contact us at info@sfcflooring.com or (310) 360-0577. Thank you!