TARKETT PARQUET MAINTENANCE

Kako održavati parket?

You have made the right choice by choosing Tarkett parquet. Still, even though the high quality of the product and good installation are extremely important, proper maintenance of the parquet is also of key significance for your long-term enjoyment.

How to maintain parquet?

In order to preserve all the beauty of your Tarkett parquet, simply follow these very simple instructions:

•Sweep or vacuum regularly to rid your floor of dust and eliminate abrasives that can scratch the finish.

• Wipe up any spilled liquid from the parquet immediately.

•Watch out for high heels and some kinds of sports footwear, particularly if they're worn or damaged. Only water and sand are worse enemies of wood flooring than high heels. In fact, high heels can damage any floor covering, even cement.

•Place doormats outside and inside entrances in order to prevent the build-up of sand and dust on the floor.

•Place mats in front of the kitchen sink, the dishwasher and all the kitchen work stations to protect your floor from kitchen mishaps, such as dropped dishes and spilled water, detergent and food.

•Avoid rubber or other dense mats which prevent airflow and trap abrasive dirt and moisture.

•Attach felt pads on furniture and chair legs to make them easier to move and to prevent scratches. Keep the pads clean and replace them if they become damaged.

•Protect the floor when moving furniture or heavy objects. Use a mat turned upside down with a slightly smaller piece of plywood on top of it. Place furniture on top and slide it.

•Maintain humidity levels between 30% and 50% for the sake of your own health, as well as to protect your floor and wood furniture. Wood is a natural material which reacts to variations in humidity when moisture is absorbed or released.

•Avoid exposure to sunlight and strong artificial lighting, as they can cause discoloration of the wood. This is a completely normal and natural phenomenon. The lighter the wood, the more visible the change.

•Rearrange the carpets and furniture from time to time and use a minimum number of light sources to keep the colour changes uniform. Note: The colour change is not caused by the yellowing of the lacquer; it is a natural change of the colour of the wood.

•Dark parquet has to be maintained more frequently than light, which is why this should be taken into consideration when choosing flooring.

•Some wood species (such as walnut and cherry) are naturally soft, so dents and scratches show more than with harder wood species, such as oak (see the Brinell hardness scale for different wood species).

• Do not use excessive quantities of water to clean the floor, because it can be damaged permanently.  It should be dry 15 seconds after you have wiped it.

• Never apply a cleaning agent or any other liquid directly onto the surface of a wood floor.

• Do not use wax, oil-based detergents or other household cleaning products, as they can dull or damage the finish of your parquet; leaving a thin, greasy layer makes floors slippery and more difficult to maintain.

• Do not put potted plants on your parquet, because the condensation can cause damage.

First aid for parquet and useful tips

Parquet maintenance is easy. However, in case of mishaps, a few useful tips will help you preserve all the beauty of your parquet:

Food, soft drinks, alcohol, etc.
Absorb immediately with a sponge or wipe the floor with a damp, well-wrung cloth. Spray with Tarkett cleaner to dissolve the stain and wipe it up.

Sticky, stubborn or dark stains
Spray with Tarkett cleaner and wipe up. For more stubborn stains apply vinegar directly to the stain, leave for 2 to 3 minutes and then rub vigorously. Still no success? Dampen the cloth with a bit of solvent or petrol and remove the stain.

Scuff marks from shoes, rubber casters, etc.
Spray Tarkett cleaner on a cloth and wipe it up

Grease, oil, lipstick, crayons, etc.
Spray Tarkett cleaner on a cloth and wipe it up.

Chewing gum, candle wax, crayon marks, etc.
Apply a plastic bag filled with ice cubes to the surface until the stain hardens and starts to crumble.   Spray Tarkett cleaner on a cloth and wipe it up.

Ink
Dampen a cloth with a bit of solvent or petrol and remove the stain.

Surface scratches or cigarette burns
Use Tarkett Touch repair kit.

Deep scratches, major problem
Replace the damaged board.

Cleaning and maintenance programme

1.    Daily / regular cleaning
This implies vacuuming and dry mopping. Very dirty areas can be cleaned by wiping them with a damp (not wet) cloth, soaked with a suitable agent (Tarkett Cleaner – for lacquered or Osmo Wash and Care – for oiled parquet floors). Afterwards, the floor should be dried immediately with a dry mop to prevent the penetration of moisture into the joints.

2.    Periodic refreshment and intensive cleaning
To refresh the floors that have lost their shine, please use Tarkett Refresher – for lacquered or Osmo liquid cleaner – for oiled parquet floors. Simply apply a thin layer of the liquid cleaner onto the previously well-cleaned surface. In both cases, follow the manufacturer's instructions. To clean very dirty surfaces, apply a small amount of cleaner directly onto the floor.

Clean very dirty areas with Osmo Liquid Wax Cleaner (use Osmo Polishing Pads or, for oak floors, Scotchpad sponge pads) and then polish the floor. From time to time, you should clean the floor with the Osmo liquid wax-based cleaner, especially those areas that are used and cleaned most frequently (apply a thin layer, leave to dry and then polish the floor). 

Recommended cleaning and maintenance agents

For oil coated parquet floors

OSMO products
For Tarkett products coated with oil (Tango Vintage, Tango Classic and Salsa Premium collections), we recommend OSMO care and maintenance products:
•    OSMO Wash and Care – for regular care and cleaning
•    OSMO Liquid Wax Cleaner for occasional intensive cleaning and refreshment
•    OSMO Polyx Oil  - for preservation and renewal.