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Top Tips for Tile Maintenance

Top Tips for Tile Maintenance

Tile is one of the most versatile floor coverings you can choose for your home. The variety of colors and patterns, different options when laying and cutting the tile, and choosing a coordinating grout color, all make it easy to use tile as a true design element. However, one key to long-lasting tile is tile maintenance. While it’s not difficult to keep your tile neat and clean, there are a few tips you should always keep in mind so you’ll be able to enjoy your flooring for years to come.

Top Tips for Tile Maintenance

Top DO’s for Tile Maintenance

  1. Do use hot water with a mild detergent. Hot water prevents residue from forming on your tile, while a mild detergent will help to reduce the risk of a cloudy or dull finish.
  2. Do address spills quickly. Depending on the spill, it’s possible that simply wiping down your tile will address the issue. However, in the case of liquids or materials that could stain your tile floor, it’s a good idea to tackle those spills fast, using detergent and a warm cloth to wipe down the tile. Fast action on clean-up can also help to avoid grout stains.
  3. Do use more powerful cleaners when necessary. To maintain your tile floor, it might be necessary to employ a powerful cleaner, especially in high traffic areas. To avoid damage to your flooring, make sure the cleaner is expressly formulated for tile.

Top DO NOT’s for Tile Maintenance

  1. Do not use acidic or ammonia-based cleaners. These harsh chemicals have a better chance of not only damaging your tile, but discoloring the grout. That can create a very unseemly sight.
  2. Do not use abrasive brushes or scrubbers. Your tile is fairly durable, but these abrasive cleaning products can easily scratch the surface of your floor and leave behind a dull finish.
  3. Do not use acid or vinegar to clean your floor. These everyday household chemicals might be convenient, but they are not meant for tile maintenance. Harsh cleaners can easily discolor or erode grout; they also tend to leave a film on your floor’s surface. This can make everything dull and even encourage mold growth.

For more tips and tricks on tile maintenance, visit Go Mobile Flooring today. As your mobile flooring showroom serving the Tampa Bay area, we can provide expert advice on how best to manage your flooring investment.

Manufacturer Spotlight: Parkay Flooring - XPS Waterproof

Manufacturer Spotlight: Parkay Flooring

Laminate flooring was once considered a budget-friendly alternative for suburban households that just didn’t have the money to truly invest in genuine hardwood or tile flooring. However, with today’s advancements in materials and manufacturing, laminate flooring, like Parkay Flooring, offers a sleek, well-heeled look for anyone’s home. And it’s still budget-friendly.

Manufacturer Spotlight: Parkay Flooring - XPS Waterproof

Waterproof Flooring – Introducing the XPS Waterproof Parkay

XPS Waterproof flooring gives homeowners the chance to have a waterproof flooring option that looks great. Its locking system helps complete the illusion that you have real hardwood flooring by keeping seams clean and uniform.

Waterproof Flooring at its Best

XPS Waterproof flooring is durable and scratch resistant. It comes with a 15-year warranty providing homeowners peace of mind when investing in Parkay flooring. The flooring can also be used in a variety of tight spots, including around corners, at wall joints, and on and around stairs. XPS Waterproof floors are perfect for any space, no matter the layout.

Parkay Flooring Installation Made Easy

XPS Waterproof flooring is best installed over a completely dry and firm floor, such as concrete. It can be used to cover other flooring types like linoleum or PVC. However, it is not recommended to install Parkay flooring on floating or textile floors. Additionally, it’s extremely important to make sure your installation area is clear of all debris; even a pebble can easily disrupt the smooth, laminate surface.

Expert Advice on Parkay Flooring

When embarking on any home improvement project, it’s always a good idea to get advice from the experts. The floor installation team at Go Mobile Flooring is ready to help you make the right decision when choosing the perfect laminate floor. Whether its XPS Waterproof flooring, or another type of Parkay laminate, we provide all of our customers with knowledgeable advice.

Visit our site now for a free quote or to request a free measurement by our expert staff. At Go Mobile Flooring, we bring our showroom to you and service Pasco and Pinellas counties, New Tampa, South Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, Brandon, and Clearwater.

Porcelain Tile Bathroom Trends

Porcelain Tile: Bathroom Trends

Deciding to update your bathroom tile is a large undertaking. You will want to be sure that the design and materials you choose will be in style for years to come. Since design trends can be fickle, it’s important to be aware the many different porcelain tile options that are trending.

Porcelain Tile Bathroom Trends

Porcelain Tile Bathroom Trends

Let’s review some of the most popular current porcelain tile bathroom trends. That way, you can make an informed decision for your home:

1. Details Matter

A primary trend that has been gaining traction are the little things – details. Using accent porcelain tiles to highlight necessary features like drains and built-in niches is recommended, as is experimenting with different types of techniques like mosaics. Consider using various color or sized tiles throughout your bathroom in unexpected places. It gives you a chance to make the mundane stand out in the best possible way!

2. Go Big

While bathroom tiles used to be small 4-inch by 4-inch squares (or smaller), it seems the trend has shifted in recent years to using larger format tiles. This trend is actually effecting both wall and floor bathroom tiles, and gives the space a more expansive look by limiting the number of grout lines. Tile sizes can now range from 18×18 to 10×26. It’s also on trend to mix small and large tiles for a more interesting look. So don’t be afraid to combine trends for your own unique tone.

3. Take the A train

Subway and hexagon tiles have always been a key trend in bathroom design. Part of the art deco craze of the late 1940s and 1950s, colorful porcelain subway tiles – or even just black and white repeating patterns – were used in part to make bathrooms look more contemporary. Now, this trend offers the chance to make your bathroom just a bit retro.

Regardless of the porcelain tile trend you decide on for your bathroom, you want to make sure you’re using the best materials, and that you receive the best advice on how to proceed. Request a free quote and start making your bathroom redesign a reality.

GMF-Blog-Waterproof-Laminate-Flooring

Waterproof Laminate Flooring

Many people are under the impression that all laminate flooring is waterproof. That’s not true, and neither is hardwood. These wonderful floorings are susceptible to damage from excessive exposure to water. That’s why installing waterproof laminate flooring is a good idea.

GMF-Blog-Waterproof-Laminate-Flooring

During the rainy season and winter, the most annoying part of all is to get home wet or covered in snow and make your flooring wet. Some flooring such as wood will probably have some trouble if its getting wet often, especially if you use them as your bathroom flooring. So, that is why using a waterproof laminate flooring is very recommended. They can keep your flooring from getting rotten because of the wetness and also it can make your flooring look even better.   – FlooringMagz.com

In Florida snow isn’t a problem, but humidity and rain or proximity to a beach can bring a lot of wetness and moisture onto your floors.

There are some laminates that claim to be “splash proof” (which is not an industry term and they do still warn you not to leave any standing water on your laminate floor).  If laminate floors become really wet, they will get ruined and buckle.  Unlike hardwood flooring, laminate floors can not be sanded or refinished.  If they get wet, they can not be repaired.
The Flooring Girl

Waterproof Laminate Flooring is Affordable

As with everything else, you get what you pay for!

You never want to get the cheapest products on the market, and usually it’s best to scrutinize the most expensive product. But waterproof laminate flooring is a wise choice. It costs much less than hardwood, although slightly more than regular laminate.

Waterproof Laminate Flooring is Durable

A major consideration when evaluating the cost of your flooring is longevity. Waterproof laminate flooring guarantees your floors will hold up and maintain the value of your home. Hardwood is the most expensive option, but even the best hardwood will suffer damage if regularly exposed to water. As mentioned by “The Flooring Girl” above, there is good news. With hardwood, it is possible to repair small areas when water damage occurs. It can be sanded down and refinished. Regular laminate is worse because when damage occurs the only option is to replace it.

It would be wise to ask one our specialists at Go Mobile Flooring about waterproof laminate flooring. They can give you the specific details and costs to help you make the perfect decision and of course, our team can install it ahead of schedule. And depending on your plans, probably under budget as well!