Use and Care Manual

Care & Cleaning Maintenance Guide | 3
care &
cleaning
Vacuum Friendly
The best way to reduce dirt accumulation and prolong the life of your carpet is to vacuum, vacuum, vacuum! Most dirt, even dust, is in the
form of hard particles. When left in the carpet, these gritty, sharp particles abrade the pile as effectively as sandpaper.
HOW FREQUENTLY SHOULD YOU VACUUM?
That depends on the amount of foot traffic and household soil to which your carpet is exposed to. More use means more frequent
vacuuming. Weekly vacuuming is a great place to start! Shaw floors recommends a vacuum cleaner with a vertical rotating brush or
“brush/beater bar” to agitate the pile and mechanically loosen soil particles. The exception to this is for the Plume Perfect shag style product
with longer yarns which might tend to wrap around a rotating brush. For these styles we recommend a suction-only vacuum.
Be aware that some vacuums have overly aggressive action which may damage the surface of your carpet.
Make sure your vacuum is certified through the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Seal of Approval/ Green Label Vacuum Cleaner Program.
Visit www.carpet-rug.org for details and listings. Always make sure there is a small gap between the bottom of the vacuum and the flooring
being cleaned. This gap allows airflow and removes dry soil suspended by the brush more efficiently. Improper height setting of the vacuum
may cause tiles to lift and damage face fibers.
Spot Removal
Shaw’s R2X
®
Stain & Soil Remover is recommended for all types of spot cleaning and is available through www.shawfloors.com. It is
approved under the Carpet and Rug Institute’s (CRI) Seal of Approval certification. Additional cleaning products in the CRI certification
program are listed at www.carpet-rug.org. Do not use any household cleaners other than those listed in this program, since many
household products contain chemicals that may permanently damage your carpet. If one of the recommended products is not readily
available you may use the guidelines below:
Cleaning Solutions
DETERGENT:
Mix ¼ teaspoon clear hand dish-washing detergent with 1 cup
warm, not hot, water. Use a clear, non-bleach liquid dishwashing
detergent such as Dawn, Joy or clear Ivory. Professional installers
and maintenance teams should use Shaw R2X
®
or CRI SOA
approved cleaning solutions and apply according to label
directions.
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE/AMMONIA:
Mix ½ cup hydrogen peroxide (3% solution available in drug
stores) with one teaspoon undiluted, unscented, clear (non-sudsy)
household ammonia. Use within two hours of mixing.
VINEGAR:
1 part white vinegar to 1 part water
AMMONIA:
One tablespoon to one cup water.
SOLVENT:
Liquid, non-oily, non-caustic type sold for spot removal from
garments. Use products for grease, oil, and tar removal such
as Carbona and Afta. Do not apply directly to carpet to prevent
carpet damage. (See Procedure A).