Use and Care Manual

NUVELLELOCK CARE AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS
NUVELLELOCK™ 02/16/2016
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT -It’s important to know how to prevent damage to your solid hardwood floors.
WHEN WOOD GAINS OR LOSES MOISTURE, IT CHANGES DIMENSION
Maintain a relative humidity of 35-55% and a temperature of 60-80°F year-round to minimize the natural expansion and
contraction of wood.
CREAKING: When the air in your home becomes extremely dry, your floor will lose moisture and contract. Conversely,
when humidity is high, your floor will absorb moisture and expand slightly. As humidity stabilizes, hardwoods regain
their original dimensions. Air conditioning in summer and humidifying in winter will keep your home’s humidity
comfortable for you and your floor. Prolonged cycles of shrinking and swelling of your hardwood floor may result in
creaks. They can be easily corrected.
SILENCING CREAKS: Apply liquid wax, powdered soap, talcum powder or powdered graphite between floor boards that
are rubbing together.
PREVENTING DAMAGE
DIRT and GRIT: Dirt, grit and sand act like sandpaper on the finish, causing scratches, dents and dulling. Place floor mats
at entrances to trap dirt and prevent damage.
WATER AND OTHER SPILLS: Standing water can warp a floor and damage the finish. Wipe up all spills as they happen.
HARD CLEANERS: Avoid oil soaps. Instead, neutral pH cleaners made specifically for wood floors are recommended.
FURNITURE: Lift the furniture— avoid dragging. Felt contacts under the legs will help prevent scratches.
DENTS: Vacuum with a brush attachment — don’t use vacuums with beater bars.
SUN: Direct sun will discolor your floor. Use curtains, blinds or sheer drapes to protect from the sun’s intense UV rays.
REGULAR CARE
VACUUM YOUR FLOOR EVERY WEEK: You probably do this already, but it always bears repeating. The reason:
underfoot, the fine grit in dust is just like sandpaper and will slowly but surely wear through your wood floor’s finish. So
a good vacuuming protects the finish as well as keeps up its appearance. Use an attachment with a brush or a felt
surface that runs along the floor. Attachments with rotating brushes or a beater bar can scratch the finish. Disengage the
beater bar on an upright. If you don’t feel like hauling out the vacuum, a dust mop or one of the newer microfiber
sweepers (such as Swiffer) will work just as well.
PROTECH HIGH-TRAFFIC ZONES WITH AREA RUGS: Walking across an area several times a day eventually wears down a
wood floor’s finish. Nice-looking throw rugs are the easiest way to reduce the wear. But make sure they don’t have a
backing. Vinyl or rubber backing traps humidity, which can ruin your floor’s finish and stain or damage the wood.
USE AN EXTRA-LONG “WALK-OFF” DOORMAT: Doormats, inside and out, earn their keep and then some. While
vacuuming and spot-cleaning are great, keeping the dirt out in the first place is even better. Get a 4- to 6-foot-long
“walk-off” mat for the front door. The longer the mat leading up to the door, the more people will rub dirt and moisture
off their shoes as they walk in, even if they don’t stop to wipe them.