Riptide Builders prides ourselves on supplying our customers the best quality products so we want to make sure you know how to take care of and clean these items properly. When you build with us or purchase one of our homes, it will be adorned with Mohawk hand-scraped, engineered hardwood floors and beautiful granite counter tops in your kitchen!

Let’s talk hardwood floors!

While Mohawk hardwoods are brilliant performers, don’t assume this means that they aren’t indestructible. You can help maintain their strength and lasting visibility though by following these general guidelines, and helpful Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind when treating your beautiful Mohawk Hardwood Floors.

The Do’s:

• Vacuum & sweep your floor frequently, especially in high-traffic areas.

• Keep your pets’ nails trimmed and their paws free of dirt, gravel, grease, oil, and stains.

• Use protective window coverings to block fade-causing UV rays and excessive heat from direct sunlight, and rearrange rugs & furniture periodically to help your floor age evenly.

• Remove shoes before walking on floor.

• Use a humidifier during heating seasons to help reduce wood shrinkage and maintain proper relative humidity (between 35% - 55%).

Now for the Don’ts:

• Don’t wet-mop, damp-mop, or clean your floor with water or other liquids.

• Don’t use hardwood floor-cleaning or buffing machines or steam cleaners.

• Don’t use oil soaps, liquid or paste wax or other household products containing oil (such as citrus, lemon or tung oil), silicon or ammonia to clean floor.

• Don’t use harsh cleaning aids such as steel wool pads, any scouring pads containing metal or scouring powders.

• Don’t use 2-in-1 cleaners with polish that contain acrylics or urethane polish to restore gloss.

NOW here’s how to clean and take care of your beautiful engineered hardwood floors:

Vacuum or sweep with a soft-bristle broom regularly, especially before using floor cleaners, to prevent gritty dirt and particle buildup that can scratch the wood’s surface. Don’t use vacuums with a beater bar or power rotary brush head. Always wipe up spills and spots immediately with Mohawk FloorCare Essentials Hardwood & Laminate Flooring Cleaner applied directly to a clean white cloth. Use ice to harden tough substances such as candle wax or chewing gum and then gently scrape with a plastic scraper, such as a credit card. Be careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Wipe area clean with a soft, slightly damp cloth.

Use high-quality floor mats at entrances and exits - this is the key to reducing tile wear. They collect and trap all the corrosive substances that can be tracked in from outdoors, including dirt, sand, grit, oil, asphalt, or even driveway sealer. Also use mats in areas of constant pressure, such as in front of vanities, kitchen sinks and stoves.

Attach felt or similar protective pads to all furniture legs, particularly heavy pieces. When you’re moving furniture, appliances or other heavy objects, use a dolly; never slide or roll anything across the floor. If furniture has hard plastic or metal casters/wheels, use protective mats underneath or replace them with soft rubber casters.

Moving right along to granite counter tops!!!

Natural stone surfaces are very durable and with proper care and maintenance, the stone’s beauty will be enjoyed for many years. It’s very easy to take care of your granite counter tops nowadays because so many brands have crafted granite & stone cleaning products.

Here are our Do’s and Don’ts of taking care of your granite counter tops:

The Do’s:

• Clean your surface with a soft cloth, warm water, and a mild dish detergent or stone soap daily. Thoroughly rinse, and then dry with a clean cloth. Anti-bacterial cleaners are safe when used properly.

• Clean spills immediately as natural stone is porous and can absorb liquids. Oils, wines, and citrus are particularly harmful.

• Use coasters and place-mats to help protect the stone from spills.

The Don’ts:

• Don’t sit, stand, or walk on natural stone counter tops as they will crack.

• Don’t use cleaners that contain acids such as bathroom or toilet bowl cleaners. Abrasive cleaners should not be used as they can etch the surface.

• Don’t use a dirty dish cloth as it will streak and leave a film on the surface. Excessive use of cleaners will also cause the same effect.

• Don’t use products with lemon or vinegar as they can dull the surface.

Resealing your counter-top:

There is a simple test to determine if your stone needs to be re-sealed: Pour a quarter-size drop of clean, filtered water on your stone and let sit for 20 minutes. If the stone has absorbed the water, then it is time to re-seal your stone. Stone sealants are available at your local home improvement store, or you may contact Treasure Stone for further assistance.

Surface stains can often be removed by cleaning with an appropriate household product. Old or stubborn stains may require using a poultice or calling in a professional.

popular brands that carry granite counter top cleaners:

Brandless - Granite & Stone Cleaner

Mrs. Meyers - Multi-surface Everyday Cleaner

Weiman - Granite & Stone Cleaner

Method - Daily Granite Cleaner

Therapy - Granite Cleaner & Polish Kit