In case of spills on your beautiful carpet, the best way to remove any liquid stains is, generally, to first remove the excess liquid with several layers of clean, dry paper towels. Then apply a diluted hand washing detergent to a clean cloth and gently blot the stain until it's removed.

Vinyl First Aid

If your Vinyl floor gets a cut or gouge in it, or if you have a seam open, cover the areas and call a floor covering professional immediately to come and repair them.

Wipe up any spills immediately. Most spills wipe up easily with a clean rag or paper towel. If needed, clean them with the manufacturer's recommended cleaner or luke warm water and clear ammonia. Don't use soap because it will leave a film that will make the floor appear dull.

Area Rug First Aid

Just in case of spills on your beautiful area rug, the best way to remove any liquid stains is, generally, to first remove the excess liquid with several layers of clean, dry paper towels. Then apply a diluted hand washing detergent to a clean cloth and gently blot the stain until it's removed.

Laminate First Aid

Even though laminate floors are extremely durable, they can be scratched if you're not careful. For minor scratches there are special, color-coordinating pencils that can be used to fill them in. For chips, deep scratches and gouges, repairs can be made with colored burn-in sticks, which are used with special electric knives.

Gaps between plank seams can be touched up with manufacturer-recommended touch-up products.

If damage to a laminate plank is too severe for these procedures, you can replace it without destroying the rest of the floor. There are special tools, router bits, and wood strips to make that chore easier, but, unless you're especially handy, it's probably best to leave a job like that to a professional installer.

Hardwood Floors

To keep your hardwood floor looking beautiful, there are some simple procedures you should follow.

Vacuum regularly and use non-staining mats at exterior entrances to keep sand, dirt, grease, and oil outside.

To protect your floor's finish, use pads underneath furniture legs to help prevent scratching, and, while we're on the subject, keep all your pets nails trimmed, too. Along that same line, when moving any heavy objects (like furniture or appliances, for instance), use a dolly and protective sheets of plywood on the floor.

When cleaning the floor, always use the manufacturer's recommended cleaning procedures. Avoid getting water on the floor, too, as it may cause the wood grain to rise, or the boards to cup.

And be careful about exposure to the sun, because UV rays do the same thing to wood that they do to skin: accelerate the aging, which causes the wood stain to change color.