The Naive Floor Covering Consumer

The Naive Floor Covering Consumer

by Terry Weinheimer 

The kitchen is the hub of the average house.  While preparing a meal we constantly move between the range, sink, and refrigerator.  While using other parts of the house we go back and forth to the kitchen for beverages and snacks.  In many houses a laundry area or bathroom are next to the kitchen.  Some houses have a door between the kitchen and garage. Many kitchens have a door to a patio area or backyard.  With every foot step tracked in soil is ground against the floors finish and this results in the loss of luster.  It takes but a few grains of ground in abrasive soil to do a lot of damage to almost any floor covering.

 Unfortunately many consumers have never been taught about flooring maintenance. These same consumers find it difficult to understand why the floor appears so scratched up, dingy or dull.  They sweep or vacuum the floor every now and then but it still gives the appearance of having been scratched with a wire brush or sandpaper. The consumer sees this as a floor failure when in truth it is usually a maintenance issue.

The kitchen is not the only place in a house that receives constant cross traffic and is subjects to damage from abrasive soil.  Any area that has floor covering installed in it will require preventive maintenance to keep the floor appearing good and reduce potential damage.

As a consumer it is your responsibility to learn how to properly care for your floor covering. Sure you were told that the floor covering had a 25-year warranty but what did that truly mean? Many times a warranty is not worth the paper it is written on. Do not wait for the salesperson or dealer to supply you with the warranty and maintenance information. A smart consumer will obtain that information before signing on the dotted line and when you do read the small print very carefully. Doing otherwise may prove to be a very expensive mistake.