Summer Flooring Care: Keep Your Floors Looking Great All Season Long
Summer in Spokane brings sunshine, family gatherings, and plenty of foot traffic through your home. While we love the energy that comes with longer days and open windows, the season can be tough on your floors. Between muddy shoes from gardening, sandy feet from the lake, and the inevitable spills from backyard barbecues, your flooring takes a beating during these active months.
At Caruso’s Floors, we’ve been helping Spokane families protect their flooring investments since 1933. After nearly a century in the business, we’ve learned that a little preventive care during summer can save you from costly repairs and replacements down the road. The good news? Most summer flooring care is simpler than you might think.
Why Summer is Different for Your Floors
Summer presents unique challenges that your floors don’t face during other seasons. Higher humidity levels can cause hardwood to expand and warp. Increased foot traffic from kids being home from school puts extra wear on high-traffic areas. And let’s be honest – summer entertaining means more spills, more pets coming in and out, and more opportunities for damage.
The key is staying ahead of these challenges rather than reacting to them. With the right approach, your floors can look just as good in September as they did in May.
Carpet Care: Keep It Fresh When Life Gets Messy
Summer is particularly hard on carpet. Between pet accidents, muddy footprints, and spilled drinks during movie nights, your carpet works overtime during these busy months.
Daily Prevention
Door mats are your carpet’s best friend. Place quality mats both outside and inside each entrance to your home. This simple step can reduce the amount of dirt and moisture that makes it onto your carpet by up to 80%.
Shoes off, please. We know it’s not always practical, especially during parties, but encouraging family members to remove shoes can make a huge difference in how your carpet looks and feels.
Weekly Maintenance
Vacuum more frequently in summer. While you might vacuum once a week during cooler months, summer often calls for twice-weekly vacuuming, especially in high-traffic areas. Pay extra attention to entryways and areas where kids and pets spend time.
Check for pet accidents quickly. Summer heat can make pet odors more noticeable, and it also makes accidents set in faster. If you have pets, do a quick walk-through each morning to catch any issues early.
Dealing with Summer Spills
Act fast, but don’t panic. Summer drinks are often sticky and colorful – think lemonade, iced tea, and popsicles. When spills happen:
- Blot immediately with a clean, dry cloth
- Work from the outside of the stain toward the center
- Never rub or scrub, which can push the stain deeper
- Use cool water to rinse, then blot dry
For tougher stains, our Mohawk and Shaw Floors carpets often come with specific care instructions that can guide you through the cleanup process.
Professional Help
Consider mid-summer professional cleaning if your home sees a lot of activity. This is especially important if you have light-colored carpet or if you’re planning end-of-summer entertaining.
Hardwood Care: Protecting Your Investment from Heat and Humidity
Hardwood floors are beautiful, but they’re also sensitive to the temperature and humidity changes that summer brings. TAS Flooring, Hallmark Floors, and our other hardwood options need consistent care to stay looking their best.
Managing Humidity
Keep humidity levels between 30-50%. Summer humidity can cause hardwood to expand, leading to gaps, cupping, or even buckling. Use air conditioning or dehumidifiers to maintain consistent levels throughout your home.
Watch for early warning signs like boards that seem to be pushing against each other or small gaps that weren’t there before. These usually indicate humidity issues that need attention.
Daily Protection
Use rugs in high-traffic areas. Place runners in hallways and area rugs near entrances. This protects your hardwood from the extra wear that comes with summer’s increased foot traffic.
Clean spills immediately. Water and hardwood don’t mix well, especially during humid weather when moisture takes longer to evaporate. Keep microfiber cloths handy for quick cleanup.
Cleaning Without Damage
Less is more when it comes to water. Use a barely damp mop, never a soaking wet one. Duchateau and Anderson Tuftex hardwood floors, like most quality hardwood, should never have standing water on them.
Stick to manufacturer-approved cleaners. Generic floor cleaners can sometimes leave residue or even damage the finish on your hardwood. When in doubt, ask us what products work best with your specific flooring.
Furniture and Sun Protection
Use furniture pads to prevent scratches when moving furniture for summer cleaning or rearranging. The felt pads we recommend at Caruso’s Floors make it easy to slide furniture without damaging your floors.
Protect from direct sunlight. UV rays can fade and damage hardwood over time. Use curtains or blinds during the brightest parts of the day, especially on south-facing windows.
LVP Care: Low-Maintenance Doesn't Mean No-Maintenance
Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring from brands like Coretec, Karndean, and Armstrong is popular for good reason – it’s incredibly durable and relatively easy to care for. But even the best LVP benefits from proper summer maintenance.
Regular Cleaning
Sweep or vacuum daily during busy summer months. Sand, dirt, and small debris can act like sandpaper on your LVP’s surface if left to accumulate.
Mop weekly with appropriate cleaners. While LVP is water-resistant, avoid flooding the floors. Use cleaners specifically designed for luxury vinyl – they’re formulated to clean without leaving residue.
Preventing Damage
Use doormats and remove shoes when possible. While LVP is more forgiving than hardwood, preventing dirt and moisture from entering your home is still the best strategy.
Be careful with rubber-backed mats and rugs. Some rubber backings can discolor LVP over time, especially in sunny areas. Check with us for rug recommendations that won’t cause issues.
Heat Considerations
Avoid extreme heat. While Provenza Floors and Shaw Floors LVP are designed to handle normal temperature fluctuations, avoid placing extremely hot items directly on the surface. Use trivets under hot dishes and be cautious with items like space heaters.
Watch for expansion. Quality LVP like Mannington and TAS Flooring options are designed to handle temperature changes, but extreme heat combined with humidity can sometimes cause minor expansion. Ensure you have proper expansion gaps around the perimeter of rooms.
Tile and Stone: Built to Last, But Still Needs Care
Tile flooring from Shaw Floors, Daltile, and Anderson Tuftex is among the most durable options for summer living, but proper care keeps it looking its best.
Grout is the Weak Link
Clean grout lines regularly. Summer’s increased moisture and foot traffic can cause grout to look dingy faster than usual. A simple mixture of warm water and mild detergent works for regular cleaning.
Seal grout annually. This is especially important before summer if your tile is in areas that see a lot of moisture, like entryways or bathrooms.
Daily Maintenance
Sweep or vacuum daily. Sand and grit can scratch even the most durable tile over time. A quick daily sweep prevents buildup.
Mop with appropriate cleaners. Avoid anything too acidic, which can damage both tile and grout. Stick to pH-neutral cleaners designed for your specific type of tile.
Dealing with Summer Challenges
Address stains quickly. Summer brings more opportunities for staining – from barbecue sauce to grass stains tracked in from the yard. Quick action prevents permanent staining.
Check for loose tiles. Temperature fluctuations can sometimes cause tiles to work loose. If you notice any movement or hollow sounds when walking, address it quickly to prevent further damage.
Creating a Summer Floor Care Routine
The best floor care happens when it becomes routine rather than a reaction to problems. Here’s a simple weekly schedule that works for most Spokane homes:
Daily (5 minutes):
- Quick sweep or vacuum of high-traffic areas
- Wipe up any spills immediately
- Check for obvious issues like loose tiles or water damage
Weekly (30 minutes):
- Thorough vacuum of all carpeted areas
- Mop hard surfaces with appropriate cleaners
- Move furniture to clean underneath (rotate different areas each week)
Monthly (1 hour):
- Deep clean grout lines
- Check and clean door mats
- Inspect for any developing issues like loose boards or worn areas
When to Call the Professionals
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, floors need professional attention. Here are signs that it’s time to call Caruso’s Floors:
For any flooring type:
- Stains that won’t come out with normal cleaning
- Visible damage like scratches, chips, or loose pieces
- Persistent odors that cleaning doesn’t address
For hardwood specifically:
- Boards that are cupping, crowning, or separating
- Finish that looks worn or damaged
- Any signs of water damage
For carpet:
- High-traffic areas that look permanently flattened
- Stains that have set despite your best efforts
- Odors that seem to be coming from the padding underneath
Making Summer Floor Care Easier
The right tools make all the difference. Invest in quality microfiber mops, a good vacuum cleaner, and the correct cleaning products for your specific flooring. It might seem like a bigger upfront investment, but proper tools actually save time and protect your floors better than makeshift solutions.
Don’t try to tackle everything at once. Focus on preventing problems rather than fixing them after they happen. A few minutes of daily attention prevents hours of deep cleaning later.
Enjoying Summer Without Worry
Your floors should support your lifestyle, not limit it. With proper care, you can host barbecues, welcome muddy kids from the backyard, and enjoy all that Spokane summer has to offer without constantly worrying about your floors.
At Caruso’s Floors, we’ve seen how the right maintenance routine can help floors last decades, even in active households. Whether you have Shaw Floors carpet in your family room, Hallmark Floors hardwood in your dining room, Coretec LVP in your kitchen, or Daltile tile in your entryway, a little consistent care keeps everything looking great.
Remember, we’re here to help. If you’re not sure about the best care routine for your specific floors, or if you run into issues that seem beyond normal maintenance, don’t hesitate to reach out. After 90+ years in the Spokane area, we’ve pretty much seen it all, and we’re always happy to help our neighbors keep their homes looking their best.