Click on the links below to view tips

Cabinetry Tips
Flooring Tips
Plumbing Tips
Granite Countertops
Lawn/Landscape

Cabinetry Tips:

Stained and Finished Cabinets

What to Do:

• Do clean with Old English Spray Wood Polish once a month.
• Do clean heavily used areas (around the sink, the dishwasher, the stove, and the wastebasket) with Old English Spray Wood Polish once a week.
• Do polish using Old English Lemon Oil twice a year (this puts moisture back into the wood and keeps it looking like a piece of furniture for years).

What Not to Do:

• Do Not wash with water (the finish is water resistant, not water proof).

**If you do spill water on it, wipe if off with a clean, dry, soft rag**

back to top

Painted Cabinets

What to Do:

• Do Keep dusted with a clean, dry, soft rag.
• Do clean with Murphy's Oil Soap on a damp, not saturated, rag if dirty.
• Do dry with a clean, dry, soft rag.
• Do use Butcher's Wax on heavily used areas.

What Not to Do:

• Do Not use water to clean.
  

Flooring Tips:

Hardwood Floors

What to Do:

• Do sweep or vacuum to remove any dust or abrasive material.
• Do spray a light coat of wood cleaner over soiled area or on mop.
• Do mop floor in a back and forth motion (on same direction as strips).
• Do place mats outside and inside entrances to prevent sand and abrasives from accumulating on floor (avoid mats with rubber or other dense backings that would prevent airflow and trap abrasives and moisture).
• Do keep your pets claws well-trimmed to avoid scratches.

What Not to Do:

• Do Not use wax, oil-based detergents, or other household cleaning agents on the floor (these may dull or damage the finish and leave a greasy film that makes floors slippery, maintenance more difficult, and refinishing impossible without deep sanding and complete re-varnishing).

1. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations (when known) for the proper care of a wood floor. Get that information from your wood floor installer/retailer, and it is also a good time to purchase your wood floor care products.
2. Know the type of finish on the wood floor. Follow the proper maintenance procedures for the particular finish.
3. Never wax a urethane floor. A majority of floors installed today have urethane finishes.
4. Never use sheet vinyl or tile floor care products on wood floors. Self-polishing acrylic waxes cause wood to become slippery and appear dull quickly. The only remedy in this situation is to sand and refinish the floor.
5. Consult with an installer, the finisher or the manufacturer if there is any doubt of the kind of floor finish.
6. Place mats and throw rugs at doorways, exteriors and interiors to help prevent the tracking of grit, dirt and sand. Sweep or vacuum wood floors regularly.
7. Never wet-mop a wood floor. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discoloring residue.
8. Wipe up food and other spills immediately with a dry or slightly dampened towel (wipe dry).
9. For a wax floor, buff to restore shine. You may want to invest in a buffer.
10. Do not over-wax a wax floor. If the floor dulls, try buffing instead. Avoid wax buildup under furniture and other light traffic areas by applying wax in these spots every other waxing session.
11. Put plastic or fabric-faced glides under the legs of furniture to prevent scuffing and scratching.
12. Remember: cleats, sports shoes and high heels can dent any floor surface.
13. When moving heavy furniture, protect wood flooring by slipping a piece of cloth or pile under the legs or covering each leg with a heavy sock or half of a milk carton.
14. For wood flooring in the kitchen, place an area rug in front of the kitchen sink to catch water.

Tile Floors:

What to Do:

• Do sweep or vacuum to remove any dust or abrasive material.
• Do mop floor using a tile cleaner or prepare a cleaning solution using a non-sudsy ammonia cleaner designed for cleaning ceramic tile.
• Do wipe glazed walls with a cloth or sponge dampened with a tile cleaner or a non oil-based cleaner.
• Do clean unglazed wall and floor tiles in a similar manner using a tile cleaner or a solution of water and soapless detergent instead of an all-purpose cleaner.
• Do use a sealer on grout joints (sealer should be used 28 days after grout is installed allowing grout to fully cure - be sure to clean area first).
• Do promptly clean any food, soft drinks, alcohol, etc. spills with a sponge or damp, well-wrung cloth. Spray cleaner to dissolve spot and wipe off.

What Not to Do:

• Do Not use harsh cleaning agents (such as steel wool pads), these can scratch or damage the surface of the tile.
  

Plumbing Tips:

Prevent Pipes from Freezing

What to Do:

• Do make sure all exterior water faucets are shut off before the first frost.

Prevent Toilets from Flooding

What to Do:

• Do make sure all toilets that have been flushed have stopped running before leaving the house for vacation or an extended period of time.

Countertop Tips:

Cleaning Granite Countertops:

What to Do:

• Do clean daily with mild soap and warm water
• Do use a sealer at least twice a year

What Not to Do:

• Do Not use any cleaners with ammonia in them, this will remove the sealer.

Landscape/Lawn

Everyone wants to have a lush green lawn. How to get one takes a bit more effort than most people realize.

Is seeding better than sod or does it matter?
Seeding works well for all lawn applications. The seed blend can be altered to perform best in a wide range of exposures (sun to part shade). Sod on the other hand is best in sunny locations. Full shade is best left to plants other than lawn. Hydro-seed can be successful if the preparation is as diligently done as for sod and seed. And with all the above applications, proper and consistent follow-up care is the key to a successful lawn.

How often does a new lawn need water?
First, lawns perform very well with irrigation systems. It is a wise investment when used efficiently. Seed needs to stay moist at all times – not wet in order to germinate. If it dries out the seed casing can crack and die. Once there is grass about an inch or so long over the seeded area the watering should be adjusted to focus on establishing a good root system. This means less frequent and longer in duration. As the lawn matures and has been cut a few times it is best to water by lengthening the durations and reducing the frequently. This practice promotes a deep root system, which will strengthen the lawn and arm it against drought.

Drainage
The drainage on a landscape is one of the most important and least addressed items when thinking about a construction project. By looking at how the site’s drainage will change after the construction is completed in the early stages of a project, problems can be prevented successfully.

What should we do about downspouts that run water all through our landscape?
The ideal situation is to either install a drywell that can receive the water from multiple downspouts. This is possible when they are strategically placed in the landscape. Or when there is ample land and pitch to work with, downspouts can be piped to daylight in an area that will not cause erosion or adversely affect a neighboring property.