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Cork Flooring Maintenance Guide.

As well as being an attractive and environmentally-friendly material, cork is a durable substance with many practical attributes, including being fire-resistant, a good insulator of both sound and heat, being easy to clean, soft underfoot and almost impossible to dent due to its springy nature.

However, it would be a mistake to think that cork is indestructible and there are a number of issues you may wish to consider when it comes to keeping a cork floor looking as good as it did the day you installed it.

Firstly, while cork does not scratch easily, it is possible to do so. One obvious way this can happen is if you drag heavy furniture across it. As with other floors, this is an unwise move, with the possibility of gouging being a clear hazard.

A less obvious problem is presented by dust. Most dust comes from human skin, although some can be blown inside your house by the wind or walked in on your shoes. One way to limit dirt and dust is to have a mat by the door to wipe your shoes on. However, dust will still gather over time and each tiny fragment can make tiny scratch marks, with the cumulative effect over time being a build-up of damage that wears away at the surface.

The best way to deal with this is to sweep it away with a soft-bristled brush, or to vacuum the floor.

When it comes to removing dirt, dust or spillages from a cork floor, it is easy to clean and does not stain easily. But while it is water resistant which makes it great for wet areas like the bathroom and kitchen and can cope with small levels of moisture, it is not wise to leave standing water on it or to get it sopping wet with a soaking mop or flannel. Water damage can cause discolouration and also mould and mildew if any damp seeps under the tiles.

It is also important never to clean a cork floor using any abrasive devices or chemicals. The manufacturer's instructions that come with your cork floor will list the sort of products you can use. Cork flooring often comes with a protective lacquer on top, which may need re-applying after a few years.

Another potential problem is that of fading. Like carpets and wood, cork will fade in colour if exposed to excessive sunlight. This can be prevented by having curtains or blinds that can be pulled down when the sun is shining brightly through the window, or by having a rug covering an area that is exposed to a lot of sun. If you do get lighter and darker patches, it may help to even out the effect by moving the rug around to ensure other parts of the floor take on a similar shade due to being lightened in turn.

None of these measures are likely to be time-consuming and cork remains a low-maintenance flooring material. But by carrying out such measures as these, it is possible to ensure without excessive effort that your cork floor remains in a good condition for many years

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