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Category: Cleaner Floors

10 Tips for Keeping your Laminate Floors Beautiful

Posted on by torlys

This blog was contributed by Jennifer Gervens. Jennifer is the author and owner of SweetTMakesThree.com.

Laminate flooring has become incredibly popular because it’s beautiful, durable, and fairly inexpensive. Like all floors, however, laminate requires a bit of special cleaning to keep it looking new and shiny. Laminate floors are not hard to keep clean, as long as you know the right way to do it.

Click to read: 10 Tips for Keeping Your Laminate Floors Beautiful!

With the proper care, your laminate flooring can look beautiful all the time! However, if your flooring is beyond help and you are ready to replace it, consider a new flooring product that is beautiful, durable and features proactive protection against the growth of mold and mildew.

TORLYS provides a wide selection of luxury vinyl flooring options with Microban technology incorporated into the cork backing, for a warmer, quieter and cleaner experience. See our full collection here: https://residential.torlys.com/collections/vinyl/

Small Home Renovation Details that Pay Off

Posted on by torlys

Before you go tearing up that outdated kitchen and busting through your budget, take heart: just a few (more affordable) strategic upgrades could work just as hard for your home’s resell value as a full remodel. We’ve outlined a few key home renovation details that, combined, will make for a beautiful, durable facelift with added benefits for prospective homebuyers.

Four Small Home Renovations to Consider

1. Lay a Long-Lasting Home Renovation Foundation

If the old floor in your kitchen needs to go, but you’re not looking to spring for the expense of hardwood, consider vinyl flooring. Vinyl comes in hundreds of beautiful colors and styles and makes a fantastic first impression upon entering the kitchen. It’s also quicker and easier to install, which helps if you’re looking to move in or sell soon.

TORLYS combines beauty and resilience at an affordable price point and can transform a room without compromising values or budget. In addition, with built-in Microban® protection against mold, mildew and odor-causing bacteria, the added value of your kitchen home renovation to a prospective buyer is priceless: a healthier, cleaner home, with less germs for their family to worry about.

2. Swap in New Sinks and Fixtures

Two simple, yet stylish add-ons are sinks and faucets. Drop-in sinks, especially deep ones, are always desirable, and so easy—they literally “drop in” to a hole in the countertop, plus the installation costs very little. Faucets are fashion statements in themselves; look for adjustable, clean design with a striking silhouette, and if you choose a brand with the built-in antimicrobial protection of Microban®, that design aesthetic will be protected from mold and mildew for the product’s lifetime. Not a bad added benefit for a buyer looking for both beauty and ease of care!

3. Let There Be Light

Update lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones, and you’ll be helping the earth stay healthy, too. They’re no more expensive than traditional bulbs, but the luxe feel they bring justifies a higher asking price overall. While you’re at it, look into lighting switches and dimmers, which add a customized, personal touch. Finally, when installing, aim for a mix of natural, overhead, and under-cabinet lighting. Under-cabinet lights create drama and a warm glow, are easy to install and can be added under your existing upper kitchen cabinets.

4. Revamp with New Hardware

Whether your design aesthetic is brushed silver or glowing bronze, a simple swap of the right hardware adds a cohesive, elegant touch throughout your kitchen remodel without breaking the bank. Home renovation superstores carry a great selection of door, cabinet and drawer hardware.

Want more great and easy home renovation ideas? Explore The Cleaner Home for plenty of helpful DIY content.

9 Common Holiday Season Stains and Messes (And How to Clean them)

Posted on by torlys

During the holiday season your home is likely to resemble a battlefield, especially if you have children and even more so if you have braved the feat of hosting holiday guests! From dealing with all of the discarded wrapping paper to cleaning up wine stains on the carpet, check out these tips we’ve put together for dealing with holiday season messes. Remember: always spot test to ensure no damage is caused to the surfaces of your flooring, furniture, and surfaces.

How to remove wax from flooring

Cinnamon or pine tree scented candles are all well and good, until one of them gets knocked over and your hardwood floors are covered in wax. Not to worry though, you don’t have to start sanding the floor just yet. Use a scraper to remove the hardened wax, going in the direction of the wood grain, then cover the stain with was paper or a towel and iron on a low-medium heat, being careful not to burn it – this should help you get rid of any stubborn bits. You can also use TORLYS EcoCare Cleaning Kit to help make cleaning your hardwood floors a breeze so that your floors keep looking fresh. Bonus: TORLYS floors are backed by Microban’s Antimicrobial Product Product for a cleaner floor.

Click here to read the next 8 common messes and cleaning solutions! 

5 Ways to Create an “Oops” Friendly Home

Posted on by torlys

They are cute and funny and amazing…and messy!! We love our kiddos, but their tendency to make a mess in almost any room of the house is just a fact of life. There is no way around it, so you might as well prepare for it. Check out these great tips from Jennifer Gervens of “Sweet T Make Three” to “oops” proof your home so you and your little ones can PLAY ON!

“Oops!” Few words get me up and moving faster at our house. Spilled milk, artwork on the walls, overflowing toilets – all common issues in homes containing mini-humans.

Let’s face it, y’all. We love our kids, but their messes are things we’d rather not have to deal with. Below are a few tips to keep the messes corralled instead of the kids.

Kid-friendly Flooring

Bamboo is an option for families with kids since it’s cheaper than hardwood, and more durable than laminate. TORLYS CorkWood floors are often the go-to as they are extremely durable and kid friendly. Check out this fun video here to see this in action!

Bonus: CorkWood Floors are backed with CorkPlus™ BLUE attached underlay with Microban® antimicrobial product protection.

Click here to 4 more ways to keep an “Oops” Friendly Home! 

Mold: A Monster Problem for Your Home and Health

Posted on by torlys

Mold, a fungus that grows in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae, is made of simple microscopic cells organisms and can grow virtually anywhere — especially in warm, damp areas.

While it’s fine for a fungus to grow on the floors of a forest, it can be a major problem when it starts growing in your home because it can cause serious damage and affect your health.

Learn how to spot the fungus, its symptoms, and how to prevent it from occurring and spreading in this guide on mold.

How to Spot Mold

The key to stopping mold is spotting it. The tricky part is that mold comes in various colours, shapes, and sizes. Whether it’s black, white, orange, green, or purple, you need to be careful and know what it is you’re dealing with. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious in order to repair it before it spreads further and causes costly damages.

Mold thrives in wet or damp areas, making bathrooms and kitchens a popular spot for it. Take a look at these 100 Pictures of Mold to get a good idea of what mold can look like to ensure you don’t miss any signs. If you suspect mold, get your home checked by a trained mold tester. The longer you wait to handle the problem, the bigger and more expensive it will be.

Where to Find Mold:

  • Carpets
  • Wood products
  • Fabric products
  • Ceiling tiles
  • Drywall
  • Wall paper
  • Insulation
  • Cardboard
  • Food and plants

Quick Examples of Mold:

  • Slimy black spots on your shower curtain
  • Fuzzy white patches (sometimes found on basement floors)
  • Slick orange film on a kitchen sink

What to do If You Suspect Mold

You should always be on the lookout for mold and know what to steps to take if you suspect it. Start off by doing a visual inspection of your home and looking for signs of mould or excessive moisture, such as stains or discolouration on floors, walls, window panes, ceiling tiles, fabrics and carpets. Obvious signs like leaks, condensation, flooding, or a musty odour will be an easy giveaway. If you find mould, it’s important to contact professional assistance right away as it will grow within 48 hours.

Mold Symptoms

Contact with mold causes people to become sick, and  For some, symptoms can occur almost immediately, especially if someone has a sensitivity or allergy. For others, it can take time for a reaction to occur.

Symptoms include:

  • Headaches
  • Sneezing and coughing
  • Wheezing and trouble breathing
  • Rashes
  • Itchy eyes
  • Runny/stuffy nose
  • Nausea
  • Joint pain
  • Asthma attacks

Keep a close eye on infants, elders, people whose immune systems are compromised due to HIV infection, cancer, liver disease or chemotherapy, and people with chronic lung disease. They are typically more sensitive to mold and may react faster and severely.

How to Prevent Mold

Since mold grows in wet areas, you need to take control in monitoring the moisture in your home.

You can do this by:

  • Installing proper ventilation throughout your home
  • Drying wet areas as soon as possible
  • Using mold-resistant products
  • Keeping an eye on your home’s humidity levels
  • Directing water away from your home

Mold Could Be Lurking In Your Flooring

Just because you can’t see mold doesn’t mean it’s not there. Mould can grow anywhere as long as there is a food source, moisture, warmth and time. It can breed under your floor or between floorboards, and it reproduces quickly. In fact, once mold starts to grow, it can multiply a million times in half a day.

Since you are in constant contact with your floor, walking on it, lying on it, sitting on it, mold in flooring is especially concerning. Keeping your home clean, dry and at a lower humidity level will help stop mold and mildew from growing. However, the best way you can prevent fungus from breeding is to choose a floor that inhibits its growth.

TORLYS floors are one of the only floors on the market with Microban antimicrobial product protection. With built-in protection from microbes, TORLYS flooring is designed to defend against the spread of mold and mildew. Microban product protection is embedded into the CorkPlus™ BLUE underlay of several TORLYS floors—when bacteria make contact with the Microban surface, it is neutralized. Plus, cork is naturally hypoallergenic.

If you want to protect your home and your health from mold, think prevention—think TORLYS with Microban® antimicrobial product protection.

TORLYS Signs Agreement with Microban

Posted on by torlys

TORONTO, January 15, 2016 – TORLYS today announced the signing of a category exclusive partnership with Microban International for North America – to include Microban Antimicrobial Product Protection in the production of its EverWood and EverTile luxury vinyl floors. Microban is the global leader in built-in antimicrobial product protection. A non-exclusive licensing agreement is also in place for EverWood and EverTile in Europe.

Floors in moisture-prone areas, such as bathrooms, kitchens and basements, can be a breeding ground for mold and mildew, a serious household problem that affects more than one million homes in North America; adversely affecting a home’s value.

On unprotected surfaces, mold and mildew grows rapidly. It has become a bigger problem in homes, especially as we make our homes more air-tight. All it needs to multiply is a food source, moisture, warmth, and time.

“TORLYS has created an innovative solution to help inhibit the growth of mold and mildew at the floor level,” said Peter Barretto, President and CEO of TORLYS. “EverWood and EverTile Elite and Premier luxury vinyl floors will now have Microban Antimicrobial Product Protection built in to our patented CorkPlus attached underlay. This is a breakthrough technology for interior environments – residential and commercial – that will last for the life of the floor.”

“Microban specializes in helping companies implement fresher, cleaner, longer-lasting products and the integration of their technology into our EverWood and EverTile luxury vinyl flooring products seemed like a natural fit. Microban Antimicrobial Product Protection is a proven inhibitor of mold and mildew on a continuous basis. It will provide partners with peace of mind knowing that their floors will carry this protection for the life of their floor, “ said Barretto.

For more information on TORLYS EverWood and EverTile luxury vinyl floors with Microban antimicrobial product protection, visit dev.9dotdigital.ca/torlys/.

About TORLYS

Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, TORLYS is a fast expanding global flooring company that specializes in beautiful, responsible flooring. TORLYS smart floors use the patented Uniclic® joint to create an extensive selection of re-usable flooring in leather, hardwood, laminate, cork, EverWood and EverTile luxury vinyl floors. TORLYS sister brands to TORLYS smart floors include TORLYS SuperSolid Hardwood and Marquee Floors by TORLYS. For more information on TORLYS products, visit www.torlys.com.

For further information, contact:

Leah Robinson, TORLYS

(c): (289) 981-0140

Email: leah.robinson@torlys.com

About Microban

Microban International, Ltd. is a global technology and marketing company dedicated to enhancing high quality consumer, industrial and medical products with branded built-in protection from microbes. The Microban® brand is an important consumer Trustmark for effective and long lasting antimicrobial product protection. Microban International licenses the Microban® global brand name, sells custom-engineered compounds, and provides a range of services, including regulatory and marketing support. Microban International is headquartered in North Carolina with operations in North America, Europe and Asia.

Press Release Source: https://www.microban.com/news/torlys-signs-exclusive-north-america-agreement-with-microban

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