Caring for Your Home

Basins

For cleaning, wipe with a soapy sponge then rinse. For more stubborn stains you will need to occasionally give your basin a more thorough clean and refresh using a mild abrasive cleanser like Gumption® paste cleanser, Jif® cream cleanser or Ajax® cream or cleanser. Firmly wipe the surface with a damp sponge or cloth and the mild abrasive cleanser using a wide circular motion. Always finish by rinsing and wiping your surface with a damp cloth or sponge. The Vileda® range of cloths and non-scratch scourers are recommended.

Most light marks and scuffs may be removed by wiping your surface firmly with a damp sponge or cloth and a mild abrasive cleanser. Please be aware, using abrasive cleansers on your basin may change your sheen level. By routinely cleaning the entire surface consistency in sheen should return over time.

Stainless Steel

Rust marks on stainless steel are not a defect and are generally caused by surface contamination from contact of non-stainless-steel items. Surface rust can be removed by following the care and maintenance instructions included in the attachments section.

Water Leaks

All water leaks have the potential to cause considerable damage if not repaired promptly. If you find a water leak, isolate the leak where possible and arrange for repair. All sealants to showers, wet areas and tile junctions should be inspected regularly and maintained (where applicable).

Moisture

Many materials used in the construction of your home contain moisture, as your home is heated, lived in, dried out and settled in general, small cracks may appear in timber, plaster and concrete elements as they shrink. Shrinkage/ slight movement occurs commonly in new buildings and has no effect on the building’s structural integrity.

Sanitary Hardware – Includes Taps/Shower Roses/Spouts

Stainless steel sanitary hardware should be cleaned regularly with household/specialist stainless steel cleaners and rinsed with water. Beware of scratching the surface of the hardware with abrasive products and cleaning utensils. If products inclusive of, but not limited to the following come into contact with your hardware, chemical damage/staining may also occur:

Iodine

Hair Dye

Mercurochrome

Bleach

Shoe Polish

Nail Polish/remover

If you detect any leaks from these products, please arrange for a plumber to attend to them immediately to avoid further leakage. Rubber seals inside tapware should be replaced occasionally to avoid leakage from seal deterioration.

Shower Screens

Clean regularly with household shower cleaner to avoid build-up of mould, bacteria, soap scum etc.

Shower Areas

Due to the constant use of shower areas, tiled surfaces need a different cleaning procedure to remove the hard water deposits, soap scum and body oils that build up. Weekly cleaning is advised to avoid heavy-duty cleaning for hygiene purposes. Routine build up can be removed with most all-purpose cleaners, while hard water deposits are best removed with a solution of white vinegar and water.

Bacteria and mould can develop due to the damp nature of shower recesses. This can be removed with the wiping down of the areas with a chlorine bleach product. Apply according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and then rinse with clean water.

CAUTION: When using bleach products caution should be taken and should never be mixed with ammonia. Always use chlorine in a well-ventilated room.

Silicon Sealants

All silicon sealants should be cleaned (wiped down with a damp cloth only) regularly and inspected for deterioration and maintenance.

Timber Flooring

Your home is fitted with a ‘floating’ timber floor on top of acoustic underlay. Due to the compressibility of the underlay and slight differences in height across the concrete slab, there may be some deflection when walking across the floor—this is normal and does not indicate a defect with the timber boards or the installation.

As timber is a natural product, it will expand and contract slightly over time. Small gaps may become apparent between boards or under skirtings.

Floating timber floors may creak, and some “movement” will be noticeable. This is a normal characteristic of this type of flooring.

The timber flooring used in your apartment can be found in the finishes schedule in the attachment section.

General maintenance of your timber floor should include the following:

1. Dirt and grit will inevitably be produced when walking on your timber floor. The use of soft brooms and vacuum allow for the easy removal of loose particles without damaging your floor directly.

2. Yes, it is okay to use a mop! However, ensure that your mop is kept as dry as possible rather than soaked and keep in mind to wring your mop constantly to avoid any water damage or stains. A microfiber mop option is great for lifting dirt with the least effort, and with minimal scratching to your floor.

3. Do not add/use any bleach, ammonia or other harsh, floor-stripping chemicals on your timber floor. Using a wood floor solution or simply using a little soap and water will better lift without staining or tarnishing your timber.

4. It is important to maintain the grooming of pets, specifically their nails as this can result in surface scratching to your timber floors.

5. Sharp objects will impact your timber floor and leave marks. Avoid wearing sharp, high- heeled shoes. This also includes heavy furniture that will leave dents in your floor if all necessary precautions are not taken. Such precautions can include the placement of rubber or foam-like stoppers and the same precautions can be applied to high-heeled shoes.

6. Do get creative and rearrange your furniture periodically. The rearrangement of furniture will allow for more of an even aging process of your floor particularly if some areas are more affected by direct sunlight than others. Minimise the effect of UV rays on your floor by using curtains, blinds and other types of window protection.

7. Ensure that humidity and moisture levels are monitored and maintained within a reasonable range of 40-60%. A humidity/ moisture temperature instrument may be necessary.

8. Remove spills immediately as soon as they occur.

CLEANING / GENERAL TIPS:

Clean stone thoroughly using fresh warm water, using only neutral detergents / multipurpose cleaners / soaps. Detergents containing alkali, acid, metallic salts (such as trichlor-methane, methylene chloride & paint remover) and/or other strong substances can actually attack the surface of the stone and are NOT to be used. If spilled on the stone surface they must be wiped up immediately.

A general-purpose liquid household cleaner is acceptable for general purpose cleaning as long as it does not contain any of the above chemicals.

Do not use abrasive cleaners such as Jif® or others. Prolonged use of these will take away the polish from the surface. Some cheaper abrasive alternatives can stain and locally discolour the stone where it has been applied. If applied this must be removed with a clean damp cloth until it is completely removed Use clean fresh fibre free cloths.

A second rinse application is advisable, to completely remove the chemicals from the surface of the stone.

Depending on area of installation, frequency of cleaning will vary; recommended frequency of once per week using the approved general-purpose cleaners. Warm soapy water is recommended for everyday cleaning. Household bleach can be used to remove stubborn stains occasionally (this is not recommended on a daily/ weekly basis). The darker the stone the more apparent the colour changes will become during the use of these cleaners.

It is recommended that you seek advice from a qualified stonemason if you have any concerns. If there are stains that you cannot remove it is best to seek professional advice before experimenting with different cleaners. There are methods of stain removal not mentioned in this manual due to their complexity. If these are used in an incorrect manner they can harm the stone irreparably.

Part 10

Troubleshooting

Problem

Probable Cause Remedy/Suggestion

Power failure Tripped at the distribution board

First check the meter board. Has the circuit breaker tripped to the off position? If so, reset.

If the problem persists, you may have a faulty appliance. Ensure all appliances are off and try again. If the power trips out again, contact the relevant service authority party.

Your Supplier If the power failure appears to be caused by the supplier, surrounding buildings will also be blacked out. Contact the supplier and enquire as to any faults in your area and the estimate time for supply to resume.

Smoke Detector emitting beeping or flashing

Supplied Electrical Appliances

– Cooktop

– Rangehood

– Oven

– Dishwasher (Power supply only)

Supplied Water Appliances

Dishwasher failure

Low battery

General fault

Check battery and replace if necessary.

Check the circuit breakers are in the on position. If not, reset and try the appliance.

Check the appliances power points are switched on.

If the fault persists, refer to the operating manual. You may need to refer the problem to the manufacturer’s service agent under your warranty (most appliances are covered for 1 year).

General fault

Ensure the water supply under the bench is in the on position.

Check the circuit breakers are in the on position. If not, reset and try the appliance.

Check the appliances power points are switched on.

If the fault persists, refer to the operating manual. You may need to refer the problem to the manufacturer’s service agent under your warranty (most appliances are covered for 1 year).

Supplied Appliances

Toilet cistern overflowing

General faults

Water level may be too high

Refer to the instruction manual and warranty details covering the appliance.

Ball float may be jamming. Adjust the float arm within the cistern by removing the lid. Inlet valve rubber may not be sealing, debris may have gathered under the seal. Clear debris and replace.

Inlet valve rubber may need replacing.

Troubleshooting

Problem