Care & Maintenance
If a product is not listed in this area, DO NOT USE it on an Aeratis Product. NEVER USE ANY GOOF OFF BRAND PRODUCTS, ACETONE OR ANY CHEMICALS MEANT TO STRIP PAINT ON AN AERATIS PRODUCT WITH DURATECH CAPPING TECHNOLOGY. (HERITAGE, LEGACY OR STAIR TREAD PRODUCTS).
Aeratis Heritage, Legacy and Aeratis Stair-Tread Porch Flooring are made with a solid PVC core and an acrylic based cap (DURATECH CAPPING TECHNOLOGY). Aeratis uses the latest emerging PVC technology to provide a beautiful product with performance far superior to wood and many other composite materials. Coupled with a great appreciation for historic, traditional design, Aeratis strives to make products for the building industry that stand up to the scrutiny of the most discerning traditional architects, builders, and consumers. Aeratis PVC porch flooring carries a Class “A” or Class “B” fire rating and can be used on covered and uncovered porch applications.
- Just after Aeratis has been installed we recommend you completely clean the surface of the product with a broom and mop. Once you have done this, we recommend scrubbing the entire porch area using Dawn dish soap mixed with warm water and a stiff deck-brush. This will remove all dust, dirt and debris from the surface. If during the construction phase of your project scuffs or scratches are created, see scuffs and scratch removal below.
- Periodic Cleaning: It is important to keep an eye on your porch and keep it clean. In all cases it is best to catch an issue before it sits too long. Make sure your porch is free of leaves, debris and ensure no harmful chemicals are used on the surface of the boards. It is best practice to pressure wash once a year in the spring. This ensures your porch is beautiful during the best time of year to be outside. Since your porch is an exterior living space, please feel free to vacuum your porch. Make sure to follow vacuum cleaner instructions.
- Accidental Paint Spill, Drips or over-spray – DO NOT USE A CHEMICAL TO REMOVE PAINT. Immediately flood the area of the spill or overspray. Keep the area wet with warm water until a pressure washer can be used to remove the rest of the paint. If the paint is stubborn you may want to dump hot water 155 degrees or less, mixed with dawn dish soap, and agitate with a deck brush. Finally, use the pressure washer and remove the rest of the paint. DO NOT USE GOOF OFF BRAND PRODUCTS OR ACETONE TO REMOVE PAINT.
- How to remove Rust Spots from Aeratis: First, remove the item that is causing the rust to be on the surface of your Aeratis floor. Next, clean the floor with Dawn dish soap and warm water. Next, make a paste by using warm water and Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser, then apply the created paste to the affected area. Let it stand for about 30 minutes. Using 0000 steel wool or a deck brush, agitate the paste and affected area with the grain, NEVER IN CIRCLES OR ACROSS THE GRAIN, adding warm water to rinse from time to time. Repeat as needed. Please note that best results are achieved if the rust is caught at an early stage.
- Rubber-backed mattes should never be used on Aeratis products. This is due to most rubber backed matts having vinyl on the bottom or the matte itself has a mixture of vinyl in the formulation. A chemical reaction can happen when the vinyl gets wet and is on the surface of the Aeratis boards.
- Use rock salt, calcium chloride or warm water to melt ice. Be sure to be careful walking on any icy surfaces as they can be slippery.
- How to remove Scuffs and Scratches DO NOT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAINTED TRADITIONS Please note, if you have a scuff or scratch mark on your Aeratis flooring (Heritage, Legacy or Stair-Tread) and the scuff mark is a white milky color, this is not a scratch. This is simply a scuff mark.
As Aeratis is manufactured, a wax is utilized to help lubricate the material and reduce friction as the PVC and Acrylic materials flow through the metal dies and shapers. This allows the product to flow cleanly through the extrusion process and stay nice and straight. However, we are not always successful at removing the residual wax. So, if your Aeratis Flooring has a scuff or what appears to be a scratch and it is a white milky color, it is a scuff mark. PLEASE NOTE: over time these scuffs will disappear along with the wax. If you have a covered porch that gets very little sun and or rain, it will take much longer for the wax to dissipate.
Let’s cover how to remove scuff marks. In many cases 0000 steel wool and a lubricant like Goo Gone followed by Windex is more than sufficient to remove a scuff mark. Sometimes a scuff mark from Amazon Packages or heavier box items can make deeper scuffs or blemishes. In these cases, you may need to use DeckMax. Please note, the only DeckMax product we have tested and approved is the following: E2 PVC Deck Revitalizer – PVC Color Restorer. Rejuvenates Your Deck & Removes Stains & Scuffs. The E2 Bundle Contains What You Need to Clean & Restore Original Color to PVC Deck. Easiest place for purchase is Amazon at this link
How and When to Apply DeckMax to your Aeratis Flooring
It is imperative to never apply DeckMax in full sun. This can cause discoloration and cause the embossing to be removed while cleaning.
Before you get started, take the DeckMax Revitalizer and pour it into a spray bottle. If you are cleaning a large area, it is best to use a larger bottle. Next, attach the included brush to a threaded broom handle.
Once the sun has moved past the porch, or early in the morning, make sure your Aeratis Floor is clean and absent of any surface moisture (Dew, rain, water from cleaning). In an inconspicuous area, spray the DeckMax Revitalizer on an area 3 boards wide and about 3’ long. Using the brush, clean your Aeratis Floor by moving the brush with the grain of the boards. NEVER USE CIRCLES OR BRUSH ACROSS THE BOARDS/GRAIN.
Repeat this across the affected areas of the porch. Aeratis product will appear to be shiny for a couple of days but will eventually return to its original matte finish.
8. Harsh Chemicals and Bug spray Never spray bugs spay or any aerosol chemicals on the surface of an Aeratis board. This can cause discoloration and can melt the surface of Aeratis boards. Make sure you clean any bug spray off the surface of your Aeratis boards right away by flooding the floor with water and Dawn dish soap.
9. Chemical Burns Chemical Burns must be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please contact our office for individual consultation.
10. Animal Fat or Oil Removal For the greatest success, make sure the area where the animal fat or oil is cleaned as soon as possible. Visit your local hardware store and purchase Oil-Dri or equivalent. Follow the instructions on the package and make sure you leave the Oil-Dri on as long as it says to leave it on the surface. After the stated period of time, and using Rocksolid Composite Deck Stain Remover, spray the affected area and follow the instructions on the bottle. In addition, you can use Composite Deck Spot Remover No PNRDK32OZ and follow instructions on the box. Just make sure anytime you agitate the product, you do so with the grain of the boards. NEVER USE CIRCLES OR BRUSH ACROSS THE BOARDS/GRAIN.
11. Commercial Degreaser – When Aeratis flooring is used in a commercial restaurant or in an area where a commercial degreaser must be used. The only degreasing product acceptable for use is Dawn Degreaser. All other degreasers will start to break down the product with a higher level of acid used to break down animal fats.
The foregoing information is offered as a best practice recommendation or, in the case of DeckMax, a specific procedure with an approved chemical. None of the conditions cited here are meant to imply any warranty to actions, situations, or individual results. Recommendations are based on testing data and verifiable re-creation of results. Aeratis endeavors to test all relevant products as we become aware of them, but it is always a good idea to reach out to our office if you have any questions regarding the cleaning or care of your Aeratis products.