How to care for your hardwood floors

A beautiful hardwood floor is an asset to almost any home, and more and more homeowners are turning to hardwood floors to bring warmth and style to their home. But once you’ve installed a beautiful hardwood floor, what can you do to make sure it stays looking beautiful for years to come?

The first thing to know about hardwood floors is that water is one of your worst enemies. Therefore, if any spillage occurs, be sure to clean it up as soon as possible. In fact, it may be a good idea to not only clean up the spill, but also to use a wet/dry vacuum to ensure all moisture is removed from the floor.

That also means that when you’re mopping your floor, it’s best to use a very dry damp mop that won’t leave excess water on the floor that can seep into the seams and cause problems.

To avoid the moisture problem, most of the time it is better to sweep or vacuum your hardwood floors. You should always sweep with a very soft bristle broom, and any time you vacuum, make sure it is set correctly for use on hardwood floors. Don’t try to use the same settings for your carpet on your hardwood floors as well.

A lot of damage can also be dealt to a wooden floor by moving objects across the floor. From time to time we all change our furniture, but on a wooden floor you have to think very carefully before taking the plunge. You never want to drag furniture across the floor, as this is a great way to seriously damage and mar your floor. If you have to move furniture in the room where your hardwood floor is located, be sure to lift the furniture off the floor when you move it, or use special furniture pads that allow you to slide the furniture across the floor without leaving marks.

It will be very important to keep dirt, sand and dust off your floor. Therefore, proper use of rugs can really help extend the life of a hardwood floor. Using a mat at each entryway will help trap dirt and sand when a person enters the room instead of depositing it on the hardwood floor. Additionally, the use of rugs and rugs can be another very effective first line of defense against damaging abrasive materials that can dull the beauty and shine of even the best hardwood flooring. And be sure to keep your carpets and runners well vacuumed.

If possible, try to avoid family and visitors wearing shoes, or especially high heels on hardwood floors, as these can easily damage and cause teeth.

Finally, a good practice is to install furniture pads under the legs of any chairs or tables that are placed on the hardwood floor. They are usually available at most home improvement or hardware stores and are very inexpensive. Which can go a long way in protecting your hardwood floors from unnecessary damage.

None of these suggestions are difficult to follow or cost a lot to implement. But if you put them into practice regularly, you can expect your hardwood floors to continue to look bright, shiny, and beautiful for many years to come.