If you choose hardwood flooring for your home, there are several points you need to know and consider to keep the floor in good shape. Follow these tips for the proper maintenance of your wood flooring:
- Be sure to sweep the floor regularly, to keep grit from scratching the surface. A soft bristle broom is highly recommended or a dust mop.
- Quickly wipe up spills or any excess liquids to keep the wood from absorbing it which will then result in the wood swelling up. Use a dry cloth, and use water based cleaning solutions.
- Vacuuming helps keep grit and dirt out of the cracks between the floorboards.
- Place area rugs in spots around tables, beds or chairs that might be prone to spills.
- Be careful when moving furniture, as this is a good way to scratch the surface of the wood flooring.
- Keep drapes closed to minimize fading from the sun.
There are several points that you should avoid to keep your wood floor looking good for a long time:
- Don't let water-based cleaning solutions dry up on a hard wood floor, or it could warp and swell.
- Don't use a mop to clean a waxed floor.
- Don't use a vacuum that has beater bars because these will scratch the floor.
- Don't use anything with hard bristles, like scrub brushes or hard bristle brooms, as this will also damage the floor surface
- Be sure you are using cleaning solutions made for a wood floor to keep from ruining the finish.
- Don't try to repair gaps in your wood floor, let a professional do it to avoid further damage to the floor.
Advance technology has made finishes on wood floors easier to care for. You should always follow manufacturer's recommendations for the proper care. You need to know the type of finish on your wood floor and buy the proper products for its care.
Many wood floors now have urethane finishes, and you should NEVER wax a urethane floor. Don't use vinyl or tile floor care products on wood floors. Also, self-polishing acrylic waxes can cause wood to become slippery and dull quickly and the only way to fix this problem is to sand and refinish, which can be quite time-consuming.
Also, wood floors are susceptible to scuffs and denting from sports shoes, high heels and furniture. It is recommended to get felt or fabric glides for furniture legs and avoid walking on wood floors with anything but soft-soled shoes.
If you have installed wood flooring in your kitchen, be sure and wipe up food spills right away to keep them from staining and place an area rug in front of the sink and stove to avoid liquid from spilling onto the wood floor.
With a little bit of care and prevention, you can keep your wood flooring in beautiful condition, with a shine that will make it look new. Be sure to use the proper products and take care in the treatment of the wood floor and it will give you years of natural beauty. Consult a flooring expert, if you have any questions about the proper way to care for your wood flooring and they will be more than happy to help and point you in the right direction.
By:Derek Rogers
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