14 Essential Wood Flooring Care and Cleaning Tips

Wood flooring can add value to your home, not to mention it can be a rich and bright touch to your home décor. But as lovely as it is, hardwood flooring is susceptible to the elements, and to keep your floor looking lustrous for years to keep, there are some important tips to keep in mind:

1. Keep moisture away If your flooring has a good coat of finish, then it will be more resistant to water than those with no or little remaining finish; nonetheless, water is the biggest enemy of all natural wood flooring. It can cause warped and cracked boards, and for this reason, one of the best things you can do for your floor is keep moisture away. Do this by quickly cleaning spills with a slightly damp cloth, and by not installing wood floor in a damp place, like the bathroom, to begin with.

2. Sweep regularly Dirt and grit can build up fast on floors, and these can easily scratch the surface of wood flooring, so try to sweep your wood flooring with a soft-bristled broom once every day or two.

3. Vacuum weekly For the same reason mentioned above, you should vacuum your floor about once a week. But make sure to use a brush attachment so that a vacuum bar does not dent your flooring.

4. Use only slightly wet mops Remember hardwood flooring’s number one enemy? That’s right, water, that is why, when mopping, your mop should be just ever so slightly damp.

5. Only manufacturer recommended cleaning products When using cleaning products specifically for wood flooring, only use the manufacturer recommended products. Wood floors have different finishes, some wax-based, some water-based, and even others. Some cleaning products will react differently with different types of wood flooring.

6. Place pads under furniture Heavy dents can be near impossible to get out with sanding, and the more you sand your floor, the thinner it gets, so it is a good idea to protect your floor by placing pads under all furniture.

7. Don’t drag furniture or heavy objects When moving heavy objects like furniture across your floor, be sure to lift them rather than dragging them across it, since this can cause dents and scratches.

8. Try to avoid wearing high heels or heavy shoes on wood flooring These, especially heels, can cause dents and dings in wood flooring.

9. Place rugs or carpet runners in high traffic areas These will help protect the floor from excessive grit and also from dents and scratches.

10. Place mats in front of entryways Entryways are heavy-dirt areas; much of what was on the shoes from the outside comes off at the entrance, so protect your wood flooring from dirt and grimes by placing mats in these areas.

11. Vacuum runners, rugs, and mats often Grit can build up on rugs and carpet and make its way down to your floor eventually, so make sure to vacuum these areas often, and be sure to get underneath too.

12. Use manufacturer recommended floor repairers only You’ll want to use manufacturer recommended floor repairers to care for scratches and dents. Use these for the same reasons we mentioned for using manufacturer recommended cleaners – all floors are different and they require different products.

13. Use Manufacturer recommended waxing and buffing procedures and products Same goes for waxes and buffers – find out which ones are right for your specific floor.

14. Protect your floor from the sun Natural wood flooring that sits in direct sun for very long usually gets washed out, so it is a good idea to place rugs over these spots, or to use blinds or sheer drapes.

Keeping your wood floor clean will keep it beautiful and ensure that you have it around for a long time – for you to enjoy for years and years to come.

Jennifer Hall is a writer and editor for A1 Wood Flooring. Visit us for information on all of the benefits of wood flooring and hardwood flooring. Also visit our flooring blog where we bring you site updates and the latest news in flooring.

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