Hardwood floor care is not complicated but there is a lot of conflicting advice out there. Hardwood is an investment and caring for it properly extends its life span and beauty. These three easy tips will keep your floor in good shape for years to come.
1- Clean the Floors Regularly
Hardwood flooring is pretty easy to maintain but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need regular cleaning and care. You will need a few cleaning tools and regular maintenance to keep your floors looking good and help extend the lifespan of your flooring.
You will want to keep the indoor environment stable to best protect your flooring, the indoor temperature should be between 60-80 degrees and the relative humidity should be between 30-50% all year. The floors should be cleaned regularly to remove debris. Sweeping, vacuuming or dust mopping are all options for regularly cleaning your floors. When needed you will want to clean your hardwood with an approved floor cleaner. The manufacture of the finish or pre-finished wood may have suggested a specific cleaner that works best with their product. Remember to never wet-mop your floors. Wet-mopping can damage the floors finish and cause wood to cup.
2- Protect the Floor Against Pets
Hardwood is great option for homes with pets but there are some measures you will want to take to protect the floor. Keeping your dogs nails trimmed is a vital step to preventing scratching on the floor. Also keeping dog water bowls of the wood or on a mat to protect the floor is important as well.
3- Prevent rug backing from scratching or discoloring the floor with a floor protector
When adding rugs to your home you will want to choose rugs with a natural backing instead of a synthetic backing. Synthetic backings can damage and discolor wood flooring. There are floor pads you can purchase that create a barrier between synthetic backing rugs and the floor if you cannot find a rug with a natural backing.
Similar to the backing of a rug you will want to added non-abrasive felt-backed pads or floor protectors under furniture. Rubber or plastic backed products can trap moisture and discolor the floor.
These three simple maintenance tips can protect your floor and help increase the longevity of your investment.