There’s nothing quite like beautiful new hardwood floors. Whether they’re classic white oak or modern engineered grey, they have a timeless elegance that you’ll want to keep looking sharp for years to come. Given proper care, wood floors can last a lifetime and hold priceless memories in their planks. Here are ten tips for cleaning and protecting your hardwood floors.
10. Invest In A Dust Mop
Dust and dirt are basically like sandpaper on hardwood floors. The more that collects on the floor, the more that it is going to wear down the smooth, shiny finish of your new hardwood floors; it’s the bad kind of exfoliation. Thankfully there are lots of dust mops on the market that do a much better job at collecting grit and grime than the average broom; try a Swiffer or a generic microfiber dust mop. The microfiber bristles are important because they’re soft on the wood, while still picking up the maximum amount of dust.
9. Always Use Products Intended For Wood
It’s easy to get overwhelmed and just grab whatever multi-surface cleaner you can find when mopping the floors. However, this will end up costing you in the long run as some of these products contain harsh chemicals that will damage your hardwood floors. To make sure you’re using the best product for your specific floor for recommendations from the manufacturer or installation company, they will be happy to provide you with the details of your particular floor and a list of products that will work best on it.
8. Get Some House Shoes
In many cultures, it’s considered an extreme social faux pas to wear outside shoes inside the house, and for good reason. Not only are you tracking in the dirt and grime off the street, but you also track in water and lawn care products that contain harsh chemicals. Some outside shoes like cleats and stilettos can even leave dings and dents on the floor. So buy a pair of cute slides or slippers and leave them by the door. You can even invest in a stylish shoe rack or a simple bin to remind yourself to remove the outside shoes as soon as you get inside.
7. Mop Smarter
Mopping seems simple and easy but it can end up doing a ton of damage to hardwood floors. Wood is a porous surface, so if the sealant has worn down over time, water will leak into the wood and warp or otherwise damage it. When mopping, make sure to wring the water out of the mop until it’s just barely damp, not soaking wet. After mopping thoroughly dry your hardwood floors with a towel, and double-check that there are no small puddles of standing water, as these do the most damage to hardwood floors.
6. Create A Maintenance Plan
Hardwood floors can look brand new for a very long time if cleaning and protecting hardwood floors in your home is a priority. Creating a maintenance plan for the upkeep of your floors with your flooring company is essential to ensuring the longevity of them. Experts recommend sanding and resealing floors every 4-5 years but check with your flooring provider to find a plan that fits your budget and lifestyle.
5. Add A Rug To High Traffic Areas
Certain areas of a home are bound to have more wear and tear simply because they get used more. Entryways and exits, hallways, and kitchens are just a few of the areas in a home that experience a higher amount of use than others. For these frequently used areas consider adding an area rug. Not only is it a great way to cut down on the damage to your hardwood floors, it often helps your space feel more cohesive and put together.
4. Give Your Furniture Some Shoes
Moving furniture is never fun. It’s heavy and uncomfortable, and someone always trips while walking backward. What’s even worse than all that is the scratches that dragging furniture around can leave on hardwood floors. Always put felt pads under the feet of smaller pieces of furniture like chairs and tables and larger sliding pads under big furniture pieces like bookcases and couches. This will prevent damage and also make moving furniture a breeze as these pads help the furniture to slide easily and damage-free along hardwood floors.
3. Rethink Your Vacuum
Many people vacuum their hardwood floors without realizing that most vacuums are made specifically for carpet. These tougher carpet vacuums can cause scratches and other damage to hardwood floors. If vacuuming is an essential part of your cleaning process, be sure to double-check that your vacuum of choice can be safely used on wood. If not invest in a small handheld or wood-specific vacuum that won’t harm your hardwood.
2. Watch Out For Pets
Pets are great! They’re soft, cuddly, loving, and fun to play with. Unfortunately, most household pets have sharp nails that are perfect for scratching up your beautiful hardwood floors. This can easily be fixed with a pair of pet nail clippers. Try to keep your pet’s nails trimmed, short enough that they won’t damage your floors but long enough to allow them to use their nails as they naturally would. A vet or groomer is the perfect person to teach you how to cut them to a length that won’t do damage to your floors.
1. Damage! Don’t Panic
Lastly, try not to panic if your floors get a scratch, spill, or stain. The beauty of wood is that it can always be replaced or refinished. All it takes is a little elbow grease and your floors will be back to new. So allow yourself to relax and take the little ding, knicks, and scratches that life offers in stride.
Troendle Hardwood Floor Company will always be there to get your floors back to tiptop shape. If you do need replacement flooring, Troendle Hardwood Floor Company has it. Call us or contact us using our online contact form. We’ll help you find the flooring you need at a price that will make you say WOW!
With these ten tips for cleaning and protecting your hardwood floors, you should have a home that impresses year round. If you need new flooring, let us know. We’ll find you the perfect match for your home!
