Hardwood Floors Maintenance Tips
Мore and more homeowners tend to pull up the carpets and rugs to show charming wood floors. With their easier cleaning and maintenance as well as longevity compared to textile floorings, wood floors have become an excellent option for every home. Depending on the quality of the material, putting an entirely new hardwood floor may sometimes be expensive, but if you are lucky to already have such flooring in your property, you should take really good care of it to keep it clean and flawless.
Of course expert cleaning services are always preferable, but if you are willing to fight all the dirt and blemishes on your own, you can rely on these helpful tips and follow them to ensure best results:
1. Think about Preservation
It will be very wise of you to protect these areas of your floor where large or heavy furniture is positioned. Put small rugs to restrain marks and scratches and cover your children’s favorite play zone and high traffic areas. Doors can also damage your floor’s appearance, so some little mats on either side will do a really good work. Cold seasons usually come with plenty of snow and water which do damage the wood more than anything else, but you can easily handle this issue by designing a mud room to spare yourself a lot of floor cleaning. You should definitely not cover the entire floor, but simply protect its most exposed parts. This will allow you to enjoy its captivating look much longer.
2. Say NO to Experiments
If you want to avoid ruining the excellent finish of your hardwood floor, never use vinegar as a part of your cleaning solution. It may be very helpful in many other situations, but wooden floors can definitely go without it. In case the finish is polyurethane, you should also forget about ammonia, as it will create a muddy and tattered look. Another thing you should NOT do is painting your hard floor. If you do it, but change your mind eventually, you will be experiencing a very hard time removing the paint. Plus keeping a painted floor clean is a tough task that very few people can handle.
3. Leave the Mop
There is no worse idea for hard floor cleaning than using a wet mop. Humidity is a true enemy to wooden floors and the damages you are likely to cause by neglecting this fact can be severe. However, if you cannot help cleaning with a damp mop, you will have to at least try using a minimum amount of water. Do not forget that hardwood is not laminate and it requires a bit more specialized care.
4. Take Care of the Finish
The wood’s surface will be best protected if you maintain a proper finish. If your hardwood floor is waxed, professionals suggest that you should renovate the wax finish every year. Polyurethane finish is also an excellent option and it is a bit easier to maintain. Choose what is most suitable for you and make sure you vacuum regularly to avoid build-ups of dust and grime.
