Are your hardwood floors looking a little worse for wear? Not to worry. What follows are ten hardwood floor care tips straight from the experts themselves. They require little to no experience, but there may be some elbow grease involved. By the end, your floors will look shiny and picture-perfect, just like hardwood floors should look.
Hardwood Floor Care Tips from Manchester Flooring Experts
1- Give Your Hardwood Floors a Daily Sweep
Each day, dust and dirt find their way onto your hardwood floors. It’s just inevitable. Even with the lightest traffic, some dust and dirt particles will be present to some degree. The thing is, these particles can cause scratches if they are stepped on and subsequently ground into your hardwood. Keep these types of hardwood flooring scars to a minimum by using a standard broom and dustpan each and every day.
2-Each Week, Scrub Your Hardwood with a Damp Mop
It is easy to clean and manage a hardwood floor. You can sweep the floor on an everyday basis and give it a mop scrub on a weekly basis. Just make sure to not use a lot of liquid, as the solution can trickle into the floor. Get a flat-head mop and microfiber pad or microfiber string-style mop from the market. Don’t forget to wring out the mop almost dry before using it on the floor. Don’t go hard with the mops. Damp-mop gently, making sure there is no standing water left on the floor anywhere.
3-Polish Your Floor Every Few Months
You can keep your hardwood floor always looking its best by giving it a wall-to-wall polish every three months or so. Polishing your hardwood floor helps to refresh and even out the finish that protects your flooring and will even fill in microscopic scratches along the way.
4-Avoid Hardwood No-Nos
When cleaning your floor, make sure you never use water and vinegar or soap-based cleaners. Nor should you ever use wax or steam cleaners, as these harsh solvents, chemicals, and cleaners can strip your hardwood floor of its protective coating, leading to long-term damage. Instead, use a quality cleaner that is designed strictly for cleaning hardwood floors.
5-Clean Wet or Sticky Messes Immediately
If something spills on your hardwood flooring, whether it’s an ice cube, scoop of ice cream, or an entire bowl of cereal, be sure and clean the mess up quickly. Any amount of moisture left for extended periods can ruin your flooring’s finish and seep into the wood, causing all sorts of issues down the line. Clean up anything wet or sticky as soon as possible to retain your floor’s finish that you so dearly love.
6-Consider Using Protective Mats
You can extend your hardwood flooring’s life by using protective mats. The best kinds of mats are the ones with natural rubber rub underlayments with a waffle pattern. These can be used in entryways and other high-traffic areas.
7-Use Felt Floor Protectors on Furniture
Your couch, entertainment center, end tables, coffee table, and all other furniture that rest on your hardwood could scratch your floor at any time. Felt tips can be placed underneath the feet of this furniture to protect your floor for years to come. If these pieces of furniture are ever moved, the felt tips will allow the furniture to slide easily, which prevents scratches and other accidents.
8-Trim Your Pet’s Nails
Your dog and cat may bring you joy, but your pets’ nails are the enemies of your pristine hardwood floors. Make sure you trim your dog’s nails and even cat’s claws to prevent these scratches from occurring.
9-Be Careful with Furniture Polish and Hairspray
It is easy to get a little furniture polish on the floor, but make sure you clean those dabs up fast. Similarly, take extra care when using hairspray around your floor. Both can cloud your hardwood flooring’s finish. Whenever there is a spill or errant spray, wipe up the spill with a damp cloth. If the cleanup is a significant one, it is acceptable to use a non-ammonia window cleaner, which won’t harm your floor one bit.
10-Keep Exposure to the Elements to a Minimum
If you are expecting rain, make sure you close the windows. When coming in out of the rain, keep a mat by the door so that you can dry your feet before stepping onto the hardwood. However, it’s not just rain you have to worry about. Direct sunlight can discolor hardwood over time. For that reason, invest in protective window coverings, such as curtains and blinds, which will block out the hardwood-tarnishing UV rays while simultaneously protecting your wood from excessive levels of heat.
There is one more tip we’d like to offer. Everyone at Minuteman Floors in Manchester, New Hampshire recommends that you invest in regular flooring maintenance. Doing so will preserve the life of your floor and keep it looking its best for years to come. You will also improve your home’s value and maintain a beautiful floor for your family to enjoy.
Call today for a free quote for quality hardwood flooring installation you can trust. Ask about our one-year warranty.