New hardwood flooring can be a beautiful addition to any home, but it’s important to choose the right type and make sure you take care of it properly.
Hardwood flooring comes in many varieties, from solid to engineered, laminate to floating, so it’s important to learn which one will work best in your home before you buy.
Here are Hardwood Flooring Guide -12 tips on how to keep your hardwood flooring looking beautiful for years to come!
How to Take Care of Hardwood Flooring
Use humidifiers
A humidifier is a great way to help keep your hardwood floors looking their best. Adding moisture to the air can help prevent the wood from drying out and cracking.
Plus, it can also help reduce static electricity, which can attract dirt and dust. Try not to walk on the floor with shoes: Wearing shoes in your home carries lots of particles that could scratch or scuff up your floors.
If you have to wear shoes, try wiping them off before entering or wipe them down with a damp cloth before going in.
Change furnace filters regularly: It’s important to make sure that clean air is flowing through your home for both safety and comfort reasons. Furnace filters are key for reducing airborne contaminants such as pet dander, dust mites, pollen, and other irritants that might be present in the house.
Avoid spike-heels
Spike heels can damage hardwood floors by leaving dents or scratches. To avoid this, take off your shoes when you enter your home or place mats at all entrances to catch dirt and debris.
In addition, sweep or vacuum regularly to prevent dirt and grit from building up and scratching the surface.
When spills happen, wipe them up immediately to prevent staining. For tough stains, call a professional. Finally, avoid waxes, oil-based cleaners, and other harsh chemicals as they can damage the finish.
Trim the nails of your pets
Pets can be tough on hardwood floors. Their nails can scratch the surface and their paws can track dirt and mud.
To help protect your floors, make sure to keep your pet’s nails trimmed. You can do this yourself with a nail trimmer or take them to a groomer.
If you have trouble trimming the nails, you can also use baby powder or flour on their feet to keep the fur down while cutting.
In addition, when they are not at home avoid using carpet cleaner as it may contain chemicals that could damage your flooring.
Rugs at the doorways
One of the best ways to protect your hardwood floors is to place rugs in all of the doorways. This will help to trap dirt and debris before it has a chance to be tracked onto your floors.
Be sure to vacuum or sweep regularly to keep the dirt from being ground on your floors. In addition, placemats under any chairs or furniture that may scratch the floor.
Avoid dragging heavy items across the floor if possible, such as large pieces of furniture. These heavy items can cause grooves in your floors over time.
Make sure you have adequate air circulation for your home, especially during colder months when moisture can build up quickly and cause damage to your floors.
When replacing light bulbs make sure they are low wattage as these bulbs do not put off as much heat which will help prevent moisture damage.
Finally, when using chemical cleaners, always spot test them first before using them directly on the wood surface because these chemicals can eat away at the wood if not used properly
Avoid liquid cleaners
Whether you have a spill or tracked-in dirt, it’s important to avoid using liquid cleaners on your hardwood floors.
Not only can the water damage the wood, but the chemicals in many cleaners can also discolor or dull the finish.
Instead, opt for a dust mop or vacuum with a soft brush attachment to keep your floors clean. For tougher messes, use a dry towel or cloth to blot up the spill, then follow up with a microfiber mop lightly dampened with water.
Vacuum the floor
To clean hardwood floors, start by vacuuming them with a soft-bristle attachment to remove any dust or dirt. Then, mop the floors using a microfiber mop and a lightly dampened solution of water and vinegar.
Be sure to wring out the mop well so that it’s not too wet, which could damage the floors. You can also use a hardwood floor cleaner to mop the floors. Once you’re finished mopping, wipe down the baseboards and furniture legs with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or debris
Wipe the spills
- Water is the biggest enemy of hardwood floors, so it’s important to wipe up any spills as soon as possible.
- Use a clean, dry cloth to blot the spill and absorb as much liquid as possible.
- Never use a wet mop or steam cleaner on hardwood floors, as this can damage the finish or even warp the wood.
- For tougher spills, you may need to use a mild soap or detergent. Always test in an inconspicuous area first to make sure it won’t damage the finish.
- . Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners, as these can also damage the finish or wood itself.
Polish the floor
When it comes to polishing your hardwood floors, you have a few different options. You can either use a hand-held buffer or a walk-behind buffer.
If you choose to use a hand-held buffer, you will need to rent one from a local hardware store. The walk-behind buffer is a more expensive option, but it will save you time in the long run. Read more about Hardwood Flooring Guide-12 Care and Maintenance Tips
Use sand finish
You probably know how beautiful hardwood floors can be if you have them in your home. But keeping them looking their best can be a challenge.
Luckily there are some tips that you can use to keep your hardwood flooring at its best. One of the most important things is to not sweep or vacuum up the dust with a sweeper or vacuum cleaner as this will scratch the finish of the wood.
Sweep up with a broom or hand vacuum instead. For spills and more serious dirt stains, do not try to remove them yourself as this could damage the floor even more. Call for professional help and let them deal with it as needed.
Avoid sliding things on the floor
One of the best ways to keep your hardwood floors looking like new is to avoid sliding things across the floor.
This can cause scratches and other damage that will ruin the finish. Instead, pick up any items that you need to move and carry them to their destination. You should also put mats or rugs down in high-traffic areas to protect the floors from wear and tear.
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Use stick-on felt protectors
One of the best ways to protect your hardwood floors is to use stick-on felt protectors. The aforementioned can be found at any hardware store and are pretty affordable.
Simply peel off the backing and stick them onto the legs of chairs, tables, couches, etc. to prevent scratches.
Remove sticky stuff with ice
We are all tracked in some form of sticky substance at one point or another. It could be mud, syrup, or even chewing gum.
If you have a larger spill, place an ice pack or bag of frozen peas directly on the spot. Let it sit for a few minutes to harden the material.
You should then be able to scrape it off easily with a putty knife or credit card.
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