Maintaining wood floors properly is the key to keeping them beautiful and enduring, helping prevent costly repairs or replacements in the future. By taking preventive steps now, repairs or replacements may be avoided altogether.
Sweeping wood floors daily should be enough to remove surface dirt and debris, while mopping using a soft cloth may also help. Mopping with rough sponges or scouring pads could damage them irreparably.
Sweep Daily
Wood flooring adds beauty and value to any space it inhabits, yet maintaining it requires regular care to remain beautiful.
Sweeping regularly helps protect floors from dust, dirt and grit that could buildup over time and scratch its surface, especially in high traffic areas such as hallways or entryways.
Vacuuming regularly will keep the floor free of loose particles, and using a microfiber mop may help get into corners and crevices of wooden planks more effectively. Avoid vinegar, soap-based cleaners or wax on wood floors as these substances can dull their finish over time and lead to lasting damage.
Preventing damage to wood flooring can be as easy as asking guests to remove their shoes before entering a room, placing doormats outside entrances can reduce mud stains and other forms of water damage, and placing felt floor protectors underneath furniture legs can decrease scratch risks.
Mop Regularly
Mopping hardwood floors once every week or more often if there are children and pets is recommended, or as soon as there is excess moisture. Use a mild cleaning solution such as vinegar and water when mopping; always follow the wood grain when doing this task and rinse and wring out your mop well afterward to prevent excess moisture build-up.
Over-saturation of wood flooring can cause significant damage, leading to warping and cupping over time. Installing a dehumidifier after mopping can also help eliminate excess moisture being left behind in the room.
Sticking to your regular sweeping and damp mopping schedule will reduce dirt, dust, scuffs and scratches on wood floors. For additional protection of both floor and furniture, add rugs in high traffic areas and self-adhesive floor protectors under chairs and sofas; additionally using soft brushes can prevent scratching the wooden surface while simply asking guests to remove their shoes will help minimize scuffs and scratches.
Keep the Humidity Levels in Check
Humidifiers can help manage your wood floors’ moisture levels more effectively. Extreme swings in humidity levels can cause the wood to expand and cause expansion cracks; cupping occurs when boards swell unevenly with more pressure applied along their edges than in their centres, leading to cupping.
Mold, fungus and mildew growth is further increased when moisture remains trapped underneath your floor coverings, damaging their finish as well as the wood beneath. This can wreak havoc with your flooring’s finish as well as any wood underneath.
Protecting hardwood floors effectively begins with preventing the accumulation of dirt and debris on them in the first place. Sweeping daily is beneficial, while mopping high traffic areas once or twice each week is even more efficient at eliminating dirt buildup than just vacuuming alone – both can remove more than just surface dirt, while lifting dust, pet dander, hair and allergens from carpeted floors alike. Incorporating beautiful area rugs can also help reduce wear-and-tear on hardwood flooring surfaces over time.
Apply a Polish
Wood floors add warmth and elegance to any space, but they require special care in order to remain beautiful. Dirt, dust, grime, pet dander and other particulates can deteriorate wood and increase the risk of water damage if left accumulating for an extended period.
Scratches and scuffs can be an ongoing threat to wood floors. To help prevent scratches and scuffs from damaging them, try placing self-adhesive floor protectors under furniture and rugs, trimming your pet’s claws regularly and placing doormats near entrances to help minimize dirt being tracked in.
While regular cleaning, sweeping, and mopping help to protect wood flooring, polish is the ultimate way to keep it looking its best. Start by making sure the floor is clean and dry before following the instructions for polishing on its label. For best results, apply feathering strokes while being sure to overlap each stroke of polish application for streak-free results.
