Hardwood Flooring Maintenance Helps Your Floor Last Longer
Taking care of your hardwood floor is important because it is a big investment. When you are adding value to your home with improvements, then you’re going to want to make sure those improvements can stand the test of time. There are a lot of ways of caring for your hardwood floors like making sure moisture doesn’t get in and taking time to clean your floors often. These are just a few hardwood floor maintenance tips to help make your floor last longer.
1. Dust Your Hardwood Floor Often
Use a dust mop daily and try to sweep your floors often. It doesn’t have to be a detailed dusting, just make sure you are at least getting the dust off the surface of your floor. Do not use a household dust treatment on your floor because it may dull the finish. Instead, just use a simple dust mop to clean the surface.
2. Vacuum Up Dirt
When you see dirt or crumbs on the surface of your hardwood floor, then you should try to vacuum it up. It’ll lessen the chances of your floor getting scratched.
3. Do Not Damp Mop a Wood Floor
It is very important that you never ever damp mop a wood floor. This will cause unwanted moisture to sink into the hardwood floor. You want to use a very minimal amount of water when cleaning the surface of your floor. This will help your floor last longer and you’ll be able to keep the shiny finish that keeps your floor looking so good.
4. Only Use Cleaning Products According to the Manufacturer
You’ll want to clean the surface of your floor using a lightly dampened cloth along with whatever product is recommended by the manufacturer of your hardwood floor. At ReallyCheapFloors.com, we are always ready to answer any and all questions you might have about your hardwood floor. Using the correct cleaner on your hardwood floors is imperative. During the 40 years that I have been working with the public in the wood and vinyl flooring business I have had literally hundreds of conversations with customers that have used the wrong cleaner on their floor. Just yesterday as I walked through our warehouse I ran into a gentleman that had bought some Hickory wood floors from us more than 10 years ago. He said he still loved his floors but that they had lost their shine soon after installation. I asked him what he cleans his wood floor with.
His reply?
"Oil soap"
My friends, do not use oil, soap, or oil soap on your wood floors with a polyurethane finish. Use only cleaners that require no rinsing. Ever. Products like Armstrong's Once N Done are wonderful for your floors. Or a vinegar and water solution, like I saw offered in a supermarket a few days ago. The truth is, soaps will leave a residue that actually attracts dirt, making your wood floor look worse than it would have if you had not even mopped it!
5. Avoid Leaving Spills On Your Wood Floors
We all know that sometimes spills happen. It’s just something that is unavoidable. If you do have a spill on your hardwood floor, the best thing to do is to immediately clean it up. The faster you clean up the spill, the less damage it’ll do on your floor. You never want to let a spill dry on the floor. The goal is to clean it up faster than it can dry. This will help make sure the water doesn’t soak into your floor.
6. Buy a Floor Care Kit
You can buy a floor care kit that’ll give you all the necessary things you need to clean your hardwood floor. You want to keep up with your hardwood floor maintenance and this is one of the best ways to do that. Just make sure you get the kit from your floor’s manufacturer or retailer.
Know The Best Place To Buy Hardwood Floors?
At ReallyCheapFloors.com, we offer solid hardwood flooring for affordable prices. You can also call us with any of your hardwood flooring maintenance questions. Browse our hardwood flooring options to see how you can add value to your home.
