The Do's and Don'ts of Hardwood Floors

When you finally put in a hardwood floor, you can finally sit back and enjoy the warm beauty that glows from underfoot. There is something almost breathtaking about a finished hardwood floor but it can be completely overwhelming when you stop and think about how you should care for your new home investment.

Let's face it, you can't ask people to not walk on your floor and you definitely can't leave all the furniture out of the room, although that would probably seem like the best solution to the scuff problem. Instead, you should get ready to care for your floors right from the start.

Surprisingly, hardwood floors really don't need too much extra care and most of the overall care comes in with the set up of your furniture instead of on a regular basis.

The Do's of Hardwood Flooring:

There are several do's when it comes to caring for your hardwood flooring and I have outlined them below.

Do use felt contacts and floor pads for your furniture to ensure that it won't scratch the hardwood.

Do sweep your floor regularly with brooms that have soft, fine bristles. Hard bristles may gouge your floors.

Do dust mop your floors on a regular basis. You can do this by having a soft head mop, about 12 to 18 inches in width, and a special dust mop cleaner. Simply spray the mop head and dust the hardwood. No water is necessary.

Do mop with a solution of a neutral pH cleaner and water whenever your floor needs it. Only wash with a damp mop, never swamp a hardwood floor.

Do choose cleaners that are designed for hardwood floors.

Do use floor mats at any entrance to keep dirt from being tracked across your hardwood floors.

Do wipe up any water or liquid that has spilled on your floor as soon as you see it. Moisture can damage your hardwood flooring very quickly.

The Don'ts of Hardwood Flooring:

With every do, there is a don't and obviously some of them have been identified in the do's section of this article but it is still important to look at a few don'ts that we haven't gone over yet.

Don't drag furniture when you move it. This will cause serious damage to your hardwood floors.

Don't use hard and abrasive cleaners on your hardwood floors. Also avoid using any high oil soaps and cleaners.

Don't use a vacuum with a rotating brush. The best type of vacuum to use to remove debris is a canister vacuum with floor attachments.

Don't let dirt and grime build up on your hardwood floors. Dirt works as an abrasive and will begin to cut, dent, scratch and dull your hardwood.

Don't let water collect on your hardwood flooring. Make sure you clean it up immediately. Also, keep dog dishes on a mat, and make sure you dry their paws off when they come inside during the winter or on a rainy day.

Don't expose your hardwood to long periods of direct sunlight. Sunshine will cause fading and discolouring to occur in your hardwood flooring.

If you are aware of all the do's and don'ts of caring for your hardwood floors, you should have beautiful floors for the life of your home. You shouldn't have to refinish your flooring or repair any significant problems with your flooring.

Following a regular cleaning regime with your hardwood is very simple and you will find that you spend only half the time caring for your hardwood that you would caring for a carpet.

Sirena Van Schaik is a professional writer who provides information on hardwood flooring and wood flooring for A1 Wood Flooring.