6 Dos and Don’ts to Caring for Your Wood Floors

Wood floors create a stunning look to any home. However, once you’ve had them installed, they need the right care and attention to maintain their condition. We’ve put together a short list of key dos and don’ts when caring for your hardwood flooring.

Dos

1. Clean your floors regularly using light water and Pine Sol, being sure to remove any excess water.

Pine Sol is not only a great cleaner but disinfects your flooring at the same time. It’s important to dilute it with water as per instructions, and wring your mop or sponges so that they’re not saturated with water. You can also use dry mops and a vacuum cleaner (on its hardwood setting) to remove dust and dirt between cleans.

2. To keep your hardwood floors at their best, keep your pet’s nails trimmed and spend minimal time walking in your favorite heels.

One of the disadvantages of wood flooring is its ability to get scratched. Pet’s long nails and your killer high heels can cause some real damage. Try to implement a no shoe policy in the house and keep your pet’s nails well-groomed. Placing ‘wood floor approved’ rugs in areas of high traffic such as hallways can also help reduce any damage.

3. Get window treatments to protect your floors from sun damage.

UV sunlight can fade or even darken parts of your wood flooring. Nobody wants to live in a dark home, so window treatments provide the ideal solution for getting the right balance of light in each room. This can be as simple as implementing drapes, curtains or blinds. Other things you can do include using a special window coating to inhibit UV light or rearranging your furniture once in awhile to get an even light balance across the room. Remember to put protective felt pads on the weight-bearing parts of your furniture to protect your flooring.

Don’ts

1. DO NOT, by any means, use products such as Mop & Glow, Bona Finish, Orange Glo or any product that claims it’s a finish and will give your floors a shine. You will thank us later.

Products which add a wax, oil or polish finish to your flooring are never worth the hassle. They can create a build up on your flooring which can actually leave them feeling sticky, affect the floor’s finish and attract more dirt – exactly what you were trying to avoid!
You will find over the course of time your floors will actually start to dull, peel and or look worse than before. Avoid this by simply cleaning them with diluted Pine Sol and in 5-7 years, put a new coat of polyurethane finish on your wood floors.

Interested in doing that now? Fill out a free requested quote here.

2. Do not use steam or excessive water on your hardwood floors – they are susceptible to water damage.

Using excessive water on a hardwood floor is a bad idea. It can mark or dull the flooring’s finish, and in the worst cases, the wood may even start to warp. Therefore, avoid mops or cloths drenched in water. Note, mops and cloths are okay to use but make sure they are rung out sufficiently before applying them to your floors. It’s also advised to avoid DIY steam cleaners as these can actually push water down into your flooring. Any spills should be cleaned up as soon as possible and excess water removed.

3. Do not play fetch with your fur baby on your beautiful wood floors.

Consider this – even dust and dirt can leave scratches on your hardwood flooring, so imagine what excessive play with your pet will do. We know, You can also place mats at your home’s entrances to trap as many dirt particles as possible before they get worked into the hardwood (and your carpets!).

NewGen Restores appreciates the amount of effort it takes to maintain your wood floors. We make things easier by offering our clients cleaning, refinishing and installation services for all your hardwood flooring needs. We recommend reapplying polyurethane every 4-6 years to keep them protected. In the meantime, we’ll give your floors a deep clean not achieved through DIY techniques, that will leave your floors sparkling.