How To Properly Maintain Hardwood Floors
Posted on: 5 March 2015
Hardwood floors wear down over time, and may need to be refinished by a company like Towne Interiors to restore their bright sheen after a few years of use. In order to extend the lifespan of your hardwood floors, extend the amount of time you can go without refinishing them, and maintain their natural, bright aesthetic, you must properly maintain them. Thankfully, hardwood floor maintenance is a fairly simple process, and does not require too much effort to implement properly.
Maintaining Hardwood Floors
- Dust and Vacuum: Keeping your floors shiny and new looking requires regular cleaning, so make sure you sweep up or vacuum around once a week to prevent dust and debris from building up on your floors. For dirt that has become attached to the floor, using a mop can help make it easier to remove. Make sure you use a floor brush attachment to prevent the vacuum itself from damaging the floor.
- Prevent Water Exposure: Especially in areas that receive large amounts of snow and rain, water damage can warp and stain your hardwood floors. Salt stains can be particularly prevalent, especially in areas of heavy snow. Placing a mat by the front door can help protect your floors from being exposed to large amounts of water, as well as having a dedicated area for removing shoes. In areas like the kitchen or the bathroom, where running water is a constant, be sure to place a mat underneath the sinks and by the tub.
- Thorough Cleaning: Though regular cleaning will keep your hardwood floors relatively clean, it should be noted that dirt and grime can become stuck on your floors, especially in areas of high foot traffic, which can be hard or impossible to remove with a regular vacuum. In order to maintain your floor's sheen, it's important to deeply clean your floors roughly four times a year, around the time that the seasons change. A mixture of lukewarm water and wood cleaner (be sure to only use wood cleaner, as other chemicals can degrade your floor's finish) can be used to remove built up grime with a mop, but be sure to use a minimal amount of liquid, as the water can still damage your wood.
- Reduce Sunlight Exposure: Sunlight can cause the finish on hardwood floors to fade. You can prevent this from happening by mapping out which areas of your floor are exposed to the most sunlight and covering them up with rugs. Installing window shades, which filter out must of the UV light from the sun, are another option that can help preserve your floors.