A hardwood floor can outlast virtually any other type of flooring and look good while doing so. Whether you want the latest parquet flooring design or simple floorboards, you’ll find the right look for your home, your budget, and your personal tastes.
But, in order for your hardwood flooring to last you need to take care of it. Fortunately, it’s surprisingly easy to care for hardwood flooring:
Clean Spills
Hardwood flooring should have a polished top layer that protects it from spills. However, that doesn’t mean you should ignore a spill. You need to clean up any spill on hardwood immediately. If you don’t the moisture will slowly seep into the wood and cause it to expand. This will give you a variety of other issues.
Protect It
One of the great things about hardwood flooring is that you can easily remove light scratches. Simply sand the scratched area and remove the blemish. You’ll have to reapply the polish top layer afterward.
Of course, it’s better to protect against scratches in the first place. You need to ask people to remove shoes before walking on hardwood floors and you should put pads on the feet of all furniture in contact with your hardwood floor.
Sweep Daily
Hardwood floors collect dust, which means they need to be cleaned regularly. Sweeping is beneficial but you’ll find it is easier and more effective if you use microfiber cloths attached to a brush. These actually attract the dust, doing a better job of cleaning the floor than a brush or vacuum would have done.
This is also a great way to remove cat and dog hair which settles all over your home.
Vacuum
You shouldn’t underestimate the power of a vacuum, providing t has the right attachment. A vacuum with a hardwood floor attachment will pick up any dirt you’ve missed when sweeping. It’s best to vacuum once a week.
Mop
Once a month you should consider mopping your floor using a hardwood cleaner. The mop should be almost dry, ensuring that the floor only gets slightly damp and dries quickly This is an effective way of removing any stains or even spotting the ones that you didn’t know were there.
Polishing
Twice a year you should reapply the polish to ensure the wood continues to be protected and looks fantastic. This should be done as soon as the floor is dry after you’ve moped it.
Refinishing It
Every few years it is worth sanding the floor. In the process, you’ll remove all the polish and the top layer of your floor. This is a great way of removing blemishes and making the floor look like new again.
But, it’s more than just about making it look good. This approach ensures the hardwood floor is as well maintained as possible, extending its potential life. In short, by spending a little extra you can help to ensure your floor lasts for the rest of your life.
That’s pretty impressive for any floor.
