It’s essential to care for hardwood floors to make them last for a long time. Also, in this way, you can protect as well as maintain your floor’s appearance. So, you have to follow particular cleaning protocols to avoid damage to your floors. In addition to regular cleaning, you also should consider a few maintenance as well as prevention measures. Thanks to routine cleaning and proper maintenance, you can preserve the durability of your floors. Read this post to learn how to take care of your hardwood floors effectively.
Clean Hardwood Floors
Use a microfiber mop to dust regularly. It can trap particles, dirt, and pet hair. Especially, it won’t scratch the floor’s surface like some broom bristles. This way is the best against scratches as well as surface damage.
Use a soft brush attachment to vacuum weekly. Don’t forget to use the microfiber mop and dust your floor first. Avoid leaving a lot of debris on the floor if you don’t want to scratch the surfaces. Also, avoid using a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar attachment.
To make your floors cleaner, it’s best to damp-mop once a month. But you shouldn’t dampen it with water. It can cause the finish as well as damage the wood.
Maintain Your Hardwood Floors
Clean your hardwood floors regularly. This is the best way to keep your floors looking great. At the same time, it helps to avoid damage. You should use a microfiber cloth to dust your floors often. It’s also ideal for vacuuming the floors with a soft brush attachment weekly.
Polish them every 2-3 months. This helps to refresh your floor’s appearance thanks to restoring shine and evening out the floor’s surface, as well as buffing away microscopic scratches. If you have the floor with a urethane, avoid using wax on it.
You should consider using window coverings. They aim to prevent your floors from UV rays and heat. That means you can prevent discoloring your hardwood flooring. You can protect your floors with protective window coverings like curtains.
The ideal time to refinish your floor is about every 3-5 years, especially when you have a polyurethane surface finish floor. If you can’t restore its shine in this way, you have to recoat the surface. Once you find deep scratches, discoloration, visible gouges, or other damage, it’s time to sand your floors. Also, don’t forget to refinish it as well. But it’s best to ask a professional to do this. It’s not easy to re-sand as well as re-finish the floor
Protect Your Floor From Damage
It’s important to clean up spills right away to avoid permanent stains. We recommend you use a microfiber pad to dry the spot right away. It’s a fault when you use ammonia or cleaning products to clean up these spills. They can be able to damage your floor. Instead, you should use Windex. Also, don’t clean with water as well as vinegar.
If you want to reduce the amount of dirt and debris, you can use protective rugs and mats. It’s best to put them inside and outside the exterior doors. It means that you encourage family members to wipe their feet on them before entering your house. Also, it’s great to add them in high-traffic areas like frequently used hallways. This method is also ideal for the kitchen sink area.
The leg of the furniture may scratch the surface. That’s why you need to put stick-on felt protectors under them at all times. But replace these protectors often because they can easily get dirty.
Don’t walk across the floor in your high heels. It is proposed to protect your floor. Indeed, your high-heeled shoes may be the cause of scratches, dents, and scuffs. Thus, you should wear them while walking on the floors.
Finally, remember to trim your pet’s nails and claws. They can scratch the floor’s surface. So, trimming them regularly to avoid this is an essential thing. If you find it hard to trim them yourself, you can also contact your professional groomer for this. Also, consider your pet’s paws to avoid staining and scratching your floor. It’s best to keep them as clean as possible.
