Hardwood Floor Care

Hardwood flooring is by all means, not a small investment. It actually doesn’t matter what type of wood you have, real and natural wood floor these days are certainly among the most expensive material for any flooring treatments. This means proper maintenance care is definitely a must to extend the life of your flooring system, and at the same time protect your investment.

Any type of wood is usually expected to last a lifetime and develop a rich and striking patina through the years. Unlike other flooring systems, it’s quite impressive to note that hardwood flooring systems actually appreciates in values as it ages and can fetch a sizeable resale value with diligent maintenance on your part. So how should you go actually go about enhancing and preserving the beauty of your hardwood? Here are some handy hardwood floor care tips:

Hardwood floor care starts with determining which floor area actually bears the most brunt of foot traffic. Proper placement of rugs can actually help collect the large pieces of grit or smaller shoes collected on the shoes that can cause scratches on the floor. This is one of the most important parts on the care for hardwood floors – prevention is still the best-known course of action. The bristle type floor mats work best on entryways and felt pads under the legs of furniture and fixtures along strategically placed area rugs especially in water prone areas. Regular cleaning and sweeping using a soft-bristled broom can prevent dirt from collecting in the crevices in between planks. Vacuum your hardwood at least twice a week to effectively eliminate fine dirt and grime that are quite notorious in causing unsightly scratches on your floorboards. It is also important not to wear pointy heels and shoes with hard soles on the hardwood floors, as this can cause some dents and bumps that are actually quite difficult to repair.

But dirt and grime are actually not the only well-known enemies of all hardwood flooring systems. Water is also has quite a reputation of causing damage in the floors surfaces. This means, you also need to incorporate precautionary measures for accidental water spillages in your hardwood flooring care. It is important to immediately wipe with a soft cloth any spills on the floor to prevent it from turning into unpleasant water marks that can definitely mar the beauty of your flooring finish. However, if you have detected watermarks on the floor, you can use a steel wool # 2 to remove it and apply wax to restore your floor’s finish. Once a month, you can use a slightly dampened mop to wipe the floor. Remember, too much water can cause warping, use as little water as possible. There are some manufacturers that recommended specific hardwood floor care products that can be applied to enhance the luster of the floor and even repair the small scratches and dents that can be quite inevitable through years of use.

To repair some mild cigarette burns, you can rub the floor using a steel wool that is moistened with soapy water. Inks stains are usually a sight for sore eyes on your precious hardwood floors. However, a quick fix for this is to rub a steel wool # 2 with a floor cleaner to take out the stain. However, if it is unusually stubborn, sanding using a very fine piece of sand paper would be the most viable option for you, then reapply your wax and polish the floor and polish it to high finish.

Some people may balk at the complexity of hardwood floor care in comparison to other flooring materials that usually require less maintenance. Everyone would readily agree that when in comes to quiet elegance and timeless beauty, all floor treatments would pale in comparison to any type of hardwood flooring. So ensure proper treatment and maintenance of your wood, and you can easily spend all your days enjoying the richness of your flooring system.