Caring for Your Hardwood Floor

Q: How should I take care of our newly installed hardwood floors?

A: Hardwood floors are an excellent investment for any home, promoting resale value and interior warmth. However, if the floors are not properly cared for, this investment won’t pay off well.

Hardwood floors are not hard to maintain, and compared with carpet and other surfaces that are more difficult to clean or require replacement, hardwood floors can be considered relatively low maintenance. But proper care is essential to keep the floors in good shape, and to give them a nice shine. Check out the following tips on caring for your hardwood floor.

Clean regularly. As with all flooring, hardwood floors must be cleaned, but they must be cleaned correctly. Allowing dirt and grime to collect on the floor over a period of time can damage the finish. Proper care for hardwood floors includes:

• Vacuuming
• Sweeping
• Dusting
• Damp mopping

Be sure to use only cleaning products that are made for you specific finish. Using improper cleaning materials can void manufacturer warranties on many floors.

Protect from traffic. Another way to protect hardwood floors is to use throw rugs or walk-off mats in areas of high traffic. Watch your floors over time, and consider putting some sort of rug or other type of protection on areas that receive more wear, such as entry ways.

It is especially important to use rugs on wood floors in kitchens in front of sinks and stoves where water, food, and other contaminants are more likely to damage the wood.

Protect from furniture.  Floor protectors on the bottom of furniture are highly recommended, especially furniture that moves regularly or could easily scratch the wood, such as:

• Dining chairs
• Office chairs
• Ottomans
• Occasional table with iron legs

Placing protectors under all your furniture will ensure that when you get the itch to rearrange your furniture, you won’t end up with a surprise scratch you can’t cover up.

If you’re looking to add the beauty of hardwood floors to your home, or restore life to your existing floors, ACo are here to help! Contact us today