Floor Care 101

Q: What are some common tips for caring for our hardwood floors?

A: It’s important to pay attention to your floors and their care. They’re walked on, stomped on and often neglected in comparison to other areas of your home. That being said, a clean, glossy floor can actually improve the appearance of an entire room. Thankfully, maintaining your floors doesn’t have to be too difficult.

Here are some tips to keep your floors looking great:

Hardwood Floors: According to the Hardwood Information Center, hardwood flooring can add as much as $10,000 to the resale value of a home—so it pays to take care of hardwood flooring. You can do that by using a little common sense around the house.

• Try not to wear high heels or boots on your hardwood floors.

• Be sure to clean up spills as soon as they happen.

• For hardwood in the kitchen, keep area rugs in front of the sink and other areas where the floors tend to get wet.

• To care for hardwood floors, use a product designed for hardwood. There are plenty of products on the market that will clean, add shine and protect against scratches, wear and tear on your hardwood floors.

• Look for a product that cleans floors without leaving a residue as well as one that restores shine and leaves a protective coat.

Regardless of how you care for your floors, keep one final point in mind: Floors are often the focal point of a room, yet they take the most abuse. Your floors deserve better and treating them well could pay off in a number of ways.