Hardwood floors look beautiful and it needs regular maintenance. Furniture in every room can cause a scratch on the wood or while working on the wooden floor while wearing heels can cause scratch and dent on the surface. Felt pads can be glued on the bottom of the chair and table legs, or put the doormats outside every entrance to keep the dirt, sand, and salt out and might cause the least damage.
Ignoring the scratches and denting with the age or usage and shrinkage and expansion due to the change in weather will cause more damage to the wooden floor. So, it is important to take some time and patience to care and clean the floor as listed below:
Stay Cool
Keep the thermostat in the range of 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit with a 30-50% humidity level, which is the ideal temperature for wooden floors. This will help in reducing the plank gapping and buckling caused by the drastic changes in the heat and moisture. But remember, that the room temperature has to change radically and stay in that temperature for a longer period to affect the wood.
Keep Dust in Check
Ensure to sweep or vacuum the floor regularly so that the debris, dust, and dirt is not allowed to get accumulated on the floor. Use a microfiber mop with a pH-neutral cleaner or homemade solution to wipe the dirt off the floor. Avoid the chemical products that contain additives such as acrylic wax which attract the dirt.
Bring in Pros
If the floor is maintained properly then it would run for a longer period not requires replacement. The wood loses its luster over some time and it is best to hire an expert to apply a new coat of finish. And if the floor is used highly with foot traffic, food spillages and kids as well as pet mischievous the surface has to be to sanded at least every 5-7 years or whenever there is any mark of worn and tear, loss of stain color or gouges.
Avoid liquid cleaners
For cleaning the wooden floors, avoid using the wet steam mops or vinyl or tile cleaning products or other liquids. Oil soaps, paste wax, and products containing lemon, citrus, or silicon can cause dullness of the wooden floor finish and damage the floor. Hence it is advisable to never use these products on the hardwood floor. Instead, dust the floor properly using a microfiber mop or cloth regularly.
Remove sticky stuff with ice
When something sticky such as chewing gum or wax falls on the wooden floor, do not try to scratch it off from the floor. The best and easy method is to use ice to harden them and then gently scrape with a plastic scraper.
Wooden flooring gives a pleasant appearance to and enhance its value any house. Wooden floor is the mix of natural beauty and durability.
Important points to remember –
- Never saturate the wooden floors with water. Use water sparingly on the wooden floor. Never use harsh chemicals on the wooden floor.
- Vacuum the wooden floor using the soft brushes regularly.
Regularly maintaining the floor will give it a great look.