Your five-minute guide to the best care for hardwood floors
A hardwood floor is great value for money, but, like all flooring, you’ll need to maintain it well to keep it looking its best and last the lifetime that it should. The question that many new owners of hardwood floors want answered is how to best care for hardwood floors. These tips from professionals cover all you need to know.
Take those shoes off!
Walking on a hardwood floor while wearing outdoor shoes is one of the quickest ways to damage it. Small particles of dirt and grit become lodged in the soles and heels of shoes, and this can cause small scratches which may be almost invisible at first, but will only worsen over time.
High heels are one of the most lethal of all shoe types to wear when you own a hardwood floor. All the weight is concentrated on a smaller area, and so dents and grooving is more likely.
Use doormats
If you have a young family, enforcing the ‘no shoes’ rule can be tricky. Kids tend to run in and out of the home, often bringing their friends with them. When they are rushing to get a drink, the last thing they will think about is your beautiful hardwood floor.
Placing doormats outside the entrance to a room where a hardwood floor has been laid will help to remove that unwanted grit and dirt from shoes.
Pad your furniture
Furniture scratches hardwood floors, too. Table legs and the underside of cupboards, chairs and sofas will mark floors if you move them – whether purposely or accidently. Felt pads fitted to the bottom of table and chair legs and other furniture will help to protect your hardwood floor from this risk.
Keep a steady temperature and humidity
Extreme temperatures and humidity can warp and buckle hardwood floors. It is best to keep temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with a humidity level of between 30% and 50%.
Vacuum or sweep regularly
Remove dirt, grit and dust regularly by vacuuming or sweeping with a soft-bristled broom. If vacuuming, ensure that the wheels are clean, and do not vacuum with a beater head.
Remove spills promptly
If liquid is spilled on the floor, remove it as quickly as possible by using a clean, non-colored absorbent cloth and one of the recommended cleaning products.
Take care when you mop
You should never mop a hardwood floor using water or a solution that is not recommended for your floor. Doing so can damage the flooring.
Use a daily cleaning routine
Daily cleaning will help keep your hardwood floor in top condition. Sweep to remove dirt and dust, and then mop using a microfiber mop. When the mop head becomes dirty, replace it.
Repair damaged planks
If a plank is damaged, you may be able to repair scratches and gouges by following our advice on what to do when your wood floor is gouged. Small scratches may be repaired using color-matched pencils and markers. If a plank is badly damaged, it may need to be removed and replaced.
Hire a professional to restore older hardwood floors
Even best-cared-for hardwood floors will lose their luster eventually. However, one of the big advantages of investing in a hardwood floor is that it can be brought back to life after several years of use. A flooring professional should be able to restore a hardwood floor by screening and recoating.
What are the best hardwood floor maintenance products?
We recommend Mannington hardwood floors to customers who want a hardwood floor. Their cleaning and maintenance products are exceptional quality and, like their flooring solutions, excellent value for money. Here is our pick:
- UltraClean® – Mannington Commercial has developed this all-purpose cleaner to work with its unique finishes without damaging gloss and lustre.
- UltraClean® Mop Kit – Includes a 24 oz UltraClean® trigger spray, microfiber mop, and a three-piece handle.
- Customer Care Kit – Over time, it is only natural that your floor should suffer a few nicks and dents. This kit includes color-matched pencils and markers to repair blemishes.
These tips should help you keep your hardwood floor in top condition for a lifetime. If your floor has suffered more than minor damage, the best advice is to contact a professional restoration service. Here in NJ, we’d be pleased to hear from you and provide a no-obligation quote to restore damaged hardwood floor. Don’t hesitate to contact Porter's today.