Flooring Fears – How to Take Care of Your Hardwood

Hardwood flooring gives a unique, warm look to any home but to keep it looking its best takes a little work. Hardwood floors can be expensive to install and you want to be sure that you look after your investment and keep them looking their best. If you are considering putting hardwood floors into your home, or you have had it for years, you need to take the time to learn how to treat and maintain it.

Scratches can happen easily and spills can be devastating, so you need to be prepared in advance and have countermeasures in place to protect your flooring. While some homeowners swear by cleaning with a steam mop, others find that some of the age-old remedies work just as well. With so many different ways to keep your hardwood protected, it’s important that you take the time to find a method that works best for you. 

Let’s take a look at some effective methods you can use to ensure that your hardwood floors are taken care of and always look their best.

Treat And Protect

If you are having a hardwood floor installed for the first time you need to keep treatments in mind. A lot of flooring these days will come pre-treated with different types of protection to keep it safe but this isn’t always the case. Make sure you ask your supplier and installer the right questions about your flooring so that you know whether or not any additional treatments will be required. 

Should you need to treat your hardwood floor, there are many great protection options to choose from and it is really up to your own personal preference as to what you choose. If you are going to treat the wood yourself, make sure you wait at least 48 hours, or longer, to move in any furniture or appliances to avoid potential scratches and damage.

Watch Those Scratches

Scratches are inevitable with hardwood floors regardless of how solid the choice of timber is. Your main goal with scratches is going to be prevention, as well as treatment of scratches as they occur. Using pads under all of your furniture is a must as they are designed specifically to prevent scratching and are a very cost-effective solution.

If you do notice scratches on your hardwood it is imperative to take care of it as soon as you can. A scratch that is left untreated runs the risk of absorbing any dirt, debris, and spills that it comes in contact with. Over time liquids can run through the wood and cause it to rot, which is the last thing you are going to want for your hardwood, so be sure to take action quickly

Clean Your Hardwood Regularly

Cleaning often feels like a neverending task that you never quite get finished. However, when it comes to your hardwood floors, you will need to use some extra love and care. Make sure to run a soft broom or a microfiber sweeper across the surface as often as you can. To get the tougher stuff you will need to use some quality wood polish and a very soft mop. A little bit of weekly upkeep will go a long way to keeping your wooden floors protected and looking great.

Be Prepared and Be Aware

Maintaining and caring for your hardwood flooring may sound like a lot of work but with the right preparation, it can be well-managed. To ensure that your floors are well-protected and that they always look their best, you simply need to take a few extra precautions compared with other flooring options like carpet or laminate. It’s important that you are aware of this before you decide to install hardwood in your home so you are aware of the maintenance required. Hardwood flooring can be a great addition to your home, you just need to take the time to look after it properly to ensure that it continues to shine.