Caring for Your Hardwood Floors

Are hardwood floors easy to care for?

Yes. In fact, hardwood floors are just as easy to care for as any other floor covering material.

Normal care such as vacuuming or sweeping to remove dust and soil is generally all that is required.

Here are some tips to keep your floors looking beautiful:

Water

Water is on of biggest enemies of your hardwood floor

• Wipe up spills immediately with a soft, dry cloth.
• Do not let water stand on the floor or use wet cloths for clean up.

Dust and Dirt

Dust and dirt can also damage your hardwood floor. Tracking dirt, dust, and grit can dull its finish.

• Sweep floors regularly
• Vacuum frequently using a canister vacuum. Do not use upright vacuums with beater bars. They can cause dents in your floor's finish.
• Do use doormats at the entrance to your home in order to help keep dirt and grime off the wood floors.

Area Rugs

• Use area rugs or small sections of carpet placed inside doorways and in areas like kitchens where spills are likely to occur.
• Don’t use throw rugs with rubber or vinyl backing without checking to determine if they will affect your floor's finish. Some materials in the backing can react with certain floor finishes, discoloring or causing the finish to become dull.
• Don't let damp throw or scatter rugs sit on the floor. Check the rugs frequently and make sure damp rugs are removed.
• Move your area carpets or throw rugs occasionally to maintain a uniform appearance in the floor's finish.

Sunlight

• The ultraviolet radiation in sunlight can cause discoloration over time. Project floors by using drapes, curtains or blinds to limit sunlight exposure on floors.

Furniture

• Place felt or some other protective materials under furniture to prevent scratches.
• Be sure to lift furniture when moving rather than risk scratching the flooring surface.