A hardwood floor is a thing of beauty and can remain so for many years if you take good care of it, however, this can be much more complicated than it sounds. There are certain things that you can do to ensure the beauty of your hardwood floors for years to come. Here are the top five ways to protect that shine and keep your home beautiful. You work too hard to allow your floor to detract from the beauty you worked so hard to achieve.
Don t Tread On Me
Pets And Scratches
The Right Stuff (Cleaning Products)
The Misunderstood Runner
Cleanliness Is Next To Perfection
Create A No Shoe Zone
Have you ever just wanted to scream when you hear the click, clack, click of hard soled shoes on your highly polished hardwood floors? It almost makes you want to post a sign on the front door that reads, Shoes Off Before Entering. Keep a mat or small area rug by the front door and place some old shoes on it as a reminder to family and guests that they need to de shoe upon entering your home. Shoes cause more wear and tear than anything else can on those high traffic areas. Scuffmarks are literally embedded into the wax and wood grain and are next to impossible to remove.
Click Click Means Trim Them Quick
When you hear the clicking sounds of pets on your hardwood floor, you know that it is time to trim your pet s nails. Cats walk on their toes because they have scent glands in the pads of their feet. This means that you may not hear when it is time to trim their nails so you may want to do this on a monthly schedule. Pet s claws create little scratches that attract dirt and eventually give your floors that dull look that we dread so much.
Wax Off Wax Off
There is a right way to clean your hardwood floors and there is a wrong way. The wrong way is any product that contains wax. It is a terrible sight to see when someone literally sprays furniture polish on a hardwood floor and wipes it in with a dust mop or a rag on their feet. All this does is cause waxy build up that is impossible to remove without a harsh chemical that is just as bad. Never use vinegar or ammonia. While they are effective in cleaning hardwood floors, it is an exact science and too much or too little of one or the other does the opposite of cleaning and shining your hardwood. It will eat the shine away and make the floor look dry. Use only the products that are made for the job, which can only be found in flooring sales stores or major hardware chains like Home Depot.
Use Area Rug Runners
Many people believe that a runner, or a long strip of material, are there to keep the dirt off of the floor, however, on a hardwood floor it is there only to protect the shine. Runners are good if they are carpet with a non slip back. Those rubber runners with the little spikes on the back are only for carpeted floors and should never be used for hardwood floors. It is better to have people take off their shoes and walk on the floor and risk injury with runners but if you must, use area rugs that are made for long, narrow spaces.
Keep It Clean
Keeping your hardwood floor clean is the best way to care for that shine that you love so much. Vacuum your floors several times a week to keep dirt and grime from building up and then being rubbed in by walking on the floor. Once the dirt gets into the fine scratches that you cannot see, it is hard to get out. Use only a damp mop and make sure it is not too wet. Water can damage your floors as fast or faster than anything else can.
The Two Rules
If you follow these simple guidelines, you will enjoy a beautiful hardwood floor for years. Just make sure that everyone knows the two moist important rules. Take shoes off at the door and clean up any spills immediately. The moment a spill hits the surface of your hardwood floor is a moment too long.
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