Now that you’ve got a gorgeous hardwood floor installed, here’s a few things you should try to avoid in order to keep it looking its best, and ensure its longevity.
Moving furniture: Rearranging a room is a great way to freshen things up, but before you drag those chairs and that couch across the room, two…three…five times, make sure you put furniture caps or sliding pads on the bottom of all the legs. This will not only make it easier to move the furniture, but it will also protect your floors as you search for that new look.
Gritty, Dirty Shoes: While most households have some kind of rule about removing shoes or at least wiping them off before going too far inside the house, some people tend to skip the floor mat and walk right in. The dirt that gets picked up while outside can have a sandpaper effect on the floors over time. It will increase the amount of scratching on the floors, wearing them out that much faster. To prevent this, it’s best to leave those shoes at the door.
Sticky carpets: Nobody likes sliding around (and potentially falling) on a wild, free range carpet. To avoid this from happening, people will often put some kind of rubber pad under the carpet to keep it from moving. This is a smart move, however you need to make sure that rubber mat is compatible with your wood floor underneath it. Not any old rubber mat will be suffice.
Water: Hardwood floors these days are built to handle a little moisture, but that doesn’t mean you should turn your floor into a waterpark when you’re mopping. You only need to mop your wood floors a couple times a month and when you do, try a hardwood floor cleaner such as Bona professional, which does not require added water. Vacuuming and sweeping will do the trick in between the mopping.
Paws and Claws: One of the biggest culprits of creating scratches are pets. Keeping your furry baby’s nails trimmed will help your floors look better and last longer. Of course, an area rug on your pet’s favorite path is a great idea as well.
Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be on your way to enjoying many years with that beautiful hardwood floor.
