How To Take Care Of Hardwood Floors And Cleaning tips
Filed Under Decorating Ideas | Posted on April 4, 2008
We all know hardwood floors are beautiful, but do you know how to cleaning them and keep their beauty last longer? Below are some tips for Hardwood Floors care and cleaning.
How to take care of hardwood floors? Take care of hardwood floors means minimizing those things that will most likely damage it. This can include rough shoes, such as stiletto heels, athletic shoes with cleats, and dog claws. Removing shoes before entering the house is the best way to ensure floors are kept in good condition and by limiting pets to areas of the house without wood floors or by putting “dog booties” on your pets before letting them in the house. In areas where there is water, such as by a kitchen sink, be sure to place a rug or carpet here to catch spills and splashes.
Another important tip for care is taking care to put felt cushions on the feet of furniture and chairs. Dragging chairs across wood floors will scratch and scuff the surface. Consider placing a carpet wherever furniture is moved across the floors, such as under a dining table. This will ensure your wood floors are protected.
Hardwood floor cleaning tips
Before beginning your cleaning project, it is best to first determine the finish of the floor and to find out if the floor is sealed (and with what), as the finish and not the wood type will ultimately determine how you clean and maintain the floor. To easily tell what type of finish you have, rub your finger across the floor and if no smudge appears, the floor is surface-sealed. If a smudge is indeed created, the floor has been treated with a penetrating seal, varnish, lacquer, oil finish, or shellac, and then waxed.
Most new wood floors are usually sealed with either polyacrylic, urethane, or polyurethane, and are stain and water-resistant. These types of floors are often very glossy and may appear as if a layer of clear plastic has been placed on top of the wood. Surface-sealed floors are among the easiest to care for, as sweeping and mopping is all that is really needed in most cases.
However, for penetrating-seal treated or oil-treated floors, these types of matte-finished floors require a bit more work, as a penetrating seal or oil finish is soaked into the wood grain, is hardened, and acts to protect the wood from within. These floors should be treated with the utmost in care and protected with some sort of liquid wax or paste.
In efforts to protect their hardwood floors, many homeowners insist that both family members and visitors remove their shoes at the door. High heels and heavy winter boots can dent or damage the floor, and even people with the best intentions of wiping their feet clean, will find tiny amounts of grit on the bottoms of their shoes. If you feel uncomfortable with this rule, keep a shelf or basket of socks and slippers available for your guests to wear.
If a hardwood floor is dented, scratched, or damaged, follow the manufacturer’s suggestions for repairs or treatment. Some wood floors may require occasional buffing or waxing, and again, check with the manufacturer for your wood floor to find out the correct method to use. Every floor is different and the proper care means a long life.
In caring for your wood floors, simply remember to sweep often, use a dust mop, wipe spills immediately, and install pads under all your furniture. Following these simple tips will ensure a lasting, beautiful hardwood floor for years to come.
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Also, avoid using heels or heavy shoes because they can dent your hardwood floors.