If you want your hardwood floors to last a long time, you need to take steps to maintain them. Cleaning them regularly is one of the best ways to ensure that you will still enjoy your hardwood floors for many years to come. One of the things that you can do is to put a few rugs or mats all over the house so that the flooring will be protected. If you have pets, make sure that their nails are trimmed so that they do not cause any damage to the flooring.
Here are some more tips you can follow.
- Dust it every day – It might be time-consuming and tiring to do this every day, but it is essential in taking care of your floors. If you let the dust gathers, it can lead to damage and scratches. You won’t need to do deep cleaning regularly if you dust every day. Now, when you dust every day it is important that you choose the right tool for the job. You cannot just use any mop you find. Make sure to get hardwood mops. They are made of microfiber which is perfect for hardwood floors.
- Create a no-shoes policy for the home – You may not realize it but high-heeled shoes can actually create a dent on your floors. What’s good about a no-shoes policy is that it will not only keep your floors from getting your floor scratched is that you are also minimizing the dust and dirt getting into your house. Not only are the floors protected, but there will be fewer allergens in the house.
- Address spills right away – If you or anyone spills anything on your floor, especially liquids, you need to wipe it right away. If you let it pool on the floor it can damage the floor. One thing you need to remember is that not all cleaning products can be used on hardwood floors. Ammonia will do more damage than good. Look for cleaning products specially made for your type of floor.
- Use pads for your furniture – Aside from shoes, your furniture is another thing that can create damage to your floor, especially if you like rearranging them on a regular basis. To prevent any scratches, use a furniture pad on the legs of your tables, sofas, etc.
- Vacuum your floors regularly – Aside from the daily dusting and sweeping, you will also need to vacuum your floors. The good thing is that this is something that you do not need to do every day. For some, a weekly vacuuming session is enough. But make sure that you are using the correct attachment. You should be using the soft-bristled brush instead of the beater bar attachment. Also, before you vacuum, you should first mop and sweep the floor. If you don’t do that and there is a lot of dirt and dust, it might scratch the floor while you are vacuuming.
Aside from the listed above, you should also polish your floors every few months if it has a polyurethane finish. This will ensure that your floors remain shiny and appealing.
