Hardwood floors add a beautiful touch to any home and the longevity of this investment can be prolonged when you care for the floors properly. Im not promoting any particular product, but wanted to provide some tips based on my experience with my own home. I have animals, live in the country, so my floors are constantly in need of cleaning, sweeping and touch ups!

The best way to maintain and protect your hardwood floors is by using the following steps:

 

  1. I use a “Swiffer” every day to grab the hair and any dust bunnies that I find on the floor. As you ‘sweep” your floor, do not lift the pad up off the floor; the dirt and particles stay trapped on the cloth.
  2.  On a weekly basis, it is always a good idea to run the vaccuum to get the particles that  your daily “swiffering” does not reach. Remember-NO BEATER BAR!  If there are areas where mud has been tracked inside, something has been spilled that is stuck on the floor or any other typical floor debris, you may use a very damp mop, to wipe these areas. Wood and water do not mix, so this is not like mopping a tile floor. Less is more! I use A fabulous product desinged for wood floors, called Bona. It is misted on the floor and wiped with a microfiber pad on the end of a mop. It works great and I feel confident in not adding water to my floors.
  3. If you have area rugs, use protective mats underneath them. These should be ones desinged for hardwood floors.
  4. Never use water and vinegar on the floors! Never use a steam cleaner on your floors!
  5. If you notice scratches in the wood, that comes from house hold wear and tear, I suggest using a scratch repair stick. I like Old English in the stain to match my floors for areas that are more damaged and I use a stain marker by Minwax to “color in” the surface scratches. Whenever I see a scratch, I color in the mark and I never see it again!

Wood floors, either nail down or glue down floors are expensive, classic, and enduring. Take care of them in the proper ways to extend the life of the floors and to make sure they always look beautiful.

 

 

http://www.Bona.com