Follow These Tips to Keep
Your Hardwood Floors Immaculate!
A first glimpse of a beautifully kept hardwood floor can
evoke feelings of richness, warmth, and natural beauty. Hardwood floors
also offer the perfect combination of strength and beauty for any indoor
environment, and many consumers may be surprised by the limitless
choices that wood flooring can offer. However, maintaining a hardwood
floor may require some work, as dirt, grit, and dust can be a wood
floor's worst enemy. These elements can often act like sandpaper and
cause scratches, dents, and even dulling. To keep your hardwood
floors looking their best, follow the tips below to protect its warmth
and character.
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.
Lacquered, varnished, shellacked, or even unfinished floors are
technically surface-finished, but they are not as resistant to moisture
or spills as other sealants. Floors sealed with these types of finishes
or those with no finish should be treated like self-penetrating
seal-treated or oil-treated floors.
Obviously, the above guidelines are for more thorough cleaning jobs. For
periodic waxing and buffing, be sure to get recommendations from your
floor's manufacturer to get specific cleaning procedures. However, to
protect and maintain your solid investment, here are some easy hardwood
floor maintenance tips every homeowner should follow:
1. Invest in a vacuum cleaner specially designed for hardwood
floors or one that has bare floor attachments, and vacuum once or twice
a week to remove dust and particles. These types of vacuums usually
include soft brush attachments which minimize unnecessary scratching and
scuffing. When sweeping, only use a soft, fine bristle broom to gently
pick up debris.
 Vacuum
Cleaner Buying Tip: |
| Keep in mind that
revolving brush vacuums can scatter dirt on hard
floors. Look for vacuum cleaners with straight
suction nozzles that can be turned on and off.
These are usually designed to handle multiple floor
types and are versatile enough to be used on both
carpets and hard floors. |
2. Spills and stains can damage the beautiful exterior of
hardwood floors and can also warp the wood itself. Immediately remove
wet spills with soft towels or a wet/dry vacuum and dry thoroughly. When
mopping, use a dry mop, as excess water can seep into seams and ruin a
wood floor. Better yet, a high-quality dust mop - one with a 12" to 19"
cotton head - can be used instead.
3. To treat scratches and dents, steel wool or sand paper can be
used to remove one or two complete layers of finish across the board
where the damage has occurred. However, be sure to remove all dust,
apply the same type of finish that was removed, and always follow
manufacturer's instructions if you are unsure on how to repair surface
finishes.
4. Consider purchasing carpet runners with non-skid pads over
wood floors, especially in high-traffic areas. Carpet runners and area
rugs should also be regularly vacuumed to prevent dirt from filtering
down the weave and scratching the wood underneath. 5. Furniture pads (available cheaply at your local hardware
store, home center, or furniture store) should be placed under the legs
of tables and chairs and on the feet of armoires and dressers. Also
install floor mats at every entrance to prevent dirt from tracking into
your home. Furniture pads will prevent furniture and other objects from
dragging and sliding across a wood floor.
6. Whenever possible, refrain from wearing heavy shoes or high
heels on your hardwood floors, as these can cause denting.
7. Prevent direct sunlight from damaging, discoloring, or
possibly even warping your hardwood floors. Add curtains if necessary,
and pull the curtains closed during the day or when you will be away for
extended periods of time.
Return to the Vacuum Cleaner Guide |
