It might be more complicated to keep hardwood floors intact as you initially thought. It can be frustrating to see the color fading or to see the scratches made by the furniture and if that is happening to you, you are reading the right article. In the text below, you will be able to read about the best tips for hardwood floor maintenance. Let’s take a look:
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Sweep and Vacuum Your Hardwood Floors Frequently
It is common to track in all kinds of gravel, grit, and dirt on the floors. These particles are quite abrasive, similar to the grit on sandpaper. And your weight or the weight from your furniture on top of those particles basically turn them into sanding machines that will destroy the finish on the floor. Hence, it is important to frequently get rid of that dirt. It is recommended that you use a canister vacuum with a soft bristle wand head, however, if you want to opt for a different vacuum, you can click here and see which ones are the best.
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Recoat the Floors Before Spots Appear
Keep in mind that wood floors do not wear evenly. You might notice wear appearing in areas at exterior doors or in front of the refrigerator and you will probably think that it is nothing because it is just a small spot. Those tiny worn spots cannot be spot-fixes – and once you have destroyed the finish in one area, you will have to resand the entire area. That is why recoating the floor before the spots appear is important.
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Put Floor Protectors on All Furniture that Moves
The floor protectors will be your best friend in saving your hardwood floors from being damaged. The loosely-woven fibers absorb grit instead of trapping the grit against the felt which can cause more scratches. You can get them in all shapes and sizes including little circles, big circles, long rolls, or you can even cut them to fit your needs.
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Never Steam Clean or Wet-mop a Wooden Floor
The long squeeze mops do not wring out the head thoroughly and even a little bit of water can cause the floor to cup and swell over time. If you are old-fashioned and get on your knees and hands to wash the floor with a squeezed-out sponge, you are not damaging it. However, it can be quite tiring to do so, hence, it is recommended that you use a spray-cleaner and then wipe with a dry mop.
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Do Not Clean The Floor with Furniture Polish, Ammonia, Pine Cleaners, Vinegar or Oil Soap
All of these cleaners can actually damage or dull the finish and it will create issues when the hardwood floor needs to be recoated. For floors that are polyurethane-finished, you should use a Pallmann Hardwood Cleaner or you could use a Professional Spray Cleaner. However, if your floor is finished with a Rubio Monocoat, you should not use the previously mentioned cleaners, but instead, use the Rubio Soap concentrate for all Monocoat-finished floors.
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Never, ever wax a polyurethane floor
If you are thinking that your polyurethane hardwood floor looks dingy and dull and that it needs to be polished up – do not try or do it. Polyurethane is basically plastic and waxing it will just make it duller. Also, if you put a layer of wax on the floor, it will make it impossible to topcoat the floor with more polyurethane later on, which is actually the right way to restore shine to the floors.
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Use Rugs
You should place mats or rugs at all exterior doors to prevent and trap grit and sand with incoming traffic. Place area rugs in rooms that are mostly used every day and spots where you pivot – for example, the base and top of the staircase.
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Beware of Christmas Trees and Plants
Keep in mind that you must use stands under Christmas trees or plants to allow the air to circulate. Also, keep in mind that even a container that is waterproof and placed on the wood directly can cause condensation and the water can leave a stain.
Conclusion
By regularly and properly maintaining your hardwood floors, you can easily keep them looking fresh, polished, and you will definitely thank yourself later on.
