Hardwood floors have to be taken care of properly, or they will begin to look very ragged. Though they can take a lot of abuse, there are some things you have to watch out for. You should never wash hardwood floors with a mop, and for the most part, you should never use any kind of detergent while washing them. You may damp mop your floors, but you should only do it when necessary. When taken care of properly, you only have to do this once or twice a year.Prevention for wood floor
DIRT and GRIT : Dirt, grit and sand are your hardwood floor’s worst enemies.
They act like sandpaper on the finish, causing scratches, dents and dulling. Place floor mats at entrances to trap dirt and prevent damage.
WATER AND OTHER SPILLS : Standing water can warp a poorly finished hardwood floor and can damage the finish. Simply wipe up all spills as they happen.
HARD CLEANERS : Avoid oil soaps. They can build up and create problems when it’s time to put a maintenance coat on the floor. Instead, neutral pH cleaners made specifically for wood floors are recommended.
FURNITURE : Lift the furniture to move it avoid dragging. Felt contacts under the legs will help prevent scratches.
DENTS : Vacuum with a brush attachment don’t use vacuums with beater bars.
- SUN : Direct sun can discolor your hardwood floor. Close curtains and blinds or add sheer drapes to protect from the sun’s intense UV rays.
- SWEEP : Brooms with fine, exploded ends trap dust and grit effectively.
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- VACUUM : Canister vacuums with special bare floor attachments are the surest way to get rid of all the dirt and dust.
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- DUST MOP : Use a good dust mop one with a 12- to 18- inch cotton head and a special dust mop treatment. Spray the treatment onto the mop head 12 to 24 hours before dust mopping.
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- Spot Removal
- For chocolate, grease, juice, cordials and wine - use lukewarm water and a non-abrasive cleaner (such as, ammonia and water) or Pergo Floor Cleaner.
- For tar, markers, crayon, lipstick, oil, shoe polish, ink, nail polish and cigarette burns - use acetone/nail polish remover or denatured alcohol.
- For candle wax and chewing gum - let harden and scrape carefully with a blunt plastic scraper.
1 comment:
Great info on the care of hardwood floors.Very useful tips that all with hardwood floors should read.
I just refinshed some hardwood floors in a customers vacation home that had years of abuse.If they would have followed your advice it would have saved them alot of frustration,and money.
Steven Wilson
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