Besides adding value to your home, the beautiful look of hardwood floors, if taken care of properly, can last for generations. Yet many people have never owned this type of flooring and are uninformed on the proper methods needed to care for them.

One of the greatest threats to hardwood flooring is the wear and tear caused by the repeated scratching of its protective surface from dust, dirt and debris. This repetition of abuse will dull the look of your flooring over time and reduce the overall life expectancy as well. Furniture and appliances can also scratch the finished surface of your hardwood floors, making them more susceptible to damage from liquids that have been spilled upon them.

You can prevent this damage from occurring to your hardwood floors by being proactive to items that may damage them. By using floor mats or area rugs in the entryways of your home, you can catch dirt and debris when it first enters. With the application of felt tips on the bottom of your furniture legs or appliances, you can prevent them from scratching and damaging your hardwood flooring when they are being used or moved.

Another good preventative measure to help maintain your hardwood flooring is to clean up any spilled liquids from the floor as soon as the spill has occurred. By cleaning up these liquid spills you can prevent the moisture from seeping between your flooring causing them to warp and buckle. This kind of damage can become a time-consuming and expensive repair issue in the future.

Secondly, you will want to use daily preventative measures to help maintain your flooring, prevent scratching and keep them shiny. As mentioned, using entry mats will help keep dirt from your floors, but you may also consider having your family or guests remove their shoes entirely when entering your home.

Mop, sweep or vacuum your floors daily. This will remove any dust that may have accumulated on your floors and will go a long way to keeping them shiny and in great condition. Use a dust mop or damp floor mop to pick up any dust that has accumulated, then allow your hardwood floors to air dry. It is suggested to mop your floors at least once a week with a damp mop. Do not soak your floors in water rather, use a spray bottle to squirt your cleaning solution on the area you wish to clean then mop up with a semi dry mop or towel. If you do not have a spray bottle, then use a damp mop that you rinse out and wring often to avoid the accumulation of dirty liquid that can seep between the flooring and cause damage.

There are many products on the market that you can use to clean your hardwood flooring. From wood soaps, natural oils to waxes and polishes, many options are available to assist you when doing this job. Take care though and do not let this waxy build up accumulate on your hardwood flooring over time. It is recommended to alternate between these wax applications with a mixture of vinegar and water to clean and strip your floors. It has also been environmentally suggested that to make your floors naturally shiny, you should use natural products like linseed or olive oil to return the shine to your hardwood floors.

Exposure to long hours of direct sun can also damage your hardwood floors. To help prevent this, it is recommended to use floor rugs in areas that receive the most direct sun light and to rearrange them as the seasons pass. By rearranging these rugs periodically you will help your floors to age naturally without one area fading or darkening more than the other. It is also suggested to keep curtains or draperies closed in fully sunlit areas such as around your sliding glass or deck doors to prevent the sun from darkening and cracking the surface of your hardwood floors.

Regular maintenance is a wise investment to make that requires very little effort in the overall life of your hardwood flooring. With a bit of prevention you can keep these floors and the investment you have made in them for a longer period of time than other cheaper and inferior flooring alternatives. Remember, keep dust and dirt out, keep spilt liquids cleaned up and use protective measures to prevent scratches or sun damage and your floors will last for generations. If you want more information on how to care for your hardwood floors, or may want to purchase hardwood flooring for your house, then please feel free to contact JBG Tile & Contracting at any time.