Taking Care of Hardwood Floors

Hardwood flooring is not cheap and caring for hardwood floors is a very important part of keeping your home’s value intact while also prolonging the beauty and investment of your flooring.

Hardwood floors are both elegant and durable, however, a busy family can take its toll on the sparkle and luster your flooring once had. Here are some basic tips on caring for hardwood floors:

Use a soft broom

Gently sweeping the hardwood floors everyday will not only keep them clean but also naturally buff the surface of the flooring and keep it from scratching.

Mop with a damp mop, not a wet mop

If your mop is too wet the water can seep into the flooring, resulting in permanent damage to your floors via warping. Before moping however, make sure that your hardwood flooring does have a polyurethane coating.

Use Oil Soap

Murphy’s Oil Soap. There’s no better way to take care of hardwood floors than using a soft brush or t-shirt and coating the floors once a week with Murphy’s Oil Soap. And if you have a bad back, get your kids and other family members involved, not only does it give you a bonding experience but gets the job done quicker.

Use area rugs in high traffic areas.

Notice that your family and pets are generally walking through one area of the flooring to get from one room to another? Then lay down an area rug to not only protect the floor but add some spice to your room.

Take off your shoes.

There’s a reason why Japanese homeowners do not let people wear shoes in their houses; it cuts down on the dirt and wear & tear for their tatami flooring. Similarly, taking off your shoes before entering the house will add years to your floors, keep them clean, and the mix of socks and oil will natually keep the floors buff & sparkly.