Care and Cleaning of Wood Floors

Installing wood flooring in your home is a great investment. But in order to make that investment last, proper maintenance of your flooring is key. For starters, be sure that you apply felt pads under all of your furniture, even large pieces that do not get moved often. If you have wood flooring in a dining room or eat in kitchen, check the pads periodically to make sure they are not worn or have fallen off. Since chairs at dining tables are pulled out and slid in on a daily basis, these pads may need to be replaced more frequently than pads on a sofa.

Another way to protect your floors is to place door mats at each entry point of your home. Shoes can collect sand and grit that, once walked on throughout your home, can cause surface scratches on your floors. If sand is tracked into your home you should sweep with a soft bristled broom as soon as possible to eliminate any chance of scratching the floors. You may even want to consider placing a rug in a high traffic area.

If you have pets, particularly dogs, you want to keep their nails trimmed and filed smooth on a regular basis. This will assist in lengthening the life of you wood flooring. If any accidents or spills occur, clean immediately.

In cleaning your wood flooring, always follow and use manufacturers suggested products and procedures. Stay away from oil based cleaning products because they can cloud your finish and leave a sticky film on your floors. Also, steam mops are not recommended in cleaning wood flooring. Steam is another form of water and will add moisture to your floors which may cause cupping and could possibly cloud the finish. Woodboys recommends that our customers use the Bona Hardwood Floor Care System for routine cleaning and care of their wood flooring.

Always follow manufacturers recommendations, and if in doubt, check with a local professional wood floor contractor. This will help in extending the life and the look of your beautiful wood floors.