Hardwood flooring is unmatched in its ability to lend beauty, elegance, and value to the inside of your home. As beautiful as it is, it can quickly succumb to damages inflicted by your children and pets. Use these four easy steps to keep your wooden floors looking their best.
Clean the floor daily
Your kids and pets may drag in all sorts of debris like pebbles, sand, and dirt on the bottoms of their feet. This debris can grind into you wood flooring and cause scratches, streaks, and other unsightly damages.
You can protect your floors and help them look their best by sweeping, vacuuming, or damp mopping them every day. This daily cleaning removes the elements left behind by foot traffic and protects your floor’s appearance.
Cover the bottoms of furniture
The bottoms of your furniture can wreak havoc on your wood floors. When your child pulls out a chair, for example, he or she may inadvertently gash the wood and leave behind grooves that can be expensive and time consuming to repair.
Prevent scratches in your floor by covering the bottoms of chairs, sofas, tables, and other furniture with rubber leg tips, like those from Accurate Products Inc. These protective rubber covers allow the furniture to be moved easily without putting the beauty and integrity of your floor at risk.
Renew the finish
Should you own a condo or house, home improvement resources like This Old House recommend that you renew the finish on your hardwood flooring every two to three years. By applying new finish, you strengthen the surface of your floor.
You also protect its longevity and appearance by renewing its finish. This tip also guarantees that you will get the best return on your investment for this more upscale choice of flooring. If you live in an AMLI apartment, this is all taken care of for you if necessary.
Beware of residue buildup
In your zeal to clean and protect your hardwood floor, you may accidentally use too much product and cause a residue buildup that compromises your floor’s integrity. Residue buildup actually makes the surface of your floor softer and more vulnerable to scratches, scrapes, and gashes.
If you have buildup on the floor, you should use a gentle stripping agent to remove it before applying a new coat of finish. You should also use minimal amounts of polish when mopping and waxing your floors each week.
Your hardwood floors may be a showpiece in and of themselves. You can keep them beautiful and strong by knowing how to protect them from damages. Use these tips to prolong the elegance and durability of your wooden floors.
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