Hardwood floors are a significant asset when selling your home. A typical family with children, pets, and sports enthusiasts create heavy traffic on wood flooring. Hardwood floors are a beautiful and classic addition to any home, but they do require some special care and attention to keep them looking their best.
Here are five easy tips for hardwood floor maintenance:
- Sweep or dry mop weekly and as needed for small spills. Vacuum regularly. This will help to remove any dirt, dust, or other debris that can accumulate on the floors to cause scratching. A dust mop is the most effective way to remove dirt, dust, sand, and hair. It is important to clean at least once a week because these particles and grit can grind on your finished floors. Of course, sweeping and mopping will remove dirt, but a dust mop work best. Be sure to use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment to protect hardwood floors.
- Padding may seem like an obvious solution, but most wear and tear can be avoided by using furniture padding and other barriers between your furniture and hardwood flooring. Rugs, felt, sofa feet pads, and even cardboard can be suitable wood floor protectors from tables, chairs, and other furniture items. Pads prevent deep scratches and gouges if your furniture is metal.
- For areas with extensive traffic, like kitchens and hallways, you may want to consider a yearly buff and coat, but for other areas, you can wait for 3 to 5 years. To avoid trouble with the next buff and coat, avoid using waxes or polishes on your hardwood flooring. A film layer will form on your floors from wax or polish that will prevent your floors from being properly coated. Call Hudson Flooring Company and have a professional perform the buff and coat to protect your hardwood floors
- Don’t use harsh cleaners or chemicals. When cleaning your hardwood floors, be sure to use gentle, non-abrasive cleaners. Harsh chemicals will damage the floors and strip away the finish. When you have a significant spill, a lot of mud, or any other mess, we recommend using a damp mop with a cleaner. For smaller spills, mist the floor and wipe with a microfiber cloth or terry rag. The right wood floor cleaner should not harm your floors or leave a film of sticky residue. The keyword here is damp; you do not want to use a wet mop. You also don’t want a cleaning solution to remain on the floor for a long time because it can penetrate and damage the wood.
- Maintain The Humidity in Your Home. The National Hardwood Flooring Association recommends a relative humidity of 30 to 50% and an ideal temperature of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In New Jersey or New York, this could mean a dehumidifier or air conditioner in the summer, and a humidifier in the winter. Keeping a consistent humidity level will keep your floors from getting linear cracks preserving their beauty.
Installer
Plan for regular professional cleaning and refinishing. Depending on the amount of traffic in your home, you may need to have your hardwood floors professionally cleaned and refinished every 3 to 5 years. This will help to keep them looking like new. Hardwood Floors are a major investment. Hudson Floor Group Inc. is a full-service flooring company providing installation, refinishing, restoration, repairs, maintenance, flooring material and high quality, professional service. Contact us at info@hudsonfloorgroup.com OR phone us at 201-644-4400. NJ Location: 92 Bell Street Orange, NJ 07050 NYC Location: 244 Fifth Avenue, Suite Q291 New York, NY 10001. CERTIFICATIONS: OSHA, NWFA, and FSC.