There’s nothing like a real wood floor for adding an element of style and sophistication to a room. Not only do wood floors look great, they’re relatively easy to keep clean. However, treat your floor badly, and it won’t last as long as it could.
If you’re prepared to put the hard work in from day one, your wooden floors should have a long, beautiful life. Just follow these nine relatively straightforward tips for prolonging the life of real wood flooring.
1. Vacuum in the right way
If you brush your floor, make sure you’re using a soft-bristle brush. Better still, use a vacuum cleaner for the job. However, to protect your precious wood floor from scratches, use a hardwood attachments, which is much kinder and gentler
2. Choose floor cleaners very carefully
It is important that you read the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions in full. They will tell you how to clean your floor, and which cleaning agents to avoid. Many commercial floor cleaners will cause permanent damage to real wood by stripping it of its protective coating. You should avoid highly acidic agents that contain ammonia or vinegar, as well as oil-based soaps.
3. Don’t use traditional mops
Saturating your wood floors with hot, soapy water has the potential to do serious damage, including warping, twisting and swelling. Steam mops, on the other hand, use a relatively small amount of water, and they leave the surface almost dry afterwards. Nevertheless, check the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions before proceedings.
4. Leave shoes at the door
Constantly walking over real wood flooring with shoes can cause scratches and scrapes — which spoil the look of the wood and create opportunities for water to infiltrate. Shoes also carry small particles of dirt and grit into your home, which can cause almost invisible damage over time.
5. Restrict your pet’s access
Cats in particular love nothing more than to sharpen their claws on wood. If left unsupervised, they might take the opportunity to perform a little claw maintenance on your expensive oak floor. Try not to leave cats in rooms that have wood floors. Also, invest in a couple of scratching posts, so your cat has a way of sharpening its claws without damaging flooring and furniture.
6. Be careful with furniture
Try not to move your furniture around too much. When you have to, always lift; never drag. Buy some felt pads to place under the feet of tables and chairs, which will provide a protective layer to stop scratches and scrapes.
7. Position rugs and mats carefully
Identify the high-traffic areas in your home, and cover them with rugs and mats. Among the areas that usually need extra protection are hallways and entryways. Place doormats at every external door, so the worst of dirt and grit is removed before people enter your home. You might have to add some rubber strips to the underside of your rugs and mats in order to stop them slipping.
8. Perform regular preventative maintenance
A good real wood floor should last a lifetime — but only if you’re taking preventative maintenance steps regularly. Most manufacturers recommend sanding and recoating floors with a protective layer every five to seven years. If your floor is coated in wax, it should be stripped and reapplied once a year.
9. Sweep at least once a day
If you’re sweeping your real wood floors regularly, you’re removing the debris that can get ground into flooring. This debris will often create tiny scratches and indentations, which can make floors vulnerable to water. By removing this debris, you’re significantly reducing the risk of permanent damage being caused. Use a soft-bristle brush, as outdoor brushes can scratch soft woods.
A beautiful real wood floor should give you and your family a lifetime of pleasure — but only if you take good care of it.
