Caring For Your Wooden Floor

Wooden floors are simple to care for and take little work. Just a regular few minutes and a little common sense is all that’s needed.

Protect the Surface
Wood is a relatively soft, natural material, and as such is easily damaged or scratched if it’s not treated carefully:

Get family members into the habit of removing outdoor shoes before they walk on the floor, as hard pointed heels can cause dents. It may be difficult to ask visitors in high heels to remove their shoes, but for the sake of your floor it would be best if they did!

Sunlight can also be your enemy as wood can fade as the sun bleaches it. For this reason try to avoid placing rugs in front of windows to avoid light and dark discoloured areas on the floor. Although you can’t stop the wood colour from changing and maturing over time, you can slow the effects of UV light by fitting blinds at the windows to filter the sunlight. 

Take care when moving furniture, lifting rather than dragging heavy items to avoid scratches. If you do a lot of furniture moving, consider fitting felt protectors to the legs or feet of your larger items.

If your wooden floor is in the kitchen, consider laying a mat beside the sink, where water spills are more likely to happen. Immediately mop up any spills to prevent them seeping into the wood.

Sweeping and Cleaning
Everyday dirt and grime carried into the house on the soles of shoes or pets’ paws can create an almost invisible layer of dust. If it’s allowed to build up, the abrasive quality of the dirt can damage the surface of the wood, dulling the sheen and spoiling the natural glow.

Use a soft brush, or your vacuum cleaner, to regularly pick up everyday dust and dirt and maintain the just-laid look of the floor. 

Put doormats inside the exterior doors and encourage everyone to wipe their feet as they enter. If possible, avoid using rubber-backed mats as they can become moist underneath and the build-up may damage the floor. Shake the mats out regularly, or vacuum the dust out of them to maintain their effectiveness.

Wipe clean any muddy paw prints or footprints with a damp cloth or mop. Take care not to soak the floor during cleaning as too much moisture can soak into the wood and cause it to swell and buckle. 

If you’re using a liquid solution to clean your wooden flooring, remember to follow the manufacturers directions concerning quantities and ratios of cleaner to water. Floor cleaners are useful for removing the occasional scuff mark, but use only products recommended for use on wooden floors.