How to Clean and Care for Hardwood Flooring Correctly

Hardwood flooring is a beautiful addition to any home. Few can resist the natural beauty that they offer. Additionally, wood floors add to the value of your home. You can maintain your wood floors by cleaning and caring for them as suggested by the professionals that installed them. Should you move into a home where the floors are already wood, you can follow some general information to take good care of your floors.

In order to properly care for your hardwood flooring, you need to know what type of wood your floors are made of. Not all wood is the same, and some types of wood react differently to humidity and other factors that cause wear. Some wooden floors are softer and therefore need more care than floors that are harder.

There are a few general principles of care that apply to all types of hardwood flooring. The primary way to keep your floors looking nice is to maintain them on a regular basis. Allowing them to get too dirty and neglecting to properly sweep and mop will shorten the life of your wood floors and cause them to look dull and unsightly. These types of floors should be swept with a broom on a regular basis to remove dirt, sand and debris. If you are not sweeping regularly, then the debris can cause scratching and dulling. Your floors should also be mopped with a damp (not dripping wet) mop and no chemical cleaners. For scuff marks and other stains, you should use a professional cleaning solution that is recommended by your installer or trusted professional.

You should never use cleaners that contain ammonia or oils as these types of cleaners will dull the finish and can make it difficult to refinish the floors later. Additionally, you should not wax a floor that has a urethane finish. For most cleaning jobs, a damp mop or cleaning rag should do the trick.

If your hardwood flooring is dull and scratched, you will probably need to have it refinished. The refinishing process involves sanding the finish off of the floors and exposing the bare wood. A new urethane finish is applied in several coats, and when completed your floors should appear as good as new.

Caring for your hardwood flooring is not difficult, and really does not have to be time consuming. A few simple tools and some water should really be all you need to maintain your beautiful floors and protect your investment. If you find yourself needing additional information about your particular floors, you should contact a professional who can provide direct guidance about the floors in your home.