Proper Care and Maintenance for Oak Hardwood Floors

When looking at the different types of floors you have to choose from, you may want to consider an oak hardwood floor. This is a fairly inexpensive type of wood and offers a durability and beauty that you would expect only from the most expensive options out there. You will find that when well taken care of this type of flooring will last a lifetime and will be able to keep most of its original beauty instead of fading and yellowing. This article will discuss the proper care and maintenance that you need to engage in to protect your investment.  If you really want to protect your new oak hardwood floor, rule number one is to keep water and other liquids away at all costs. Water causes wood to expand which can cause swelling, warping, and a whole host of other problems that may be difficult, if not impossible, to fix. You can help to prevent this by never using water to clean your floors, unless in very small amounts and with permission from the manufacturer of the floors. If your oak hardwood floor is installed in your kitchen, be sure to lay some mats down in front of the sink in order to prevent it from getting splashed. You should also use a dry mop to clean up after meals. Besides water, you also want to avoid using self polishing wax, soap, and ammonia on your oak hardwood floor. Certain cleaners can also leave behind residue that is very difficult to remove. Use only wax that is recommended by the manufacturer of your floors. You also want to take special care not to over wax your floors. Simply use a little at first and buff to see if it is enough, if not you can try adding a little more. You may even want to restrict your waxing only to the areas of your floor that receive heavy traffic. In order to keep your oak hardwood floor free from dirt and dust it is a good idea to sweep and vacuum on a regular basis. It is important however, that you only use a broom with soft bristles in order to prevent your floors from being damaged. Likewise, when using a vacuum cleaner be sure to add a brush attachment with very soft bristles. Finally, you may want to screen your oak hardwood floor about once a year in order to keep it looking nice. This process involves lightly scuffing the surface of the flooring and then covering it with a new, light coat of finish. This is easy to do and if you keep up with it you may never have to worry about giving the floor a complete refinishing. Keep these simple rules for maintenance in mind and your floors will look new for years to come.