If you have decided to go for a hardwood flooring or you already have one and you want to preserve it as much as you can, then these 5 tips will definitely help you.
1) Dragging Heavy Items
If you have a new piece of furniture, like a sofa, table, bookshelf, TV table, etc., then dragging it on the floor will most likely result in dents and scratches. Now there are definitely some of you who will not mind these scratches (it is actually an urban décor trend), but it will be a problem to most of you.
So I would suggest to always have a friend (or several) to help you move the furniture carefully above the floor.
If you have a permanent place for a table, which is moved around only occasionally, then I’d suggest putting a carpet underneath. If you are not a carpet fan, then simple furniture glides will do the trick.
2) Proper Cleaning
Hardwood flooring requires different type of cleaning materials than other flooring types. You should mainly use either a soft broom, vacuum cleaner or a de-watered mop. These tools will clean the floor properly, without inflicting any kind of damage.
If your floor is stained, then I’d suggest using water with soap to clean the stains, the dry the spot immediately with a cleaning rag. Don’t use unknown chemicals, since they can damage and de-colorize the hardwood flooring.
Also never use metal-cleaner, as it will result in scratches and dents.
3) Moisture
What you should definitely avoid is using water or having any kind of moisture on your hardwood floor. Water and moisture are the main enemies here, since their damage will be irreversible. Having water for longer periods on the floor will result in seelling-up and you will be forced to replace the entire floor.
That’s something none of us is looking forward to – right?
4) Use High Quality Finish
Proper cleaning goes a long way, but if you want to preserve the lifespan of your hardwood flooring, then having a top quality finish goes a long way.
Typical high-quality finish is made of wood wax, polyurethane or alternatively, Tung oil. Several manufacturers also recommend re-installing the finish every couple of years, although this is something you need to check with your flooring manufacturer. You can also check our guide on 5 things for polishing furniture.
5) Leave Your Shoes Behind
Normally this would go without saying, but I feel obligated to point it out. Shoes (depending on the sole) can blacken the floor quite easily. While this can be normally cleaned, it can also leave deep scratches. Not to mention bringing outside dirt along with your shoes. Even if you don’t have soles that can scratch the floor, who has the time to keep cleaning the black stains and dirt? Well, certainly not me.
If you can, I’d suggest leaving your shoes at the doors. You will save the floor and time.
Conclusion
These are the 5 tips that can help extend the life duration of your hardwood flooring. Hopefully, you got yourself at least one new tip that you didn’t know about. If not, it certainly doesn’t hurt to re-discover these fine tips.