There are few household upgrades as prized as hardwood floors. Proper hardwood flooring in a room can instantly add a sense of elegance and class to the atmosphere, and can even make a space seem a little larger. They are one of the best home renovation projects to increase the value of a house, and don’t create the same mustiness that dusty carpets have a tendency to do. When properly cared for, hardwood floors are highly durable, and can last decades.
Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to care for their floors properly, leading to all sorts of tragic moments where something that could’ve been completely avoidable ends up wrecking your precious new hardwood panels. That being said, by following a few simple tips and taking some appropriate precautions, you can make sure that your hardwood floors last you for many years to come. Here are the top three tips for taking care of your hardwood floors.
Soak Up Spills As Soon As Possible
One of the common ways people destroy hardwood floors is by getting moisture into the wood. This can happen in any number of ways inside a busy and hectic house. An accidental coffee spill, water splashes, or even just very wet mops can quickly damage your flooring, causing your hardwood panels to swell or shrink and even split over time. If spills do happen, it’s extremely important that you clean them up immediately with a dry or slightly moistened cloth. Paper towels are useful for this, since they absorb moisture very well, keeping your wood floors dry.
It’s also important to ensure your home isn’t too humid for the same reasons, since high humidity can cause similar water damage as spills if allowed to continue for long enough. You can lower the natural humidity of your house by keeping the internal temperature to around 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit, or even investing in a dehumidifier. Any wet shoes should also be taken off before walking on hardwood floors.
Don’t Forget To Use Furniture Pads
Another common way hardwood floors get damaged is due to scratches from the feet of furniture. While hardwood floors are generally pretty durable surfaces, any sufficiently hard edge scraping along hardwood panels is likely to scratch or even gouge into the surface, particularly if you’re dragging heavy furniture with metal feet over the flooring, such as refrigerators or other appliances.
You can prevent this damage by applying furniture pads to the bottoms of your heavy furniture, as well as furniture that tends to move a lot and grind against wood flooring, such as chairs. These pads, which usually stick onto the feet of furniture through an adhesive layer, create a soft surface to rub against the floor instead, ensuring no scratches or gouges are created.
Sweep and Vacuum Regularly
Finally, it’s important that you regularly clean your hardwood floors by sweeping or vacuuming. Not only are dirty hardwood floors gross, but the natural particulate and dust that accumulates over time of floors can enter into the grain of the wood and the cracks between the floorboards, which can scratch the wood or even cause severe damage over time. Every so often, it can be a good idea to have a professional company clean your hardwood floors to maximize their lifespan and keep them looking nice and new.