Hardwood Floor Care

Do's & Don'ts

Hardwood floor care and cleaning requires keeping a regular routine so as to prolong the life of your floor and keep them looking their best....

Of course, all wood floors will require refinishing eventually. At what point you'll need to refinish will depend on the degree of use and level of care and cleaning.

Learning how to clean hardwood floors by following these "Do's & Don'ts" will maintain their beauty and delay the need for costly refinishing.

DO

DO use products recommended by the floor manufacturer if your floor is still under warranty.

DO use a neutral pH balance hardwood floor cleaners that do not contain any oil soaps or wax.

DO clean up dirt and grit by sweeping or vacuuming (floor setting only)...these agents are like sandpaper on the finish and can cause scratches, dulling or dents.

DO place floor mats at all exterior entrances to trap dirt and prevent tracking it onto your floors.

DO wipe up water and other spills as they happen! Standing moisture of any kind can warp the wood (on poor finish/unfinished floors) or damage the finish.

DO vacuum on "floor" setting or with a brush attachment... not the beater bars! Beater bars could make dents in the wood.

DON'T

DON'T drag or push furniture when moving it, lift it! Putting felt or guards on the bottom of furniture legs will also help prevent scratching the floor.

DON'T use excessive water when mopping. Be sure to wring out the mop so it is just "damp" and not dripping.

DON'T use vinegar, products with alkaline, straight ammonia or bleach as a hardwood floor cleaner. They will dull or damage the finish...

DON'T use abrasive cleaners like Comet or Soft Scrub. These will scratch the hardwood floor finish and the wood surface.

DON'T use funiture polish or sprays unless you like to slip and slide as if ice skating.

DON'T use oil soap or wax cleaners.

This last one seems counterintuitive given that "floor wax" and "oils" are used as finishes and finish protectants, however using cleaning products that contain waxes or oil soaps will cause build-up and unnecessary hardwood flooring care problems when it comes time to refinish.

Again, following these hardwood floor care "Do's & Don'ts" will best preserve the natural beauty of your floor and decrease the lifetime cost of maintenance and refinishing.

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