7 Easy Ways to Keep Your Wood Floor Beautiful
By Marisa MeltzerMaintaining the Beauty of Your Wood Flooring
Congratulations! You are probably the proud owner of a beautiful new engineered wood floor – which is why you’re here. Wood flooring is both durable and long-lasting but it’s important that you understand the do’s and don’ts of wood floor maintenance. We’ve put together 7 easy ways to keep your wood floor beautiful so you can begin today.
1. Use Mats, Rugs & Felt Pads
Your entryways see a lot of traffic. And that traffic will bring in extra dirt and mess from outside. We recommend using a rug or mat to pick up most of the dirt before it lands on your gorgeous new floor.
It’s a good idea to put protective felt pads under chair and table legs to prevent scratches as people move furniture around daily. Never drag furniture – instead, lift it and place it. Don’t put indoor house plants directly on your wood floor. Instead, put them in a waterproof tray – or better yet , on a stand or pedestal.
2. Use the Right Maintenance Product
We recommend using Osmo Wash & Care or Woca Natural Soap. Be sure to dilute the product as recommended on the label. Dampen your mop with the cleaning product or spray lightly on the floor and work it in with a soft cloth. These products are specially formulated to treat and condition your floor while cleaning.
Remember not to soak your floor or leave standing water. And always dry your floor when you’re finished cleaning. Don’t allow air drying and never scrub with an abrasive brush or pad because you will damage the hard wax oil finish.
Higher traffic areas may require more frequent cleaning. For scuffs or heavily soiled areas, use a higher concentration of cleaning product – still diluted in water and apply with a soft cloth.
For more information on how to look after your wood floor, read the Legno Bastone Residential Care Instructions to keep your floor looking beautiful forever.
3. Vacuum Often
It’s important to prevent dirt and grit from being ground into your wood flooring finish. There are a multitude of stick vacuums that are suitable for wood floors and can whiz around your floor in the blink of an eye. Making sure that you pick up surface dirt will help keep your surface in tip-top shape. Just ensure you’re not using a vacuum with a beater bar. And always use a hardwood floor setting.
4. Filter the Harsh Sunlight
This is particularly important in Southern California. Over time, our harsh sun will lighten your flooring finish. We recommend drawing your curtains or shades shades, or adding UV film to your windows to reduce the incidence of sun bleaching.
5. Don’t Drag Heavy Furniture
It goes without saying that dragging heavy items across your floor will damage the finish. We recommend lifting and placing your furniture and using felt pads under chair and table legs.
6. Don’t Forget to Sweep Outside Too
Keeping your outdoor areas free of leaves and grit will reduce the amount of dirt that gets carried inside. And make sure you’ve got a sturdy doormat so people can wipe their feet before entering your home.
7. Wipe Up Spills
When the inevitable happens, don’t panic… but do wipe it up quickly. The longer liquid sits on your flooring, the higher the chance it will seep through your finish and damage the wood underneath. Same goes for your pet Fido. If he likes to slosh water around when drinking, we recommend putting a mat underneath his drinking bowl. This one from Amazon works really well.
Don’t use a wet mop. While engineered wood flooring is much more stable and resistant to cupping and swelling, excess water on wood is just asking for trouble. We recommend using a damp mop with water as needed. Don’t soak the floor and always conclude by drying the floor rather than allowing it to air dry.
Hardwood Floor Don’ts
Now that we’ve talked about the 7 easy ways to keep your wood floor beautiful, you also need to know what to steer clear of. If you have a steam mop, be sure to keep it for cleaning your non-porous floors like ceramic tile, stone, vinyl and cement. We don’t recommend using a steam mop on your hardwood floor. The high temperature can damage the finish and too much moisture might cause your flooring to discolor or warp. Likewise, don’t use really hot water when you’re mopping.
Don’t use a vacuum cleaner that has a beater bar because it might scratch or dent your flooring. Likewise, be careful not to drag your vacuum across the floor.
Leaving high heels for outside your home is also a good idea. Some heels can damage the hardwood flooring surface by leaving nicks or scratches. It goes without saying that sports shoes with cleats or spikes should never be worn on wood floors.
You might use vinegar as an all-purpose household cleaner but it’s important not to use it on your wood flooring. It’s very abrasive and could damage your flooring finish.
Visit Unique Hardwood in SOCO
Hopefully, you now have a better idea of how to look after your wood floor. If you still have questions, please visit our showroom to talk to one of our experienced staff members. And if you can think of more than 7 easy ways to keep your wood floor beautiful, please let us know!
We’re conveniently located in SOCO in Costa Mesa. You can also call us at (949) 791-8078, and we’ll happily help you over the phone.
Above all, we hope you’re enjoying your new floor!