Okay newbies, listen up. That hardwood you got in your home needs to be properly cared for and routinely maintained or you’re going to screw it up. So the following are some important tips from N-Hance Wood Refinishing of Tacoma for the express purpose of ensuring that your wood flooring doesn’t lose its luster and age prematurely.
The Do’s of Cleaning Hardwood
When it comes to routine cleaning of your hardwood flooring, there are some definite do’s and don’ts to keep in mind before you take any action. Even the smallest, most insignificant mistake, be it the use of the wrong cleansing product or the wrong vacuum cleaner attachment, can have a major, negative, impact on the condition of your flooring.
So do clean up spills and messes as quickly as possible. You may have heard this about your carpeting, well it’s no different for your hardwood floor. If you allow liquid of any kind to remain on your hardwood for any length of time, you could damage it pretty badly.
In addition, always use a hard floor attachment when you sweep or vacuum. Failing to do so could also scratch the surface of your flooring.
Finally, always try to use a cleanser that is created specifically for hardwood surfaces. Other types of cleaners could damage the finish. If that occurs, you will need to spend time and money to refinish hardwood floors that are now vulnerable and exposed.
What NOT to Do
Some of these are relatively simple and straightforward to understand as many of them rely on basic common sense. For example, anything abrasive must be avoided at all costs when you are cleaning your hardwood flooring. That means no steel wool nor heavy powders or harsh cleansers that can erode your floor’s finish.
Ammonia is also a big don’t. So are any other cleaning or polishing products that are oil-based since these can also mar your floor’s appearance and weaken the finish.
Watch out for moisture as you clean your wood floors. Wetness can make your flooring swell and the boards will start to warp. So it’s best you avoid that problem altogether by refraining from using soap and water or other liquid cleansers on the floor, including oil-soap detergents. Along with swollen and warped floorboards you may also notice delamination and joint-line separation. All of these things will undoubtedly lead to your warranty becoming void.
Finally, don’t use a buffing machine on your floors. It’s not suitable for most wood floors and could cause serious amounts of damage.
Watch Those Sharp and Pointy Objects
Fine wood can be easily damaged from any number of things, but the most impactful is allowing any sharp objects near your floors. This includes anything that can scratch, pierce, puncture, or in any other way penetrate the material. Avoid placing anything sharp directly on the floor and don’t walk on it with high heels or spiked cleats or sneakers.
Even your pet’s nails can have an effect on the condition of your hardwood flooring, so be sure to keep those trimmed at all times.