Hardwood flooring is an attractive investment for any home. It’s durable and can add to the value of your house, in addition to being beautiful and adding warmth to any room it’s installed in. However, if you don’t take care of your hardwood flooring, you’ll find yourself with scratches or dents that are difficult or impossible to remove. Here are 5 tips on how you can keep your Fort Collins hardwood floors looking their best!
MAINTAIN YOUR HARDWOOD FLOORING BY USING A VACUUM CLEANER WITH AN ATTACHMENT TO AVOID SCRATCHING THE SURFACE
To avoid damaging your hardwood flooring, use a vacuum cleaner with an attachment. This will prevent the bristles from scratching the surface of your floors and causing damage to the wood grain. In addition, if you have pets that shed hair on your floors, make sure to buy a model that has filters specifically designed for removing pet hair as well!
A microfiber cloth is perfect for wiping down your hardwoods without using any chemicals or solvents. For example, you can use a dampened microfiber cloth before applying wax or polish onto wooden surfaces in order to remove excess dirt and grime prior to application.
USE FELT PADS ON FURNITURE LEGS TO PREVENT SCRATCHES AND SCUFFS FROM OCCURRING
Use felt pads under furniture legs instead of those cheap plastic ones most retailers provide with their pieces of furniture. The felt pads are adhesive-backed and will adhere to the bottom of furniture legs. They are not only more aesthetically pleasing than those white or brown plastic pads, but they also prevent scuffs and scratches from appearing on your flooring!
We recommend using felt pads for chair legs as well because it is very common for chairs to slide around during use and then scratch up this part of a hardwood floor inadvertently. Felt does an excellent job in preventing these types of damages like no other material can do.
CLEAN UP SPILLS IMMEDIATELY WITH A DAMP CLOTH OR TOWEL
Cleaning up spills immediately is essential when it comes to keeping your hardwood flooring looking fresh and new.
The quicker you can get up the spill, the less likely you will have those telltale dark stains or discolored patches that are impossible to remove later on down the line without an expensive cleaning process or replacing all of a room’s hardwood flooring!
A damp cloth or towel is perfect for this situation because they won’t leave behind any lint residue like paper towels. They also help pick up dirt and debris that may be present in spilled liquids, so your hands don’t come into contact with them either!
Clean spills as soon as possible by quickly wiping over the surface area with a damp rag. Do not let the liquid dry before cleaning. If it does dry, it will be exceedingly hard to remove the stain.
AVOID WALKING AROUND IN WET SHOES OR WITH WET FEET
Avoid walking around in wet shoes or with wet feet, both of which can cause water damage over time. Doormats and rugs are an excellent way to help retain moisture from outside, so there is less risk for water damage on your floors. Make sure your pet’s feet are dry too!
REGULARLY SWEEP OR VACUUM DUST AND DEBRIS OFF OF YOUR HARDWOOD FLOORING FOR INCREASED LONGEVITY
While we mentioned vacuuming above, it’s worth noting that sweeping is okay. It’s essential to use a relatively soft broom with bristles that will not scratch or scrape your floor with too much force. In addition, sweeping will get rid of debris and dirt that may have accumulated from daily use. These little bits of debris, like small rocks, can seriously scratch your floor over time.
ELEMENT CAN HELP YOU SELECT A DURABLE FLOOR
We’ve talked about many different ways to maintain your hardwood flooring, but the most important thing is to take care of it before any damage occurs. If you have scratches or scuffs on your wood floors from furniture legs, spills that were not cleaned up right away, or dust and debris buildup over time, then we can potentially help with floor repair or a new hardwood floor. Contact our team today for a free estimate so we can assess the state of your hardwood and provide maintenance suggestions.
