Keep Your Hardwood Looking For The Life Of Your Home

Most floor coverings in your home will at some point need to be replaced. That’s just a normal course of events over the life of your home. Hardwood flooring is looked at just a bit differently however.

Hardwood flooring is usually looked at as a long-term investment, that, when properly maintained, can last for the life of the home. To get that lifetime of use from your hardwood floors though, does require the proper maintenance.

Fortunately, today’s generation of hardwood flooring is much simpler and easier than the old wax and buff hardwood of years ago. Modern hardwood floors have a finish coat (also referred to as the wear-layer, and is actually several layers) of urethane with aluminum-oxide. This is an amazingly durable finish and will look good for a very long time.

So here are some tips for keeping that wood looking it’s best. A good start is to use throw rugs in higher traffic areas and in front of entry doors. Another good item to invest in is floor protectors to use under chair legs. Urethane finish hardwoods are tough, but they can still be subject to scratching from sliding chairs. Also, if you have a dog inside your home, it would be well advised to keep it’s nails trimmed.

Good general maintenance should be followed as well. The most basic of which is vacuuming and/or dust-mopping regularly. This will keep dirt and grit off of the floor which can also damage the finish over time.

The next step is using an appropriate cleaner. Manufacturers usually have a recommendation, so always check their instructions that came with the floor, or on their websites for appropriate cleaners. There are also excellent products available from other companies that specialize in these types of products. One that comes to my mind is a company named Bona. They offer very high-quality floor cleaners.

Of course it’s always good to wipe up spills immediately. Don’t let water or liquids stand on the floor. For stubborn stains, an appropriate cleaner as mentioned above is recommended. For light scratches most manufacturers have a polish available that can be applied to the scratched area. Bona also makes a quality floor polish.

Prevention goes a long way toward keeping your hardwood floors looking their best. Throw rugs and chair leg protectors, as well as regular vacuuming and/or dust-mopping is all that’s needed most of the time, with an occasional cleaner for the stubborn spots. It’s really fairly easy to care for hardwood floors, and keep it looking good for the long-haul.