1. Choose the right vacuum for the job. Mopping alone will not keep a wood floor clean. Before you mop, a good vacuum should be used to remove any dirt from corners or dust between boards. If you don't, adding water to dirt make mud, and mud that dries to the floor is harder to get off.
2. Reduce the use of harsh cleaners. Many of the cleaning products you find for your home are not pH neutral or gentle on wood floors. If it isn't made for wood flooring, there's a good chance that it isn't good for the floors. It may remove spots and spills, but it could be doing damage to the finish of the wood.
3. Practice gentle cleaning first. When using a wood floor cleaner such as Basic Coatings Squeaky Cleaner, it is designed for daily maintenance. There may be times that it gets to a point that it doesn't seem to work anymore. If this happens, call a professional to come clean your floors. A Basic Coatings Certified Contractor will have the correct products to remove heavy soiling and get it back to where you can maintain it yourself.
4. Be careful when moving furniture. As tough as a pre-finished wood floor is, a nail or staple on the foot of a piece of furniture can do some serious damage to a wood floor. Whether you have a sand and finish wood floor or pre-finished, take the time to put furniture pads onto the feet of your furniture. This will help ensure that you won't scratch the wood when moving them around or cleaning under them.
5. Wood floors don't like high heels. A high heel shoe puts a lot of weight into one little spot. This can cause you to make little dents in the wood from the pressure that comes from walking on wood flooring. Try to wear flats or slippers when inside your own home. If you have company over a lot, put as many rugs down as possible to protect the wood.
6. Pet care. If you have animals in your home, you can get scratches on the wood flooring from them accidentally. It is important to keep pet nails trimmed and clean up any accidental mishaps as soon as possible. They can't take care of their nails themselves and many times can't go outside on their own.
Do you have more questions about how to care for your wood floors? BPS Southeast can help. Give us a call today to learn more about the flooring services we provide in the Western North Carolina area.
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