Whenever we talk to someone who’s thinking about having hardwood floors installed, their biggest concern is always the upkeep. We’ve heard it all. “hardwood floors are hard to maintain.” “It’s so easy to scratch. I can’t have that in a house with children and pets.” “If something spills on it, the wood is ruined.” We’re happy to tell you that keeping your floors looking brand new is not as difficult as it seems. These floors are gorgeous and elegant, but they can handle a lot. Just like with carpet or tile floors, your hardwood floors need regular cleaning, but it’s not anything you’re going to break your back or bank doing. Here’s how you look after your hardwood floors:
Daily Cleaning: While scratches aren’t as common as people might think, they can happen, especially if there are pieces of dirt or stone on your floors. With a microfiber cloth or pad, wipe up any dust, dirt, and debris. Avoid using a broom and dustpan since it can’t pick up nearly as much as microfiber close can. This will only take 5 or 10 minutes depending on the size of the room.
Weekly Cleaning: Either mopping or vacuuming is effective. The main thing to take away from your cleanings is to use gentle pressure on the floor. It’s not carpet, so nothing can get embedded into it. If you’re mopping, a gentle mist can go a long way.
Monthly Maintenance: Every two to three months, if you’re noticing your flooring looking a little dull you can polish it. Polishing will brighten the appearance of the wood, bit of there happens to be a few microscopic scratches the polish will fill them in and even out the sealant that’s on the floors to protect them.
Yearly Care: Every three to five years, to maintain the look of your beautiful hardwood floor, you should have it deep cleaned, sanded, and refinished. Sanding and refinishing get rid of the top layer of the flooring that might have some scuffs and scratches on it. A new layer of protective sealant is applied and just like that, you’ll have brand new floors without the hassle or the cost of a new installation. Sanding and refinishing should be completed by a professional hardwood flooring company such as us here at Wakefield Hardwood Floors.
