Basic Care For Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floor is a very obedient one. All it needs is a little care and it will serve you a lifetime. The feel of warmth, natural beauty, richness and coziness will carry over for quite a long time and the charm of your home will never fade off. But, however little, care is necessary for getting these.
A very basic fact is that you have invested much when you have installed hardwood flooring. So you do not want to spoil the investment. But that also does not mean that you will not tread on it for the fear of wearing it.
Just take some preventive steps. Remember that dirt, sand particles and grit are the worst enemies of hardwood flooring. They grind the surface with each step and movement that you make.
So they not only wear out the sheen, but they actually grind of the wood itself. This means that your first step towards proper maintenance is not to let grime, dirt and sand accumulate on the floor surface.
Finish of the hardwood floor is very vital. So when installing you will have to make sure that there is no undulation on the floor which can accumulate water on it. Seepage can warp the floor if the laying is not properly done.
Moreover, spills can stain the floor that is not properly finished if it is not wiped off immediately. To clean the floor, avoid any hard cleaners.
Avoid oil soaps as they tend to interfere with the surface finish and when you need to recoat it you may have to grind it up to the base coat to allow the new coat to get a grip. You may use the neutral pH cleaners for the purpose.
Be careful with your furniture, especially when moving the heavy ones. Dragging them across the floor may scratch the floor surface. So lift them up and then move.
You can add felt padding on the under-surface. If you can make sure that your floor does not get any dents. Often sunlight can fade the color of the wood. Avoid it, if possible.
So your regular care routine will include simple sweeping with brooms or vacuuming with the simple, brush like floor attachments. These help in removing dust and grit. You can also use a dust mop for the job.
