You did it. Your new hardwood floor has finally been completed, and everything looks amazing. You’ve been wanting these floors for a long time, and there’s only one thing itching in the back of your head now: How in the world do I keep them nice? What happens when I have people over?
The two main threats to keeping a hardwood floor beautiful are:
- Scratches - Scratches can be the very bane of hardwood floors existence throughout homes everywhere. From animal feet, to high heeled shoes, to kitchen furniture, it can be easy to miss simple steps to protect these from damaging the floor beneath them.
- Make sure any pets claws are trimmed and no longer sharp at an angle which could cause any trouble
- Place felt pads on the bottom of chairs and other furniture; this prevents them from scuffing the surface when moved or shifted in position.
- Avoid walking on your floors with heels which are for any reason lacking a rubber or soft base
- Place a small rug near entrances of your home to prevent debris from outside landing on your floor and eventually stepped on.
- If there is a small scratch: use a wax stick (found in wood floor maintenance kits) to repair the issue
- If there is a large scratch: call a savannah ga flooring professional. More damage can be done than help if you don’t have experience in flooring
- Finish - The finish of a wood floor is very important; it’s what makes the wood look so good. If the finish gets damaged the floor can look messy and generally shoddy in spots. Prevention is much more useful than having to treat damage that could have been avoided. So how do we do this?
- When cleaning (if possible), avoid using a wet mop, as this can dull the finish overtime.
- If you have a spill in the kitchen, wipe it up immediately with a cloth. It may be damp, but not soaking. Prolonged exposure to a spill or water can also damage the flooring finish
- Learn what finish your flooring has; each finish has its own set of best practices to maintain.
- Ask a professional how to re-apply a finish if needed
Following these guidelines, floor care should be a little more manageable for that office party or just family movie night! For flooring advice, contact savannah ga flooring experts, Eckard’s Flooring, and get professional advice on all your hardwood flooring needs!
