Many people choose hardwood floors for their homes because they are easy to care for. However, they do require maintenance in order to keep them looking great. Below are some tips to keep your hardwood floors looking like it is new.
Clean up Spills Immediately
If something spills on the hardwood floor, you need to clean it up immediately. Even if the spill is small, this can cause long-term damage to your floor. Take a cloth and clean up the spill immediately.
Clean the Floor Regularly
Even if your hardwood floor appear to be clean, you still need to clean them on a regular basis. You can determine whether the floor is clean by scraping it with your fingernail. Before you start cleaning, make sure that you remove everything from the room before you clean the hardwood floors.
Tips for Cleaning Wood Floors
• Don’t use soap, it leaves a residue that is hard to remove
• Avoid using too much water when cleaning hardwood floors
• Use a cleaner that is specifically designed for hardwood floors
After you have cleaned the floor, you will need to give it time to dry. The floor will naturally dry on its own. However, if you want to speed up the process, you can use a fan.
Apply the New Finish
A quality finish will protect your hardwood floor by repelling stains and moisture and guard against UV damage. Choose a finish that is recommended by your manufacturer.
Cure Time vs. Drying Time
• Paint Dries when the solvents evaporate from your paint coating leaving the paint feeling dry to the touch even though it is NOT100% dry.
• Paint Curing is when your paint coating has reached its maximum hardness and is 100% dry.
While a finish can dry in a few minutes, it can take up to a week for the finish to cure. While you can walk across the floor after the finish has dried, there are some precautions you must take
• Keep pets and shoes off of the floor for at least a day
• Wait three days before bringing the furniture back in the room
• Avoid sliding the furniture across the floor, this can scratch the floor
Vacuum the Dust
Dust your floor weekly to keep your wood floors looking like new. Use a soft-bristled brush on the vacuum cleaner to remove the dust. Don’t use a dust mop to clean up dust, this will push dust it into the corners of the room.
Do a Seasonal Checkup
Inspect your hardwood floor at the end of every season and check for signs of water damage, scratches and stains. If you notice a major issue, call a professional company as soon as possible.
