Tips on Keeping your Floor in Prime Condition

Some of the most common questions we get asked at the wood floor blog are asking how to maintain the look of a floor, so we decided to put together some tips on keeping your floor in prime condition for you to enjoy for years to come.

Tips on Keeping your Floor in Prime Condition

Don’t let spills settle on your flooring. Fluids aren’t generally the thing you would want to keep on your hardwood floor, if you leave fluid on the floor for a prolonged period of time this will cause water spots. If there are any spillages clean up the fluids straight away using an absorbent cloth.

Always try to follow the floor manufacturer’s recommendations when possible and try to sweep daily, always using a soft fine bristle broom. Sweeping is an important part of maintaining a wooden floor and sweeping daily will help keep things off the floor which may cause scratching. Make sure that you know the type of finish on your wooden floor and follow the correct maintenance procedures for them e.g. Never wax a urethane floor instead use only a very dry damp cloth (to avoid water damage).

Place glides (furniture guards/pads) under any furniture on your wooden flooring to avoid scratching the floor underneath. Also place mats at every entrance to prevent people from walking in dirt and grit onto your floor Vacuum regularly, try to vacuum at least 2 times a week to get the loose dirt which may have been missed, please be cautious however as hard plastic and stiff bristles can scratch the finish on your floor.

Try to avoid wearing heavy shoes, high heels and sports shoes on your flooring as these can cause dents and indentations on your floor. Also children’s toys can cause damage to your floor, a prime example are racing cars which can scratch the flooring. Don’t over-wax a wax floor, if your floor dulls and you want to restore its shine you may want to invest in a buffer. However it may be best to get suggestions from the floor manufacturer for the specific procedures for your floor.

Clean up pet mess quickly, keep food dishes on a mat and keep their nails trimmed to avoid any stains and scratches. Mop regularly using a dry damp mop adding cleaner to the water (we personally recommend the Bona range of cleaners as their quality is fantastic). Cover the floor when decorating so any dropped screws or paint won’t damage your flooring, also, when moving heavy furniture slip a piece of cloth or pile under the legs to avoid any scuffing and scratching.