How to Maintain Your Hardwood Floors
If you have thought about changing your flooring and have decided on hardwood flooring then you have made a great choice, but your hardwood floors will need to be maintained. Hardwood flooring is made from mature trees, and is treated when it is finished. Maintaing hardwood floors can be difficult because they scratch easy and also absorb moisture.
Leaving a puddle of water in your hardwood floors would not be a great idea. The cracks in between the hardwood will absorb the moisture and swell. If water happens to be spilt in even a small spot and sits it can still be seen. If any liquid is spilled on the floor you need to soak up the fluid right away. When you clean your hardwood floor you can use a damp mop but only damp. There are also floor cleaners that are specially formulted for hardwood floors that you could use, like area rugs usually. Either way only a damp mop should be used.
Another thing that can happen to hardwood floors are dents and scratches. High heels are torture to hardwood floors. Over time any furniture legs can dent or scratch the floors. You can choose to put area rugs under the furniture to protect the floors or you can put felts on the bottoms of the furniture legs. This can be the same as old floors to many people. You may also choose to add area rugs to any areas that are highly traveled in your house.
There are some people that feel that the scratches and the dents give their hardwood floors character. If you have a lot of dents and scratches then it is an option to have your hardwood floors refinished. If you have your hardwood floors refinished every decade or so and keep on top of protecting your hardwood floors, they will look the best, just like new floors usually. Everything you do from moving furniture to allowing your dog to roam in the house will affect your hardwood floors.
