Dust mop or vacuum daily.

Dirt, dust and grit can damage your hardwood floor by dulling the floors finish and causing scratches that can only be repaired by refinishing the floor. Regular daily dust mopping is an essential part of hardwood floor care.  If you use a vacuum ensure it has a hard surface setting or special hardwood floor attachments.  Don’t use an upright vacuum with a beater bar because they can cause damage to your floor’s finish.

Use Squeaky Cleaner and a microfiber mop to regularly maintain your wood floor.

Squeaky cleaner won’t leave a residue, just a clean floor.  Do not flood your floor with water or use a wet mop. Excess moisture content can permanently damage or discolor your floors.

Wipe up food, liquid spills or drips immediately to prevent damage to the wood or finish.

Use a soft, dry or slightly dampened cloth, starting at the edges of the spill and working your way toward the center.

Maintain a consistent room temperature between 60–80 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity level between 35–50%.

Wood flooring naturally expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity.  

1. In the summer:  When moisture content is high, the use of an air conditioner or a dehumidifier may be required. Excess moisture content could cause permanent damage in the form of ridges, cupping or buckling.
2. In the winter:   When moisture content is low, the use of a humidifier may be required. Dry air can expose cracks between boards and high edges.
   
   

Place furniture glides made of felt or some other fabric under the legs of furniture to prevent scratches.

The best option is to pick up and move furniture, rather than sliding it across the floor.  The next best option is to use glides made of felt.  Clean the glides regularly to ensure that dust and grit do not become embedded. Use barrel-type casters instead of ball casters to prevent dents. Use non-marking rubber casters instead of plastic or metal.  Learn more about Pro Glides here.  

Use doormats or rugs at the entrances of your home to help trap dirt and grit.

Regularly vacuum and have Distinctive clean your door mats and rugs.

Don’t use throw rugs with rubber or vinyl backing without checking to determine if they will affect your floor’s finish.

Some materials in the backing can react with certain floor finishes, discoloring or causing the finish to become dull.

How To Avoid Deep Scratches

• Shoes – High heels can scratch or dent a wood floor especially if the tip is unprotected.  Check the tread on the bottom of your shoes to ensure gravel or dirt isn’t trapped because this could scratch or dent a wood floor.
• Dog or Cat Nails – The nails of a dog or cat can damage wood flooring.
• Furniture Moving – Do not slide furniture across the floor.  Lift furniture when moving it to avoid scratches in the floor’s surface.  If the item is to heavy to lift, use an appliance dolly or if the item has wheels or rollers put down hardboard runways over the wood floor to prevent damage.
  
  

Do not use wax or silicone based polishes or cleaners.

Strangely enough there are a lot of “floor care” products that are not good for your floors.  Some wood floor cleaning products and polishes sold at the local box store will look shiny upon initial application but can actually make your floor more difficult to clean, cause uneven or unsightly appearance issues and may create problems if the floor requires refinishing.  Floor polish is not as durable as urethane coatings and will deteriorate quickly.  Once paste wax is used on a floor it must be used forever.  For everyday maintenance, use Squeaky Cleaner.

Protect your floors by using drapes, curtains, blinds or window tinting to limit direct sunlight.

The ultraviolet radiation in sunlight can cause discoloration over time.

Apply a urethane finish to protect your floor in the future.

Wear will develop from surface scratches in the traffic areas, refinish the floor before it wears down to bare wood and you should never have to have your floors re-sanded.

Visit our Who We Recommend Page here to find a local company to repair or re-sand your hardwood floors