Easy Care Hardwood Floors
Most important is to use the right cleaner. Usually the floorings retailer or manufacturer can provide you with their cleaner recommendations and many even produce their own brand. Materials to avoid cleaning your floors with are: water, as it doesn’t mix with wood and moisture can damage wood over the long run; silicone, undiluted vinegar and ammonia can damage the finish; products that contain liquid or paste wax or oil soaps leave a residue; any products that contain citrus, lemon or tung oil can eat away at the floor’s finish.
You should use the cleaner once a week after you have swept up any loose dirt, and remember to never pour the cleaner directly on the floor, always use a terry cloth mop or a micro-fiber pad. Just make sure to read the label before using any cleaner on your beautiful floors.
Floors need to be swept or vacuumed every day to keep dirt from building up and causing scratches. Make sure the wheels of the vacuum are clean and don’t use any attachment that may scratch the floor. Never ever use a steam cleaner on hardwood floors as it can warp the floorboards. There are also certain finishes that can be used to help prevent scuffs and scratches, but the best bet is to use rugs in high-traffic areas, welcome mats, and place felt pads on the feet of any furniture that you think might scrape or gouge the floors.
One thing most people don’t think about is keeping the blinds or curtains closed to prevent the intense Florida sun from bleaching out areas of your floors. And, we all love our dogs, but even they can scratch up our floors, so please remember to keep their nails trimmed and their paws free of dirt or any other substance that can ruin your floors.
Harwood floors can add warmth and luxury to your home and if they are cleaned correctly and preventive measures are taken, they will last a lifetime. Listing and selling both new and resale homes in Naples has made me very knowledgeable about construction and finish materials. Let me share this knowledge with you should you be looking for a home in Naples, Florida, please contact me, Andrea Jeppesen at 239.289.4004 or andrea@gcipnaples.com.
