How to not ruin Wood Floors

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Set aside what you always do for your wood floors. Now think about what you have done against it. From day one when you are enchanted by its beauty and have wood floors installed, it is understood that they will require extra special care compared to other flooring options. Made from organic materials, wood floors are continuously affected by its cleaning techniques, maintenance materials, and the surrounding environment. Even solid wood flooring which can last for generations needs proper maintenance to perform its strength and durability. It takes efforts to make your investment worth it so the wood floors can add aesthetics and elegance to your home in magnificent ways.

Wooderra comes up with a list of things you might be doing unintentionally that would ruin your wood floors.


1. Skipping sweeping

Sweeping and vacuuming is one of the quick ways to extend the life of your floors. Hence, do not ditch these handy and easy cleaning steps and stick to them on a regular basis.

The finish of wood floors can easily be scratched and dulled by dust, dirt, and other abrasive particles in spite of their micro size.


2. Not using the right vacuum attachments

Anybody who has spent time cleaning wood floors and has tried both methods knows that vacuuming takes less energy and time than sweeping. Being such an important chore to maintain the beauty of your interiors, it does not mean any vacuum attachment will do the trick.

Do not use a beater bar or hard head on vacuum as it can gouge wood floors. Choose hardwood-specialized brush attachment instead, which is usually the long, oval floor brush type, so that dust and dirt are kept off your wood floors properly without causing any damage to it.

If you already have an upright model, make sure to turn the rotating brush off to prevent the bristles from scratching the wood floors.


3. Am I mopping it right?

If you follow the first two cleaning routines, you may not need mopping. Then again, wet cleaning is probably necessary at times, and while we are at it, we might not be aware of how much water is soaked in our mop.

To maintain the glow of your wood floors, avoid much water contact to a lowest degree possible, including steam mops.

The more water seeping down into wood floors' seams, the more it is built up under it, which translates to more negative movement later on, such as swelling, cupping, and warping.

To ensure that your floor's protective layer is not thermally broken down by moisture over time, make use of a barely damp mop or cloth when your wood floors need a deep clean. Don't forget to dry the surface immediately and thoroughly by buffing it with a different and clean cloth right after.


4. Letting spills sit

Any liquid sitting on your wood floors for any length of time is a no-no. Do immediately wipe them off with a soft, clean cloth instead of letting them dry and cake on. Again, if there is a deep cleaning involving a spot of water, make sure to buff dry wood floor thoroughly afterward with a clean towel.


5. Skipping the door mat

After a walk outside, by the time you hit the door, stones, grit, grime, dirt, gravel and other outdoor elements should be off the bottom of your shoes and away from wood floors. Either your property is a residential or commercial setting, it is called a welcome mat or a walk-off rug respectively.

What's more, think about the moment when the kids coming in after swimming in the pool. They would run inside, stand right in front of the door, and while they're drying off, puddles of water start to form.

If there are dogs in the house, around their eating/drinking bowls is the area that can be potentially damaged by water. The space in front of the sinks can be susceptible to water as well. Consider buying a rug for these areas.

Besides keeping your floors cleaner, a door mat or rug will also serve as a convenient landing spot for family and guest shoes. The idea is that the cleaner your feet/shoes are before hitting the wood floor, the better. This naturally benefits other flooring options as well.


6. Not having throw-rugs and/or furniture pads

The minute your furniture is slightly moved is when it is super easy for the throw rug to go off the placed position in 2 seconds and start sliding off the underfoot.

Many homeowners are inclined to use double-sided tape to tack the rug down without moving it. However, it might be impossible to remove the rug from the floor once it is taped; and when you do, some of the finishes will be pulled off with it as well. Go for a rug pad made from natural materials without a sticky finish.

If furniture pads or equivalent devices are not used, your couch or furniture will slightly move and some obvious aggressive wear right where the foot of the couch is will show over time. Look for 2-inch rubber disks that actually help keep the furniture from moving around.


7. Wearing high heels

It is advisable to keep high heels, athletic spikes or any shoes with hard edges away from wood floors. Walking with high heels on wood can create a similar damage to taking a tiny hammer to wood floors. The force of walking these sharp shoes on the floors can easily cause denting, scratching, and dinging.

Similar problems caused by high heels can also be made by dogs or cats' sharp nails. Make sure they are all trimmed when required so that they won't ruin the finish and eventually ruin your wood floors. If one's not familiar with job, trimming pet nails is not a really fun way to spend one's weekend, so consider bringing the pet to a groomer.


8. Not using the right cleaner

There are hundreds of different wood floor finishes and each goes with a particular type of cleaner. The following products are NOT highly recommended for wood floors: vinegar or ammonia-based cleaner, powdered all-purpose cleaner, dish washing detergent, and any type of silicone or wax-based cleaners. The abrasives or heavy chemicals in these products can build up on the wood floor, dull the finish, and age it before their time.

Before making any purchase, consult with your wood flooring manufacturer about the type of cleaner that is safe to use. Whatever maintenance technique is planned out to employ, do so in accordance with the chosen cleaner.

Keep in mind to test the cleaner on a small, inconspicuous area before setting on the complete mission. Refrain yourself from pouring the cleaning product directly on the wood floors. The wood will absorb the puddle of cleaning liquid, causing a swelling and uneven look before you know it.


9. Procrastination

With a busy lifestyle, homeowners often forget about wood flooring maintenance. If too long a time the wood floor is abandoned and before you know it, the high-traffic area (especially where there was no placed rug) is worn out.

Once light scratches are detected, repair those boards as soon as possible. You can choose to sand, re-stain, re-coat and refinish. In generally, recoating takes about a day to be done and does not cost as much as sanding or refinishing.

Do not wait until all the finishes are worn away or only until when huge scratches are seen to start wood flooring maintenance. Instead of having to remove the damaged boards and replace them with new ones, this is an economical, time-effective, and non-complicated way to preserve and extend the beauty of your wood floors.


GET ON WITH IT!

Here is an easy-to-follow routine to clean wood floors


1. On a daily basis

  • Dusting: It is one of the easiest steps in the process. Not only does it prevent scratching and lengthen the beauty and life of the wood floor, daily dusting significantly reduces allergens in your home. Either a traditional instrument or a microfiber-made one that has static charge to attract more dust and allergens work fine. The latter is super useful when it comes to reaching into wood floor's pores to remove dirt more effectively.


2. On a weekly basis

  • Cleaning: Don't forget that water and wood floors don't go along and too much cleaners can wreak havoc. A rule of thumb is to go for a cleaning product that is nontoxic, biodegradable and pH-neutral, which keeps your home and the environment safe. Use a washable microfiber cloth for your cleaning routine.


3. On a quarterly basis

  • Polishing: Every two to three months, aim to restore the luster and shine of your wood floors by using water-based polishes. They do wonders in preventing stripping and over-cleaning. Don't worry about whether a residue or harmful toxins will be emitted using these polishes because they won't. A recommended type of polish is urethane-based, which dries fast, has no waxy buildup and a protective wear layer to fill in micro-scratches.


Recap on some important things you must avoid:

1. Skip sweeping

2. Use the wrong vacuum attachment

3. Mopping with too much water

4. Forget to wipe spills immediately

5. Have no door mat or furniture pad

6. Wear high heels or spiky shoes

7. Letting pets' nails untrimmed

8. Use cleaners made of harsh chemicals

9. Wait too long before tackling down the small defects, e.g. scratches

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