Hardwood floors take a lot of abuse. Dirt, grit, dust, mud, food and our beloved pets with all sorts of stuff on their feet get racked all over them. This debris all gets ground into the finish on our hardwood floors and gets pushed in between the floorboards. You may think water is the best thing to use but water is a wood floor’s worst enemy. Any moisture needs to be cleaned up immediately and completely. Regardless of how well you try and take care of your floors, life happens, and hardwood floors need extra TLC to keep them looking great. It’s important to take care of them the right way if you want them to last a long time.

Routine Hardwood Floor Cleaning

It’s important to sweep, dust, mop or vacuum on a regular basis. Always turn the beater bar off before you vacuum your floors. You can also set the vacuum cleaner to the “floor” setting to prevent any damage. Use a mop with a terry cloth or microfiber cover to mop your hardwood floors. Never use water to mop. To get the old finish to shine again, apply a coat or two of a hardwood finish.

Hardwood Floor Protection Tips

Prevention is always better than fixing problems later.
• Clean spills up as soon as possible.
• Use mats at entrance to reduce the amount of debris and moisture that gets tracked onto your floors.
• Use rugs in front of sinks and in high traffic areas. Use mats that are breathable to prevent moisture from getting trapped and try not to use mats with vinyl or rubber backings.
• Trim your pet’s nails regularly to prevent scratches to the finish
• Use floor protectors on your furniture to prevent indentation. Use larger ones for heavier furniture.
• Do all you can to protect your floors from direct sunlight.
• Do not walk on your hardwood floors with spikey heels and take shoes off at the door to prevent scratches from debris that can get stuck in shoes.
• Do not the following solutions: ammonia-based cleaners, wax-based products, acrylic finishes, detergents, solvent-based polishes, bleach, oil soap ad abrasive cleaning soaps- also-don’t use acidic substances like vinegar. Only use products that are formulated for hardwood floors.

Furniture Sliders & Other Tips for Hardwood Floors

Improperly moved furniture leads to lots of damage.
• Carry furniture in and put it in place without sliding it across the flooring. Resist the urge to slide furniture into place because even a few inches can damage flooring.
• Don’t slide furniture when you’re decorating. When you want to change things around, remember to pick furniture up and place it where you want it.
• Use a dolly to move items. Make sure the dolly has soft wheels to prevent ruts.
• Err on the side of caution. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. If you think you might damage your floors, then get help!

Hardwood Floor Cleaning & More in Aliante, Anthem, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Enterprise, Green Valley Ranch, Henderson, Inspirada, Mountain’s Edge, North LV, Peccole Ranch, Paradise, Providence, Rhodes Ranch, Seven Hills, Silverado Ranch, Spring Valley, Summerlin, Sunrise Manor, The Lakes, Tuscany Village & Las Vegas Nevada

Hardwood floors can be a big investment. If you want them to look their best, you need to maintain them, so they last a long time. Contact the professionals at Silver State Floor Restoration to get more tips on taking care of your hardwood floors.