Hardwood floors are a beautiful addition to any home but they are an investment that should be taken care of the best way possible. Hardwood floors are a part of living areas, hallways, kitchens and even bedrooms of many homes. There are many wood types and styles to choose from but what they all have in common are the ways they can be damaged.
Silver State Floor Restoration has the most common ways that you could be causing damage to your hardwood floors and how to prevent it.
Welcome mats remove dirt that could scratch your wood floors: There are many people that choose to go without a welcome mat. They assume that it is part of the décor of a home’s entry way but in fact it does serve a purpose. This is especially true when it comes to hardwood floors. When you bypass the welcome mat it is like you are leaving a layer of sandpaper on the bottom on your shoes. Everyone knows what sandpaper and wood do together, so the combination is not good when you want to keep your floors looking their best.
Don’t attach rugs to your wood floors: One of the best things about having hardwood floors is it gives you the opportunity to add some area rugs for comfort and color to any room. The problem is that the rugs tend to move around a bit and that can be annoying. It is best to allow them to move over tacking them down. When you decide you are ready to re-locate the rug you previously tacked down, you are pulling up the finish with the tape that was used.
Cleaning hardwood floors with lots of water damages it: Lots of people will fill a bucket with water and cleaner to mop their hardwood floors. This is not a good idea for two reasons. When you use too much water you could be allowing water to seep into the seams of the hardwood and go down under the wood, causing the planks to shift around. The second problem is the cleaner that you choose could be pulling the finish up because of the amount of chemicals in the cleaner. You want to go with a cleaner that is light and has little to no wax which can start to build up on the floor.
Pet’s nails damage hardwood flooring: Many homes across the United States have a pet that is part of the family. They are a great addition to the home but they can cause damage to your hardwood floors. The nails on the pets need to be trimmed and kept short. Each time they run across the floor they could be causing scratches in the wood that will need to be buffed out and re-finished. Take time to trim the animal’s nails so that they are not causing damage to the floor.
