If you're looking for the best way to care for your hardwood floor, then you need to read this article. We're going to look at 3 tips for keeping your floors in top shape, and how to ensure you get the maximum life from your floor.
There is no single best way to care for hardwood floors. There are several factors that will affect just how you should clean and maintain them, starting with the finish.
There are three common types of finishes on hardwood:
- Surface sealed with urethane, polyurethan or polyacrylic
- Oil- or penetration-treated
- Unfinished
Surface sealed floors are the easiest to maintain, because they are fairly resistant to water. Because the surface is sealed with a finish that can repel the water, you can use water mixed with either soap or hardwood floor cleaners to keep them clean.
These floors are not entirely water resistant and can still be damaged if too much water is used, so it's best to use a damp mop or cloth rather than soaking the floor.
Oil or penetration treated hardwood is more susceptible to water damage, so you want to avoid any kind of water when cleaning them. The best way to care for these floors is to use either a liquid or paste wax to protect them.
Liquid wax is easier to apply, but leaves a thinner coat so it doesn't protect as well as a paste wax. It will also have to be reapplied more often since the coat is thinner.
Unfinished hardwood, as well as any that's treated with lacquer, varnish or shellac, should also be protected with wax much like oil treated floors.
Cleaning is not the only thing you can do to care for your floors. Avoiding surface scratches and damage is also important. There are two effective ways to do this. First, make sure all furniture has glider pads under it to keep it from scratching the floor.
Second, use area rugs and carpet runners in high traffic areas to protect the surface. Just make sure you clean them on a regular basis so dust and dirt doesn't work its way through the weave and wind up underneath the carpet. This can cause scratches and damage when you walk on the carpet.
If you follow these simple tips, your hardwood floor will last much longer without having to resort to expensive and time consuming refinishing work.
