One of the most beautiful choices in flooring
is having a hardwood floors. They give your rooms character and warmth
and they compliment almost any decor.
With proper care and maintenance these floors will outlast other types
of floor coverings.
Be careful of the humidity in your home, too
much will warp the floors, too little can cause them to go brittle.
Ideally, the humidity level should be around 40 to 50 percent. Don't use
water on your floors, if necessary, use a damp cloth. Sweep, dust and
vacuum your floor on a daily basis for the best protection. Vacuuming
is the best way as it pulls dirt out from between the boards and
reduces the chance of the boards becoming wavy. The boards need some
expansion room and when sweeping the dirt is left behind.
Mist the floors with a solution of Windex
and water to keep the floors free of grime and residue. Do NOT mix with
any type of dishwashing solution. Mixing Windex, which contains ammonia
with dishwashing liquid, which contains bleach, is potentially a lethal combination. Hardwood
floors become dull because oils are stripped out
of the wood. Adding oils to your floor is something that must be done
to keep them looking nice. Though some experts don't recommend using
wax over surface finishes, do not use products like Murphy's Oil Soap,
they are drying to the wood, causing the shine to look dull. There are
many products on the market that will help your floors keep their
shine. A good paste wax and a light buffing is all that is necessary.
This should be done at least twice a year. If you can't restore a
hardwood floor's luster with deep cleaning or simple buffing, consider
applying a maintenance coat of wax. Waxing is an easy way to restore
the wood's natural beauty. floor polish or wax can result in an
attractive floor in minutes. However, only wax a surface finish if the
original finish is in poor shape and you don't plan to completely
refinish the floor soon.
To get rid of minor scratches on your floors
using a furniture scratch polish matching the color of your floor
should work for a few months. If Can please install felt pads underneath
of the furniture. Be sure to use this product after you vacuum your
floor and before you wax it. Solid hardwood floors lend warmth and
character to any setting. While relatively easy to care for, the floors
must be maintained properly to preserve their richness.
Damp-Mopping. Some professionals recommend damp-mopping while others
cringe at the suggestion. However, water can't hurt the floor's finish
if it's in good shape and mopping is done correctly. Remember, you're
cleaning the finish, not the wood, so don't use water if the finish is
in poor shape. Damp-mopping is the fastest and best way to deep-clean
solid hardwood floors. Depending on how much use your floor gets, you
may have to mop it as often as once a week. Wring the mop well -- so
it's about half-dry -- and use a neutral pH wood cleaner with water or
with a manufacturer recommended products. Though vinegar is
often prescribed for cleaning hardwood floors, it does not remove
grease or soil. Wax can be easily cleaned, buffed, stripped and
reapplied to make the
floor look like new. Normal wear and tear will take its toll on the wax
rather than the floor's finish. Waxing may, however, limit future
refinishing options. If not properly stripped, wax can cause adhesion
problems when recoating the surface. |
