A brand-new luxury hardwood floor is a beautiful addition to your home, and you probably can’t wait to show it off to visitors. However, you must take care of your hardwood flooring to maintain it’s new appearance. After all, a floor is designed to be walked on. People will walk on it; children will drop things; furniture will be moved; liquids will spill. Even engineered wood flooring will succumb to the weathering. The only way to keep that hardwood floor in pristine condition is to close off the room to all traffic. But, all is not lost. With a little perseverance, diligence, maintenance, and prevention, you can keep your hardwood flooring looking beautiful for a long time.
Protecting Your Hardwood Floors
It is an old cliché, but still holds true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Your luxury hardwood floor is not going to protect itself; you need to take the steps to make sure it is treated gently. Make the effort to protect your floor. The most basic thing that you can do is regularly clean it using a flat-head microfibre mop or dry sweeper. You may not realize it, but dust and dirt can scratch your hardwood floor as it accumulates. You won’t notice it right away, but after a few years, your floor will lose its lustre if it’s not regularly cleaned.
Another way to protect your floor is with throw rugs (although avoid tightly woven or rubber underside rugs, as they prevent air circulation). You don’t need to cover the entire floor; that would be defeating the purpose. But, strategically placing throw rugs where foot traffic is high or in areas where spills are likely will help to cut down on the wear and tear. It isn’t just spills you need to worry about; one of the main ways floors are scratched is through furniture. Moving large pieces of furniture around can leave dents, dings, and scuffs if you are not careful. Even sliding a couch 3 inches to the right can leave an ugly scratch. So, be extremely careful when moving furniture around the floor. Pick up some felt floor protects to put under the legs of your furniture. They are a cheap investment but will save you from expensive floor repairs in the future. Finally, don’t forget about your furry friends. You may love your pets, but the floor will not. Regular sweeping will be needed to pick up fur and dander. Keep their nails clipped to keep them from scratching the hardwood flooring as they walk. It probably isn’t a good idea to allow them on the floor until your pet is fully housebroken. Some of these very basic prevention techniques will extend the look of your hardwood floor.
Maintaining Your Hardwood Floors
The protection measures will go far, but you still need to go above and beyond to protect your hardwood floor. Avoid waxing or using soap when mopping your wooden floor. It looks good at first, but the wax will build up on the surface and will make the wood look dull after a while. Stick with an oil-based floor cleaner or a wood floor cleaner. When your hardwood floor is being installed, keep some of the extra pieces in storage. They can be handy if you need to replace damaged parts of your floor.
Make no mistake, you have to put in the work if you are going to maintain a beautiful hardwood floor. But it is more than worth the effort. Not only will you have a beautiful showpiece in your home, but it is also a popular selling point when you want to sell. We should know; at European Flooring, we are the experts in luxury hardwood floors. Based in Toronto, European Flooring has 17 years of experience in the Canadian flooring industry. We provide full service from project cost estimation to complete flooring installation. Our collections include wide plank hardwood, ash and white oak hardwood, and oiled hardwood floors. Take a look at our extensive selection here. Contact us today to find out more!