When it comes to caring for hardwood floors there are a few rules you may want to consider before you jump into the cleaning or caring for your floors. You may be surprised to find when you think you’re doing a great job cleaning and caring for your floor, you’re actually destroying them. Mike’s Custom Flooring wants to help make it simpler to properly clean and care for hardwood floors. We created a do and don’t list to help separate when you should do something and what should be avoided.

Excess Water, Dirt & Sun Are Bad for Your Hardwood Floors

First, there are a few things that may seem harmless, but are actually hardwood’s natural enemy. One is water that puddles or is left standing on hardwood floors for too long a period of time. Water can warp and discolor the wood. Other enemies of hardwood floors are dirt, dust and any kind of grit which often scratches and dulls up the wood. Additionally, sunlight or the UV rays of the sun constantly hitting the wood will cause the natural oils to dry out making the wood brittle as well as discoloring or lightening the wood. Keep these natural enemies in mind when caring for hardwood floors.

Hardwood Floor Care Do’s

• When a spill occurs wipe it up immediately with a soft cloth. When you do wipe up a spill you will want to start from the outside edges and work your way inwards to prevent spreading the moisture further onto the wooden floor.
• Use soft cloths, push mops and dust mops when cleaning hardwood floors. Brooms and ruff cleaning tools can mar and scratch the surface of even the hardest wooden floors. Never use water and a mop on hardwood floors. Use push mops and a hardwood floor cleaner lightly when cleaning hardwood floors.
• Limit UV sunlight from beaming down on your wood floors. Either make sure you use black out curtains or shades, or even try to place furniture in front of areas with direct sunlight.
• Attempt to maintain a stable temperature in the room with hardwood floors. Major changes in temperature can cause the wood to expand and contract, causing gaps and space in the hardwood floor.

Hardwood Floor Maintenance Don’ts

• Don’t ever use heavy amounts of water to clean hardwood floors. There are times where a damp cloth can help clean those stubborn areas, but avoid too much water all together.
• Don’t use abrasive cleaning tools such as brooms, vacuum cleaner, or scrub brushes. Hardwood floors can get destroyed with the use of these types of cleaning tools.
• When you need to apply a fresh coat of finish or sealer, don’t use a mop to spread it on the floor, and don’t apply a wax on a urethane finish.
• Don’t use area rugs with a rubber backing. Often the rubber, over time, will stain and discolor that area of the hardwood floors. Make sure to use rugs with a cloth backing.
• Don’t expose the hardwood floors to bleach, nail polish remover, alcohol, perfume or liquor which can discolor the hardwood floors.

Hardwood Floor Installation, Refinishing & More in Charles Town & Eastern Panhandle of Berkeley & Jefferson Counties in WV | Winchester & Frederick County | Round Hill & Loudoun County | Fairfax County VA

Mike’s Custom Flooring hopes we were able to provide valuable information for the proper ways you can and can’t care for your hardwood floors. We love to provide beautiful hardwood floors in your home. We just hope we can help make that beauty last. If you desire hardwood floor installation, refinishing or any of our other many services, contact Mike’s Custom Flooring today.