Preventative Maintenance.

There are many ways you can minimize extreme maintenance while still keeping up the new-floor glow and beauty of your wood floors.

Here are some of our free, expert tips:

Never use cleaning care products meant for sheet vinyl or tile floors on wood floors.  Self-polishing acrylic waxes result in a surface residue that causes the wood floor to become slippery and to appear dull fast.

Use a door mat outside of your entrance and toss some cloth rugs inside the doorways and along the floors to help prevent gravel, dirt and other debris from being tracked in and onto your wood floors. These simple accents prevent scratching and other blemishes.

It is not a good idea to use a wet mop to clean your wood surface.  The existing water will dull your wood’s finish, may mold the wood, and cause other damage that will discolor or leave a residue.

Always clean up spills immediately with a soft, slightly moist cloth.

Over-waxing a wood floor is also problematic. If the floor unexpectedly appears dull, buffing is a good alternative. Avoid excess wax residue beneath furniture and other light traffic spaces by only waxing these zones every other time you wax.

By placing fabric faced glides or soft plastic under the legs or bottoms of furniture pieces you will prevent scuffing and scratching of the wood surface.

Avoid walking on your wood floors with rubber bottom sports shoes, high heels, or cleats. A 125-pound woman walking in high heels has an impact of 2,000 pounds per square inch. An exposed heel nail can exert up to 8,000 pounds per square inch. This kind of impact can dent even the strongest floor surface.

When moving heavy furniture, be sure to lift not slide it across the wood floor. It is best to completely pick up the piece of furniture to ensure the protection of the wood surface.

If you have hardwood floors in the kitchen use area rugs in front of the kitchen sink to prevent water spillage from settling and causing damage. You should also use a humidifier during the winter season so that the expanding or shrinking of the wood stays at a minimum.