Nothing brings an organic beauty to your home like hardwood flooring. It is a great addition to any home, but it does require a certain amount of maintenance to preserve its beauty. Caring for hardwood floor isn’t anything like the care needed for tile or carpeted flooring. You don’t want to make mistakes in the care of your hardwood that will result in damage later. AmeriBest Carpet Cleaning is here to share some hardwood floor maintenance tips with you to help you extend the life of your hardwood flooring.
Some hardwood flooring is more susceptible to scratches than others. If you have a softer hardwood, you need to be vigilant in keeping things from scratching your floors. You should avoid wearing shoes that are at a higher risk of scratching like high heels. The claws on your dogs and cats can even cause scratching as well. You should never drag your furniture across the floor no matter what type of hardwood you have. Furniture pads are a must in protecting the flooring from damage. Lastly, never underestimate the power of entry mats. They will remove a great deal of dirt, dust and debris from the bottom of shoes that could potentially cause damage.
Wood will expand and contract depending on the temperature as well as the moisture in the air. The ideal temperature for hardwood flooring is between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit with humidity set around 30-50 percent. This will keep your hardwood flooring from buckling and gapping. If you have little fluctuations here and there, it isn’t a big deal; but if you let these fluctuations remain for extended periods of time, this is where you will have an issue.
The fine dirt and dust found on the flooring in your home can cause unnecessary scratching on your hardwood. You should be sweeping or vacuuming twice a week and cleaning the surface with a microfiber mop and pH neutral cleaner once a week. You can purchase these cleaners or use a homemade concoction. Normal cleaners that have any acidity to them, will strip the finish off your flooring. If you find cleaners or waxes that claim to add shine to your hardwood flooring, avoid them. They will just create buildup that will end up doing the exact opposite thing they are claiming they can accomplish.
While care day in and day out is an important part of hardwood flooring, you may find that over time they start to dull and scratches start to appear no matter how diligent you are in your maintenance. The beauty of hardwood flooring is the ability to refinish them and basically start over with a clean slate. At AmeriBest Carpet Cleaning, we offer our valued customers refinishing services using the RX no sanding method. This means you can have your hardwood refinished without the mess that come from traditional refinishing techniques. Call us today!