Hardwood Floor Care & Maintenance

15 Dec

Hardwood Floor Care & Maintenance

Hardwood floor care and maintenance is just as important as what you may have finally chosen

Over the years we’ve seen our share of floors that were maintained beautifully and it shows. Never the less we’ve also seen those that were abused and no attention to preservation was considered.

Not only does cleaning play an important role to the longevity of your investment, but attention to damage prevention as well. Listed below are several items that should be given priority after your new floor has been installed:

  • Place bristle type mats at all exterior door entries. These will collect larger pieces of grit or small stones that may damage your new floor.
  • Place area rugs at all entry points inside the home.
  • Protectors are a great idea for placing under furniture legs, but keeping them free of grit is just as important. Each time the floor is swept or cleaned check for any grit that may collect under a chair or furniture leg.
  • Place area rugs at all water areas. Kitchens are most important in this case. One may not be enough and we suggest others in front of the refrigerator/ice maker, dishwasher, and kitchen sink area.
  • Speaking of appliances: Any time they are moved please use some kind of protection to prevent scratches and gouges. Appliance delivery guys are notorious for not taking the necessary precautions. Our suggestion is to use 1/8″ masonite board making sure the surface and the floor is very clean when any appliances are moved. One small piece of grit will make any efforts worthless.

Having New Work Done

Keep an eye on that installer or whomever walks through the work area when your floors are being installed; specifically with prefinished floors. The amount of damage to new wood floors prior to the owner getting the full enjoyment out of them would surprise many.

A few suggestions when having work done are sweep frequently, pick up tools that may be scattered about. Cover with a thick type of underlayment such as 1/8″ masonite board in high traffic areas. Each piece is a cheap piece of insurance running about six to seven dollars per 4′ x 8′ sheet. Masonite can be found in practically any home improvement center.

Contact your REALTOR at Coldwell Banker for more tips and advice on what to look for when installing hardwood flooring.

Reference