Cleaning Wooden Floors

Wooden flooring can be an elegant flooring alternative for any room of your home. More than aesthetics, it will also increase the value of your house should you choose to sell it in the future. In fact, according to the National Wooden Floor Association, 90 percent of real estate agents say that houses with wooden flooring sell faster and for higher prices than those without. These reasons make wooden flooring not only an attractive alternative for your home but also a smart investment.

Individuals who have always lived by carpet may not realize that the procedures used for cleaning wooden floors are somewhat different than those used on laminate flooring. Here are a few tips for the care and maintenance of your wooden floors that will have them dazzling beneath your feet for years.

1. Wooden floors are vulnerable to spills and scratches.

Make sure to place protector pads on every leg of every piece of your furniture that lies upon the hardwood floor. Avoid spills at all costs as liquids have a tendency of seeping through the grain of the wood. You will find that laminate flooring offers a coating to help protect it from water damage.

2. Consider decorating your floor with area rugs.

Rugs not only protect your hardwood floor, they also act as eye-catching decorative pieces to your room. When cleaning wooden flooring, be sure to remember to clean beneath these rugs.

3. Do not use wet mops.

Moisture is no friend of hardwood flooring. As it is the nature of wood to absorb water, never use a wet mop. Damp mops are also preferred for laminate flooring.

4. Maintain only with cleaners made specifically for hardwood floors.

You may purchase these chemicals from any garden-variety mega-mart. They will extend the life of your flooring and in some cases will be required by your warranty. Applying these chemicals when cleaning wooden floors can improve water-resistance and maintain the glossy quality of the wood. Do not wax your floor if it has a urethane finish. Special cleaners are provided for wooden flooring and should not be used on laminate flooring.

5. Clean up dirt immediately

Dirt and other unwanted substances can become easily lodged into the grain of your wooden floor, creating dirty grain-lines over the years. An important rule to remember when cleaning wooden flooring is: “Time is your enemy”. Clean up dirt and spills as quickly as possible before it has a chance to seep into the flooring.

If you are considering a laminate floor but would prefer that wooden look, consider Quick-Step Laminate Flooring. High density Alloc Laminate Flooring provides impact resistance for many family needs. If you prefer natural hardwood flooring, Arden Heritage Flooring offers the best solid wooden flooring available. If it is the unique natural hardwood flooring that you desire, then Arden Heritage Flooring can provide wooden floors from a variety of thicknesses and finishes.