Hardwood is the preferred choice of flooring material for countless homeowners. It's stylish, strong, durable and looks amazing in all styles of home decor. As a result, millions of homeowners choose hardwood floors for their home. Whether you currently have hardwood floors in your home or are thinking about having them installed, though, you should follow some basic tips to maintain them.
Do Sweep Them Daily
Try to get into the habit of sweeping your hardwood floors once a day. Like all flooring materials, hardwood will accumulate dust, dirt and debris. If you don't sweep them on a regular basis, the accumulation of this debris can take a toll on your hardwood floors, causing them to fade and lose their luster. Use a broom and dustpan to sweep your floors once a day to protect them from such damage.
Don't Use Bleach
Bleach is an excellent cleaning product that kills and disinfects germs, but it's not suitable for use on hardwood floors. When exposed to bleach, hardwood floors may fade to a lighter color. Unfortunately, there's no easy way to reverse this damage once it has occurred. The only solution is to pull up and replaced the bleached floor planks with new planks.
Do Cover With Rugs
Don't Clean With a Wet Mop
Hardwood floors, while attractive and durable, aren't particularly fond of water. When exposed to water, hardwood floors may buckle and warp. This, of course, is something that most homeowners would prefer to avoid, which is why you shouldn't clean them with a wet mop. You can use a lightly damp mop to clean hardwood floors, but avoid exposing them too much water.
Do Wax Occasionally
You should also wax your hardwood floors occasionally. A solid wax offers several benefits. First, it adds a protective coating over the top layer of your floors, thereby protecting them from moisture and damage. Second, it makes your hardwood floors shine. Third, waxing provides your hardwood floors with just enough water to prevent them from drying out.