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Hardwood Floor Cleaning Do’s and Don’ts.

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After you’ve purchased your elegant and beautiful hardwood flooring, you’ll want to be sure you’re taking exceptional care of it. Maintaining your hardwood floors will keep them looking like new for years to come, and can even improve their longevity. Cleaning your floors on a routine basis can keep them looking great, but cleaning them incorrectly can actually damage them. To be sure you’re helping, not hurting, your floors, check out the following do’s and don’ts for cleaning hardwood floors.

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You do want to clean your floors on a routine basis. Staying consistent with a schedule is a great way to be sure your floors are getting the attention they need. The specific cleaning routine you will need depends on the flooring you have, as well as how often dirt tends to accumulate, and if you have pets or children.

You don’t want to use a wet mop on your hardwood floors. Water actually damages flooring, so wet mops can lead to water damage, which is expensive and difficult to repair.

You do want to use a vacuum or dry mop to clean your hardwood floors. These tools are the perfect way to remove dust or dirt, without leaving behind any damaging water or liquids.

You don’t want to use harsh cleaners to clean your floors. While harsh cleaners may seem like a great way to aggressively attack dirt and bacteria, these cleaners will actually attack your floor’s finish, taking years off of its longevity and aging its design.

You do want to use ice to remove tough substances. Yes, ice. Ice will harden these substances, like chewing gum, and make them easy to scrape from the floor, without scratching or being too aggressive during the removal process.

You don’t want to use abrasive tools. Hardwood floor can be easily scratched or dulled with abrasive tools, including steel wool. Avoid these tools when cleaning to maintain the beautiful appearance of your flooring.

You do want to clean up spills ASAP. Letting a spill sit on your flooring for an extended period of time will increase its ability to stain. Unflattering stains, that have seeped deep into the layers of your flooring, are unattractive and potentially damaging. To be sure this doesn’t happen, tend to a spill as soon as it happens.

By following these tips and tricks, you can maintain the stunning quality and design of your hardwood flooring for years to come. If you’re interested in purchasing new hardwood flooring for your home, consider flooring.org. We supply a huge variety of attractive hardwood flooring options at affordable prices you’ll be sure to love!

Maintaining Your Hardwood Floors

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Whether your flooring is brand new or years old, it is important to consistently maintain it. Taking care of your floors can improve their appearance and longevity, while also keeping your home clean and safe. Your hardwood floors can maintain their attractive appearance when you follow the advice below. For more information on how to maintain your hardwood flooring, keep on reading.

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One common problem those with hardwood floors can experience are scratches. Scratches can happen from furniture, shoes, dust, accidental drops, routine wear and tear, and more. To prevent these scratches from occurring, consider using mats and rugs at all entrances and under heavy pieces of furniture. This will minimize the scratching effects of shoes, dirt and heavy items.

Dulling is another bothersome problem that hardwood floors can experience. If you want to preserve the stain of your hardwood floors and keep them looking clean and like new, you can also benefit from using rugs and mats. It is additionally recommended that you vacuum your floors with a suction action or dust with a mop once a week. This will keep dust and dirt from eating away at the vivid finishes of your flooring.

Be aware that dusting products can actually worsen any dullness of your floor’s finish. Oil, soaps or ammonia products can also cause damage or dull hardwood flooring finishes. Polyurethane and similar surfaces should be maintained with a damp mop instead. However, you should never use water or a damp mop to clean wax finished floors. These finishes can be worn away with water. Hardwood flooring manufacturers usually supply directions on how to maintain these finished floors and how to take care of clean-ups.

Now that you know how to take care of hardwood flooring, check out the wide selection of hardwood floors available at flooring.org You can find the perfect flooring for your home at unbeatable prices. To get in touch with flooring.org, feel free to call us at 1-800-689-9006 or email us at [email protected].

Benefits of Hardwood Flooring

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When it comes to flooring options, hardwood is considered by many to be king. Hardwood flooring benefits from long-term and short-term practicality, not to mention its numerous aesthetic qualities. Let’s take a look at some of the hardwood’s features.

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The most recognizable advantages to hardwood are apparent immediately, such as its durability. Hardwood floors resist wear and tear and are impervious to spills and stains, which means they will continue to look the same as the day you installed them. When accidents do happen, cleaning a hardwood floor is a simple matter of sweeping or mopping the mess away. The lack of a porous surface means hardwood won’t capture dust and dirt either, which will leave you with better overall air quality in your rooms. This feature is particularly valuable to those seeking hypoallergenic solutions, as a simple cleaning regimen will keep your floors free of irritation-inducing particles.

While the short-term applications of hardwood are immediately apparent, there are long-term implications that pay dividends over time as well. Hardwood floors are generally considered to be more valuable and will usually add to the value of a property when it comes time to sell. Not to mention, hardwood is sturdier and doesn’t require the periodic upkeep and replacement of other flooring options. One-time installation, which tends to be very simple, is all you need to have a long-lasting floor that not only looks great but increases the value of your home.

When reviewing all of the practical reasons to have hardwood, sometimes it’s easy to overlook its most appealing aspect: It looks nice! Hardwood flooring lends a natural appearance to any space, lending the warmth and beauty of wood to the existing decor. Hardwood comes in a wide variety of colors, styles, stains and even species, allowing you to choose from a nearly limitless combination to find the perfect option for your space. In addition to its visual qualities, hardwood will also balance the acoustics of your rooms and prevent them from sounding hollow and unnatural.

Between its wide aesthetic choices, long-term value and short-term practicality, hardwood is likely to be the premium choice for any project.

Is Hardwood or Carpet Easier to Maintain?

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There has been a long-standing debate amongst homeowners regarding a topic that most of us feel very strongly about – Which is easier to maintain, carpet or hardwood flooring? While it really comes down to personal preference, there are certainly pros and cons to each type of material, and we’re here to break it down for you!

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Most often times, we only consider this question when it’s time to renovate a home or business. While aesthetics always play a major role, it’s also important to consider costs of materials and installation, as well as maintenance, upkeep, and longevity of your floors.

First on the agenda: carpeting. Carpets are great; they’re softer underfoot and can eliminate the need for pricey area rugs. They do require a good amount of maintenance, however. You’ll need to vacuum the carpets regularly to remove any dirt, dust, hair, fur from animals, and dander just from everyday wear and tear. It’s also a good idea to have all your carpets shampooed a couple times a year to sanitize them and get deeper layers of grime than just spot cleaning and vacuuming can provide. If your home’s high traffic, meaning lots of people and animals are constantly coming and going and walking on your floors, stains, and damage will be more apparent, so keep in mind that you may have to deep clean more frequently.

Now, let’s talk hardwood. Due to the fact that wood floors are solid, they’re generally easier to clean. You’ll need to sweep or vacuum your floors every few days to pick up the same dirt, hair, and fur that gets caught up in carpets, but you’ll want to mop your hardwood with a wood safe cleaner about once a month. Your floors will look better and last longer. Liquid spills are much easier to deal with when cleaned up quickly but beware of dragging or dropping things, as wood will scuff and dent.

No matter what you choose, as long as you properly care for your floor it should last for years to come and create the perfect surface for you and your family. Interested in making some upgrades to your current flooring situation? Give us a call today at Flooring.org and we’ll be happy to help!