29 Sep 4 Simple Tips to Keeping Your Wood Floor Looking Brand New

Last week we talked about how to keep tile flooring looking spectacular and promised to address caring for wood floor care this week.

So Let’s Talk Wood Floors

You selected wood floors for your new custom home for the rich, luxurious look. Wood floors are great and the perfect accent to any home. Now let’s help you keep them looking that way.

Here are 4 tips for keeping them looking as beautiful as the day you moved into your new home:

1. Care for Your Wood Floors. Remove shoes when indoors. Removing shoes when entering a home is becoming quite common, so don’t worry about asking your guests to do so. Sweep or vacuum regularly and be sure to wipe up spills immediately. Use gentle cleaners. Most importantly, care for the details.
2. Dust Mop Weekly. Once a week, dust mop for loose dirt, hair, animal shedding, dust and other debris. Use cloths that are electrostatic, disposable or even wood cleaning sprays. Sweep or vacuum it up. Just be sure you do the more detailed method on a weekly basis.
3. Monthly Cleaning. Once a month, clean the whole area with a hardwood cleaning product. Be sure to follow the directions and not to leave too much or standing water on the floor, because you will damage the floors permanently. Use a sponge or mop and rinse as needed.
4. Remove scuffs and marks. As you notice them, remove scuffs and marks. Unfortunately, scuffs are going to happen. They usually result from dragging items, furniture and shoes. So first of all, keep those shoes off indoors. Second, place felt pads on the underside of all furniture. Lastly, if you do get scuffs, they’re relatively easy to get out. Here’s how:

• Pencil Eraser. This is the easiest and is best for small scuffs.
• Scuff Eraser. Meant for bigger jobs, and can be found at most hardware stores.
• For more stubborn scuffs, but be careful. Acetone is strong and can dry out the surface of the wood. So make sure to follow up with an oil-based solvent to restore shine and condition.
• Lastly, a more natural option is a paste made from baking soda and vinegar. Let the paste sit for about an hour and then scrub off with a dish pad or paper towel.

You chose beautiful wood flooring for your new custom home because you love the luxurious look. To keep your wood floors looking beautiful for years after, you’re going to need to care for these floors as well. Fortunately, with the right knowledge and a little work you can keep them looking great. We hope these tips help you to keep your wood floors as beautiful as the day you walked into your new home.

Check back on our blog for more tips about caring for your new home. We’re happy to help you keep your custom home looking as new as they day you moved in.