Hardwood floors do scratch, from the accumulated abuse of sand, dirt and salt on shoes to dropping heavy or sharp objects on them. No matter what you do, eventually you will have marks.

After enough time, you’ll be comfortable enough to call it a patina! The good news is, you can minimize those marks by taking care. And, eventually, you can have the floors refinished.

Note: the manufacturer or installer of your floors may have specific care or cleaning instructions as well.

To keep your hardwood floors looking good, here are ten helpful hints.

1. Keep your outside clean: A dirt free driveway, walkway and garage provide less dirt to track in onto your hardwood floors. A lawn or garden with lots of foliage yields less dust to waft into the house or be tracked in.

2. Use outside door mats so everyone can scrape their shoes before they come in your home.

3. Place additional throw rugs just inside the doors and shake them out regularly.

4. Ask everyone to remove their shoes at the door. You could offer slipper socks to your guests.

• a. Shoes carry sand and other particulate matter that scratches floors
• b. Spiky high heels can easily DENT hardwood floors

5. Don’t allow pets with claws in those parts of your house with hardwood flooring

6. Provide children and teenagers a large rug or mat to play on if they have any metal cars, boxes, games or other sharp-edged toys

7. Wipe the bottom of chair and table legs, etc, when you move them into the house and attach adhesive felt or other protective pads on the bottoms of everything! Be very generous with the pads! Don't forget about padding any large vases, trash cans or lamps that sit on the floor as well!

8. Buy different kinds and sizes of adhesive pads at the hardware store: rubber, felt, etc. Keep them in a kitchen drawer so you always have some handy for a new piece of furniture or if the pads wear out.

9. Vacuum or dust mop frequently.

10. Don’t drop anything! (Irons and tool boxes make nasty dents!) :)