Clean Hardwood Floors the Easy Way!

Hardwood floors are a serious investment for any homeowner and learning how to clean hardwood floors properly is something that you will need to master to protect his huge investment in your home.  The last thing that you want to do is take away from the incredible value that you have just added to your home.

While you can vacuum hardwood floors, it is recommended that you use the brush attachment to do so in order to protect the finish of the floor.  A better alternative would be to use a soft brush like cleaner that will catch the dirt and not just stir it around.  There are actually several excellent duster like products that are on the market that do a wonderful job.

You will never want to use water or allow water to have time to settle on the floor.  Water creates warping and the last thing you need is a bubble popping up on your floor.  This is something that will often lead to very expensive repairs that must be made or you risk problems with the rest of the floor.  That being the case, if something is spilled on the floor, wipe it up immediately with a soft cloth that will not harm the floor and that will absorb all of the moisture immediately.

When the floor is dirty and a duster or cloth will not do, you can use a damp mop, but it should be wrung out entirely to only leave a small bit of moisture in the mop head.  Anything more can result in moisture getting into the wood.  As with spills, this may cause warping and that is obviously a very bad thing to have happen.

Shoes with heels are also the enemy of hardwood floors and can result in ugly scratches.  It is not out of the question for you to ask people to check their shoes at the door, but you better have something for them to wear.  You can purchase some throw away booty slippers for them to change in to assure that visitors do not do any damage.

Furniture can also be one of your biggest challenges.  Instead of placing it directly on the hardwood floors, you can but furniture pads that will attach to the legs of all of your furniture and serve as a cushion between the furniture and the flooring.  Doing this will enable you to move it more easily on the floor and not risk scratching your new hardwood floors.

To prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your hardwood floors, you can take preventative measure that will ensure that they stay protected.  For instance, you may want to put a soft carpet runner by the front door for people to dry their shoes off before they walk into the house. 

When you install this type of flooring, it is important to not only know how to clean hardwood floors, but also to know how to properly care for it to prevent damage.  By following these tips, you'll have the best hardwood floors possible, and they should last you a lifetime.