If you’ve been a long-time hardwood floor owner, you might think you’ve got the maintenance of your floors well under control. If you’ve just had new hardwood floors installed, you might be desperately seeking advice on how to best maintain your new investment.

No matter where you fall in that continuum, there might be a few tips or techniques for hardwood floor care that you’re unfamiliar with. At Smith Brothers, we pride ourselves on providing our customers with the resources they need to maximize the longevity of their hardwood floors.

Here are our secrets for excellent hardwood floor care:

Regular Maintenance

It might sound simple, but going over your floor every couple days with a broom or the hose attachment of your vacuum will greatly reduce the amount of surface dust and dirt that accumulates on your floor. This will reduce the dirt that your kids, dogs, or husband will grind into the floor when they walk on it.

Pesky Pet Hair

If you’ve got dogs, cats, gerbils, birds, or any other hairy pets, you’ll have to constantly deal with pet hair on your floors. Even certain breeds of dogs that aren’t supposed to shed will leave unwanted hair lying on your floors.

Brushing your pets outside every few days will help to reduce the amount of hair that is shed on your floors. Especially in the summer months, there’s no reason for you to be brushing your four-footed friends inside.

Spills

Every spill should be cleaned and dried as soon as possible. Liquids that stay in prolonged contact with your floors will eventually ruin the finish and leave a permanent stain. Even plain water can cause extensive damage to your floors by causing the wood to expand and contract unnecessarily. Be sure to keep a cleaning cloth or microfiber towel handy to clean up any spills immediately after they occur.

Wash Recommendations

The most effective way to clean your hardwood floors is to use a damp mop with a minimum amount of liquid. You can also get down on your hands and knees and scrub your floors the old-fashioned way. This will give you the most control over the amount of water you’re using on your floors.

Mixing vinegar and water is a cheap and preferred cleaning solution to restore the shine of your hardwood floors. Be sure to buff the floor dry immediately after washing and never leave puddles of water to soak into your floors and cause damage.

Sanding

If you’ve neglected a few of the steps above, you might find yourself with existing stains or damaged areas of your floor that present an eyesore. In the worst cases, you may need to sand down your floors to prepare them for refinishing. While undertaking a sanding project on your own can be a tedious and stressful task, it will ultimately be cheaper than paying to replace your floors entirely.

If you’ve tried everything and you’re still having issues maintaining your floors’ finish or sanding down stained areas, the professionals at Smith Brothers are waiting to help you get back on the right track. Visit us online or give us a call today at 1-403-255-7791!