How to Maintain A Wood Floor Bookmark this page With the floor finishes offered today, hardwood flooring has become much easier to maintain and the factory finishes are tough and extremely durable. Many hardwood flooring manufacturers are using some type of ultra-violet cured polyurethane for their hardwood floor finishes and the care and maintenance for these floors is quite simple. Please remember that all wood floors will scratch if grit or dirt is ground in by foot traffic or if unprotected chair legs or other furniture is dragged over the surface of the flooring.

Vacuum Regularly
Small stones, mud, and gritty dirt tracked in from outside can play havoc on the wood floors finish. To help combat this use long bristle welcome mats placed at all outside entrances for people to wipe their feet on before entering onto the floors. Also, vacuum using a soft bristle brush attachment.

Don't Damp Mop
Water and wood floors don't mix! Use only the manufacturers recommended cleaning products on your hardwood floor. Vinegar and water is an option although you must remember the importance of properly drying your hardwood floors as quickly as possible.

Don't Use Oil Soaps
There are many over the counter oil soap based or silicone and wax based cleaning products that can damage and dull the finish of your hardwood floor. The best suggestion is to only use the manufacturers recommended cleaning products on your hardwood flooring.

Never Wax a Urethane Floor
If you have a polyurethane finish on your hardwood floors you should never use a wax on them. The wax will cause a sticky film to build up on your floor, allowing any dirt tracked onto it to stick. This creates black traffic paths on your floor. Because polyurethane will not adhere to any wax it also makes the floor almost impossible to recoat later with a fresh coat of polyurethane.

Wipe Spills Immediately
When accidents happen and some liquid gets spilled on your hardwood floor, you should use a slightly damp white cloth, or paper towel to immediately clean up and dry the effected area. For more difficult spots, follow the manufacturers recommended cleaning procedures.

Use the Proper Chair Glides
Narrow wheels and sharp wooden, or metal furniture legs can scratch and dent hardwood flooring, which can quickly turn a newly refinished floor into an old worn floor. Any furniture that rests directly on top of a hardwood floor should have felt protectors, or furniture coasters, under all it's feet. For extremely heavy objects such as a piano, use rubber cups. Purchasing chair glides is a very cheap insurance policy for your hardwood flooring.