Hardwood flooring is both a functional form of flooring and aesthetically pleasing. They add style and sophistication to every room, but proper maintenance and upkeep of hardwood is crucial to ensure the floors last. During the summer months, hardwood floors can buckle and warp under intense humidity and heat. Learn how to protect your hardwood floors for the warmer months:
- Use floor mats to keep dirt out. Grit, sand, and dirt can dull a hardwood floor and remove the shininess that many of us love about the look. Keep small floor mats by every entrance to your home to prevent from carrying dirt into the house. Add area rugs to high traffic points in your home.
- Vacuum your hardwood floor instead of sweeping. Vacuuming pulls dirt from between the boards, whereas sweeping tends to gather surface dirt and pushes particles deeper into the floorboards. Be sure to switch your vacuum to a bare floor setting like a brush of felt rather than beater bars which will damage your floors.
- Do not expose hardwood to bare sunlight. When you can, close your curtains or blinds. Direct sunlight ages wood, and by closing your blinds, it will not only make your home feel cooler, it will also prevent your floor from becoming discolored. If you’re in the market for new windows, choose windows that have built in UV protection.
- Clean with products that are specifically designed for hardwood floors. Use a wood floor cleaning product with a soft cloth broom. Do not use a wet mop on your hardwood. Avoid using any detergents or oil-based products on your hardwood, and never pour water directly on it.
Get the most of your hardwood by following these protective tips this summer. For more information on hardwood floor protection, contact the experts at Floor Coverings International of Framingham today at 508-532-2119.