Proper Self-Maintenance for Hardwood Flooring

All hardwood flooring will need professional maintenance, like re-coating and sanding, at various points in its lifespan. It’s a fact of the flooring type! However, hardwood floors also require a good degree of maintenance on the part of the purchaser. Taking care of your hardwood floor ensures its characteristic durability for years to come, and doing so can also extend the time between professional maintenance sessions.

But where to begin? UB Hardwoods, a vendor of everything from wood floors to vinyl, brings you a few beginning bits of hardwood knowledge below.

BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR CLEANING

Hardwood flooring, as beautiful as it is, can be fickle. Under the right circumstances, for example, it can take on water damage and warp, thus necessitating replacement. Certain cleaning products, likewise, can be equally as damaging. Consider the following when performing routine cleaning of hardwood flooring:

Clean Up Spills ASAP

This mitigates staining. However, do not use a wet mop or steam cleaner to do so, as the water wears at the finish and, over long periods of time, can even damage the wood underneath.

Use Hardwood-Specific Cleaning Products

If you simply must use a cleaning product on your hardwood, make sure it’s one that’s deemed safe, specifically, for the type of hardwood that you have. All woods have different properties. UB hardwoods can help you find the right cleaning product after our flooring installation services.

Sweep Daily

Small bits of debris can get pushed around as you walk, scratching up the finish of your hardwood flooring. Daily sweeping can reduce this damage and prolong your flooring’s defensive finish.

OPT FOR A NEW FINISH EVERY 3 TO 5 YEARS

As stated above, all hardwood requires the care of a professional now and again. Keeping your floors on a regular refinishing schedule, though it might be an investment, is one of the best ways to make sure your flooring lasts for decades.

USE MATS AND RUGS WHEN POSSIBLE

Not only are they lovely ways to add some color to the room, but mats and rugs can collect the dirt and debris that feet and shoes track around, preventing it from scratching up your hardwood.

MIND YOUR HUMIDITY LEVELS

Hardwood is tough, no questions asked. It’s frequently the flooring of choice for households that need something that does extra-heavy duty under an onslaught of foot traffic. But just like any flooring type, hardwood isn’t invincible, and the number one thing it hates is humidity, or an excessive lack thereof.

According to The Spruce, “Wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity. It swells in high humidity and shrinks when the air is drier.” This expanding and shrinking can lead to unattractive gapping and cupping in hardwood floors—but it won’t be an issue whatsoever if you take care to mind your home’s humidity levels and don’t allow them to wildly oscillate.

But what’s the ideal humidity to keep hardwood stable and healthy? According to Cozy Home Hunter, “The recommended humidity level for hardwood floors is between 30%-50% within a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher or lower humidity can degrade the appearance and quality of the hardwood floor as wood is sensitive to moisture.”

But rest easy; hardwood can sometimes be salvaged from moisture damage, as we covered in our flooring blog on the topic.

MOVE FURNITURE AROUND NOW AND AGAIN

Want to keep a room and its flooring looking fresh? Give it regular rearrangements. Not only will this completely change the feel of the space, but it’s also a great way to prevent your hardwood from fading unevenly.

Sunlight can reach unobscured parts of your hardwood, but it can’t touch those that are covered by furniture. Though the right finishing should protect your flooring from a majority of UV damage, as it wears away over time, the wood will fade naturally. If you keep your furniture in the same spot for too long, you’ll end up with quite patchy hardwood!

Of course, keeping up with your professional refinishing appointments also helps to keep your floor looking uniform. You might also consider special windows or films that block UV rays for your next home renovation.

NEED MORE HARDWOOD HELP? UB HARDWOODS IS HERE FOR YOU

UB hardwoods is a Plymouth flooring installer with expertise in everything from carpeting to engineered hardwood; we know our floors, and we’d be glad to share that knowledge with you. To inquire about our flooring installation services or any other service we provide, contact us today at 763-807-4500.