The Do's and Don'ts of Hardwood

These days it’s hard to walk into a home and not see at least one floor covered in hardwood. The benefits of hardwood is that it comes in several color, style, types, etc. But do you know how to properly care for your hardwood?  These tips can help ensure that you hardwood lasts and still keeps its shine!

Do's

  • Do vacuum and sweep your floor frequently, especially in high-traffic areas.
  • Do keep pets’ nails trimmed and their paws free of dirt, gravel, grease, oil, and stains.
  • Do use protective window coverings to block fade-causing UV rays and excessive heat from direct sunlight, and rearrange rugs and furniture periodically to help your floor age evenly.
  • Do remove shoes with spiked or damaged heels before walking on floor.
  • Do use a humidifier during heating seasons to help reduce wood shrinkage and maintain proper relative humidity (between 35% - 55%)

Don'ts

  • Do not wet-mop, damp-mop, or clean your floor with water or other liquids.
  • Do not use hardwood floor-cleaning or buffing machines or steam cleaners.
  • Do not use oil soaps, liquid or paste wax or other household products containing oil (such as citrus, lemon or tung oil), silicon or ammonia to clean floor.
  • Do not use harsh cleaning aids such as steel wool pads, any scouring pads containing metal or scouring powders.
  • Do not use 2-in-1 cleaners with polish that may contain acrylics or urethane polish to restore gloss.

*Tips provided by www.mohawkflooring.com