Your hardwood floors bear the brunt of daily life – kids, cleats, boots, heels, spills, dogs, and more in your home. Whether you’ve installed new floors or are refinishing inherited floors, they can last for a lifetime with the proper care. Here’s the Gordon James guide for cleaning and caring for your wood floors for years of character, beauty, and warmth in your home. To start building your dream home, contact the builders at Gordon James.
Sweep & Vacuum Frequently
While sweeping daily may seem excessive, it’s an essential part of upkeep. If you have kids or pets, this is crucial as they’re tracking hair and dirt throughout the house. Even with a no-shoes policy in your home dust forms everywhere and settles between the grain on your floor. Vacuuming weekly will help you hit any of the spots you missed during sweeping daily. Consider investing in a Roomba so you don’t have to worry about keeping up with vacuuming.
Clean Spills
Wood is highly sensitive to moisture, so avoid wet or steam mops as they can cause damage over time. It’s crucial to keep humidity levels under control in your home as wood shrinks and swells depending on the moisture in the air. The best way to protect your floor from moisture is to keep your house between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit, clean spills immediately using a dry or slightly damp cloth with a hardwood floor cleaner, and ban wet shoes in the house.
Furniture Pads
Scratches are perhaps the biggest issue homeowners have when it comes to their hardwood floors. While some scratches are inevitable, there are some that are preventable. One of the best ways is to add furniture pads to the legs of all your chairs, sofas, and tables. It’s especially important to add furniture pads to the kitchen chairs as they are moved across the floor the most.
Re-finish Every 3-5 Years
Your hardwood floors might start looking dull over time, but they can be renewed through recoating: applying a new coat of wood floor finish. Every family’s lifestyle and home is different, so it’s best to consult a professional, like those at Gordon James, to decide when they should be re-finished.
Happy Hardwood Floors
With its natural and clean beauty, hardwood floors can be the difference between the average interior and a fabulous interior. Whether you already have gorgeous hardwood floors or you’re considering installing some, you should think about the maintenance. For more tips on cleaning and maintaining your hardwood floors, read Tips Bulletin’s article on “How to Clean Laminate Floors.”
The professionals at Gordon James can partner with you to find the right floors for you, or help your existing floors stay beautiful. Our dream homes are architecturally exciting and structurally robust, with elegant interiors and refined exteriors. They are designed by architects to mirror each client’s personality and lifestyle needs. The Gordon James team orchestrates the intricate process through which a confluence of people, events, talents, and dreams will produce perfect results – your dream home!
Partner with the professionals at Gordon James in Minnesota to start designing and planning your dream home, contact us at info@gordon-james.com or call us at 763-479-3117 today.