We’ve been working in the O’Fallon and Belleville area and surrounding towns for decades. We’ve seen a lot of mistreatment (intentional and unintentional) of hardwood floors, too, in a variety of these beautiful homes. As a product, we’ve picked up on trends among homeowners.
In an effort to keep our friends and neighbors better informed and to empower local families to keep their beautiful wood flooring at its best, we’ve composed a list of the three must-stop/never-do things for anyone who has a hardwood floor.
These tips will save you embarrassment as well as wear and tear later, we can promise you that.
1. Don’t use wax on your wood floors, and don’t use cleaning products that claim to “restore the sheen”
You’ve seen these miracle products on shelves and in infomercials. These are the ones that tell you they’ll “restore your floor” (when what you really need is a refinish). They claim they’ll add shine and give your floor a “facelift.”
Do NOT fall for these products. The way these work is by adding a thin layer of wax or oil to your floors. Yes, your hardwood floors will look nicer. Temporarily. But over time, these waxes and oils will degrade the polyurethane of your hardwood finish.
If you thought you already needed to refinish your hardwood floor, after applying one of these products, you’ll REALLY need to.
Instead, to clean your wood floors, use a dedicated hardwood flooring cleaner. Our favorite here at Valor Home Services is Bona.
2. Don’t wear your shoes in the house
There’s plenty of reason to ditch the kicks at the door during winter with all the sludge you drag in. Just think about what that snow, salt and dirt can do to your hardwood floors.
It’s surprising to most homeowners how much longer their hardwood floors last when they make a habit of taking their shoes off. This can add three years or more to the timeline you have for your next hardwood refinish.
Not bad, right?
As an added bonus, this will not only protect your floor from scratches and outdoor moisture, it will keep your floors cleaner.
Consider buying slippers for all indoor wear, including some extra pairs for guests. Socks work too but can be slippery on hardwood.
3. Don’t forget to add felt pads underneath the legs of your furniture
Your chairs, in particular, can damage hardwood floors as they slide in and out. If you have hardwood in your kitchen, those stools are particularly brutal on hardwood.
Get some felt pads, and get extras in anticipating of a few pads falling over time. Apply them to the legs of all your furniture and then check on them regularly.
Added tip: do NOT use roller chairs on hardwood floors!
We’ve got loads more where this came from. Have you ever wondered if some of your daily habits (or the things you never even think about) could be damaging your floors? Reach out to us with your questions—we would love to help you extend the lifetime of each hardwood refinish and of your wood floors in general.
