Avoid These Habits to Keep Your Hardwood Floor Pristine

We are sure that as an owner of a beautiful and expensive hardwood floor, the last thing you want to do is ruin it. However, the truth is that we are all ruining our wooden floors little by little and without even realising it. Just everyday use is enough in the long run to cause some slight damage on the floor's surface such as micro-scratches and marks. Indeed, it is something we all want to avoid, especially when it comes to more serious damages and imperfections. In this case, your maintenance strategy for your favourite wooden floor should include good and efficient protection and precaution as the number one priority to help you prevent issues from happening to start with.

There are a lot of small things you can change in your lifestyle and habits that definitely won’t affect your quality of life or comfort but will be beneficial for the protection of your wooden floor. And you are definitely recommended to reconsider some of your habits, otherwise, you risk continuing them to also continue with the detrimental use of your floor that will later also affect your wallet as you will need to invest in expensive wood floor repair services and even replacement of the floor in the cases of more severe imperfections. In order to help you prevent such situations, here are some of your habits affecting the condition of the floor explained and how you can change everything in order to keep your wooden floor in perfect condition for longer.

Wearing Shoes Inside

In fact, besides moisture and water, your shoes could be the wood floor’s worst enemy. Wearing shoes inside the house and over the floor can leave deep and permanent scratches, marks, and dents on the surface of the floor, sometimes so deep they are penetrating the finish and damaging the care wood underneath. Even if you are not wearing high heels inside, which is the worst shoe type when it comes to hardwood floors, even softer and flat designs and types of shoes can damage the floor.

Simply think of the amount of dust and dirt entering the house and transferring onto the soles of the shoes. All these microscopic particles are going to scratch the floor and leave it with a worn and tired look and you are in need of a wood floor sanding and refinishing service too soon. Don’t even get us started on how non-hygienic it is to wear the same shoes outside and inside the house. Therefore, we strongly recommend changing your habits and opting for fluffy and soft slippers around the house. The same applies to when you have guests visiting your home – ensure a few extra pairs for them too.

Wrong Cleaning Routine

Indeed, a common way to cause damage to your wooden floor is not cleaning it properly. For example, vacuuming your floor should happen only with the attachment of the vacuum machine that is designed for hardwood flooring. It comes with soft bristles and prevents scratching the floor. Not using it means you are leaving micro scratches on the surface of the floor while you are cleaning it. The only type of cleaning products you should use for your hardwood flooring are those designed for hardwood flooring. They come with a neutral pH and are gentle and tender to the finish of the floor, not wearing it off or weakening its protective power. Also, avoid the usage of excess water or liquids when cleaning your floor, otherwise, you risk causing serious water damage. Always use just a slightly damp mop.

Furniture and Wood Flooring

The most common way wood floor scuffs, marks, and deep scratches appear is because of furniture pieces being dragged on the surface of the floor. Pieces such as chairs and tables should not be dragged across the room. If you want to get them from one place to another, simply lift them up and then place them down in their new spot.

Failing to do so, you are most probably going to damage and scratch your floor deeply. This applies to rolling chairs too. However, bigger and heavier furniture pieces, even when not dragged from one spot to another and just by standing in one spot for a long time, can also dent the floorboards.

The best thing to prevent permanent marks, dents, and scratches is by simply placing protectors on the legs of furniture pieces. These usually come made of soft felt or rubber and they pretty much work as small cushions, absorbing the harshness and hardness of the materials the legs of your furniture pieces are made out of.