Whether you just bought a beautiful Bay Area loft with classic hardwood flooring, or you’re doing a major remodeling job — ripping out carpeting and laying in new hardwood flooring — you want to enjoy longevity, ease of use, and minimal maintenance costs. Here are some tips to help keep your hardwood floors beautiful, damage-and-debris-free, and easy to maintain.

Do not allow water or other spills to linger! So your toddler spilled the doggie’s water bowl. Or a guest dropped a glass of chardonnay while laughing at one of your particularly amusing anecdotes. Or a worker tracked wet mud into your room. Life happens. But if you don’t wipe up these spills, mold and other problems can develop and create not just aesthetic damage but also rotting hazards, warping, and other structural issues.

90% of success is prevention. Protect thy floors! Place felt or old carpet pads underneath the legs of tables and chairs and other furniture. Put mats near entrances. Vacuum and clean your floors regularly. Hire a professional hardwood floor cleaner to come in on a fairly regular basis, particularly if your floor gets lots of use and abuse.

Think about the costs that you will save. First off, if your floors remain in great shape, the value of your home or building gets the benefit. Second, the cost of fixing a warped, dilapidated, mildewy, or otherwise corroded floor can be exorbitant – far more than the cost of even rigorous, outsourced cleaning help. It’s kind of like insurance. A single “bad” accident or health event can wipe you out. That’s why we get insurance! Likewise, good maintenance acts like insurance both for your floor and your pocketbook.

Use a diversity of cleaning tools. Try soft brushes, vacuums with bare floor attachments, dust mops, damp mops (only for appropriately sealed floors) and cleaning products that meet the needs and requirements of the project. Avoid using urethane, harsh cleaners that leave residue and films, and cleaners that contain ammonia or oil soap.

Be mindful that there are different levels of “clean”. Just because your hardwood floors look okay after a light dusting or mopping doesn’t mean that they actually ARE getting the deep cleaning that they really need. It’s like your teeth. You may brush your teeth. Your smile may look good. But you may have cavities or problems with your gums or whatever. To get rid of these problems, you need professional help.

Elegant Floors

Elegant Floors

If you need help with deep cleaning, refinishing or re-sanding your floors, turn to the experts here at Elegant Floors. Find out how to care for and maintain your beautiful San Francisco / Bay Area floors today at www.elegant-floors.com, or call us now at 650-961-1339.

 

Will Your Hardwood Floors “Last a Lifetime”?
Tagged on: