Have you uncovered the hidden gem everyone wishes to find under their old carpet known as hardwood flooring? If you are one of the lucky ones that have uncovered the hidden beauty of hardwood floors that have been covered for decades under carpeting, you’re truly blessed! Everyone loves hardwood floors because of the natural beauty they add to any home. Since all hardwood flooring is not made equal, make sure you have read Inside Homes Cleaning and More’s blog on how to determine your hardwood floors finish. The experts at Inside Homes Cleaning and More want you to know how to properly maintain and clean those hardwood floors of yours without potentially damaging the finish with the wrong cleaning products. Here are some tips from the pros to make sure your hardwood floors stays beautiful:

Sweeping your floor with a semi-soft bristled broom every day is a good habit to get into when you have hardwood flooring because accumulated dirt will scratch the floor.

Once a week you should be vacuuming as well for the same reason. The vacuum will help protect the finish. Just make sure you have your floor setting on it is set correctly for the flooring your using it on.

Ensure that if you spill anything on the floor, you clean it up as soon as possible. Any liquid or chemical that sits on the hardwood flooring can damage it. Be careful when using furniture polish to clean surfaces because the overspray could cloud the finish of your flooring. Try using a non-ammonia window cleaner to clean your furniture’s surfaces to ensure an overspray doesn’t cause any lasting damage to your flooring. When you mop your hardwood flooring, make sure the mop is damp and not soaking wet.

Use carpet runners for high traffic areas because this keeps the floors from getting more worn in certain areas versus others. Vacuum these carpet runners frequently so that dirt doesn’t collect in or under the run and eventually work its way onto the floors finish.

Use extra-long floor mats at entranceways to trap as much dirt and sand as possible before it even enters your home. Living in Florida means you will eventually track sand throughout your home since this state is predominately made up of sand, which is your hardwood floors worst enemy.

If you plan on rearranging your furniture, do not drag your furniture on the floor. Try and use furniture pads underneath all of your furniture pieces or visit your local hardware store to see what’s available to protect your floor from your furniture legs. If you happen to scratch your flooring, and you know who the manufacturer of your flooring is, contact them before you try and fix it yourself. Manufacturers usually have the most up to date resources for any of your flooring needs.

Please make sure you do some research on the rules about using certain waxes and restorers before you attempt to wax your floors. You can’t use certain waxes on specific finishes because it may make the floor too slippery or damage the finish. If you are unsure of the finish of your hardwood flooring or don’t know what wax to use, give the experts at Inside Homes Cleaning and More a call today so we can help!