DIY 
HARDWOOD FLOORING TIPS

The look of hardwood floors is so clean and natural, making any room look put-together and inviting. Ensuring that you are taking the proper care of your hardwood floors can keep that look staying strong.

• Weekly vacuuming of all of the floors in your home is a great way to keep them looking clean and fresh, and this includes your hardwood floors. Dirt and other things on the floor that get caught underfoot can severely wear the finish on your hardwood floors. Keeping these swept up regularly will lengthen the life of your hardwood floors.

• Be cautious when using items like hairspray or air fresheners, aerosol sprays, etc. These can obscure the finish on hardwood floors, and make them appear clouded. This can be prevented, of course, by not using these products in rooms with hardwood floors. If this has already occurred, simply clean the affected area with a cloth that is damp or with non-ammonia based window cleaner.

• Using a “welcome mat” is a great way to keep your hardwood floors looking their best. By keeping moisture and debris from outside on the mat, that much less will be tracked onto your floors. Look for longer mats that can cover a larger area into your home, that way the maximum amount of debris would be removed from a guest’s shoes by the time they reach the hardwood flooring. Also, this helps protect against harmful rainwater that can not only ruin the finish but stain hardwood.

• Beware of some cleaning products. Make sure that the products are able to be used on the finish in your flooring, that way there will be no peeling, damage, or discoloration.

• High traffic areas causing problems? Area rugs are a great accent to any room, and can help prevent dirt and debris being ground into the hardwood floors.