Information on Maintaining Hardwood Floors
If you have thought about changing your flooring and have decided on hardwood flooring then you have made a great choice, but your hardwood floors will need to be maintained. Hardwood flooring is made from mature trees, and is treated when it is finished. But hardwood will absorb moisture and also scratch if something is dragged across it.
Leaving a puddle of water in your hardwood floors would not be a great idea. The moisture will go into the cracks in between the slates and they will swell as they absorb the water. If water happens to be spilt in even a small spot and sits it can still be seen. If any liquid is spilled on the floor you need to soak up the fluid right away. Use a damp mop only when you clean your hardwood floors. You may want to use a floor cleaner for hardwood, like old floors usually. Whatever you choose you must use only a damp mop.
Another thing that can happen to hardwood floors are dents and scratches. High heels are torture to hardwood floors. Over time any furniture legs can dent or scratch the floors. You can choose to put area rugs under the furniture to protect the floors or you can put felts on the bottoms of the furniture legs. This can be the same as new floors to many people. You may also choose to add area rugs to any areas that are highly traveled in your house.
Some homeowners like the character that scratches and dents give the floor. But when you feel that you are in fact sick of them you can get your hardwood flooring refinished. You may need to have your hardwood floors refinished every ten years or so, this will also add a protective top coat to your hardwood floors, just like area rugs usually. Moving anything across your hardwood floors to letting your dog run in the house can cause scratches and dents.