Are your hardwood floors looking dull and worn out? Do you miss the days that they looked fresh and new? Proper care and careful cleaning of hardwood floors can extend the life of them. Other techniques like oiling and resurfacing can make them look new again. If you have added the task of improving your hardwood floors to your spring cleaning list this year, remember the following hardwood floor maintenance tips.
Use proper cleaning materials
Great looking hardwood floors start with proper cleaning. When you choose to install real hardwood floors throughout your house, it is important to remember that only specific cleaning materials should be used on them. Other cleaning materials that are not made for hardwood floors can damage them over time. Commercial wood flooring materials require hardwood cleaners, along with hardwood floor oil finishes. If you are unsure of which materials to use, always look at the ingredients on the back of the bottle. There are also many cleaning materials that are specifically made for hardwood floors available.
Utilize rugs over high traffic areas
Hardwood floors, just like any other type of flooring, can wear out over time. However, the majority of hardwood floor materials should last for many years. You can extend the life of your hardwood floors by putting throw rugs in high trafficked areas. Use a throw rug under dining room and living room furniture to also protect the flooring from the movement of furniture pieces. Also use throw rugs in hallways and entrance ways, where there is likely to be a lot of heavy foot traffic.
Regularly oil your hardwood floors
Hardwood floor oil finish is a type of protectant cover. Think of it as a coating or seal that protects the lower hardwood materials. Over time, the hardwood floor oil finish wears down and the actual hardwood materials are at risk. If you regularly oil your hardwood floors, however, you can ensure that they stay protected. It is usually best to go with companies that refinish hardwood floors professionally. Even minimal mistakes can leave your floors unprotected and cause extensive damage to the hardwood materials.
Stain old hardwood floors for a new look
Perhaps you are no longer satisfied with the color or design of your hardwood floors. It would be expensive and waste of materials to replace all of the flooring, simply to change the overall design. Instead, you can have your hardwood floors refinish. You can also have them stained to cover up any heavy wear or tear in the flooring. A lot of new homeowners actually prefer to stain their hardwood floors, in order to preserve the original materials of the house. The best way to refinish hardwood floors is to stain them and then use a high quality hardwood floor oil finish to protect it.
The demand of hardwood floors
Regardless of what improvement method you choose, you will find that hardwood floors are still very much in demand. Data from the National Association of REALTORS found that 54% of home buyers were willing to pay more for a home with hardwood flooring. Keeping your floors in great condition with proper maintenance and cleaning will ensure that you get the most out of your hardwood flooring investment. You are also likely to see your house sell quicker. According to the National Wood Flooring Association, 82% of real estate agents say that homes with hardwood flooring sell faster.
Hardwood flooring is currently one of the most popular flooring trends. In 2015 alone, hardwood flooring accounted for 1.7 billion square feet of the U.S. floor covering market. The number of households with hardwood flooring is likely to increase. For this reason, it is important to keep up with maintenance and quality of your hardwood floors. Not only will it make your home feel nicer, but it will raise the value of your home as well.