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The durability and condition of your hardwood floors almost completely depends on the level of care that you put into them from the moment the floorboards are installed. We’ve put together a few processes and best practices for maintaining and cleaning your floorboards to increase their longevity.
Place Rugs On The Floor
It may seem obvious but area rugs are a great way to protect your floorboards from dings and scratches that occur from everyday use. Placing rugs in high traffic areas in your home will help to prevent further damage from foot traffic or scratches when moving furniture around. Rugs have a range of practical benefits including noise reduction, added warmth as well as bringing contrast to a room, helping to tie the decor together.
Place Felt Protectors Underneath Furniture
Similarly to rugs, felt protectors are a fantastic way to protect your floorboards. We highly recommend placing felt protectors on most furniture in your home, especially for heavier items such as tables, chairs and couches that may be moved around frequently.
By ticking off this simple step you will help to minimise the number of scratches and wearing your oak floorboards receive over the years.
Place Doormats Both Externally & Internally In Your Home
Doormats, like rugs, are one of those essential household items that everyone needs, though many people dismiss them. However, both external and internal doormats are essential for the durability of your floorboards.
Doormats are capable of doing a lot more than just being a place to wipe your feet, they also act as a barrier against dust particles and bacteria. Without a doormat, many small particles can easily travel across flooring or embed themselves into your carpet floor, a quality doormat will help to prevent this from happening.
Remove Footwear Indoors
The beauty of hardwood flooring is greatly affected by general wear and tear, namely scratches and scrapes that are often difficult to avoid. The best way to protect your floorboards is to create a no shoe policy in your home – particularly shoes with sharp or pointed edges, such as high heels, sports shoes or football shoes. Wearing shoes inside your home will also track in an unnecessary amount of dirt that will require you to clean your house more frequently. Having a no-shoe policy will help to minimise scratches and extend the lifespan of your floorboards.
Clean Up Spills Immediately
It’s extremely important that any spills or leaks that occur be mopped up immediately to prevent from damaging your floorboards. Hardwood floors are highly absorbent and when exposed to water they absorb, swell and in time start to warp.
The longer the water is in contact with the wood the more water is absorbed, causing further damage which is why it’s so important to act swiftly. Uncleaned spills often lead to dark stains or mould growth which is both hazardous to the household and often tough to remove, reducing the quality of your floorboards rapidly.
Important note: Don’t allow unabsorbed oils (like cooking oils) to dry – dried unabsorbed oil leaves glossy spots on the surface.
Contact Us
We’re the experts in traditional, recycled, and engineered oak timber flooring and have been for the last 40 years. We have a deep knowledge of oak timber flooring, and a commitment to providing the best possible customer service. If you’d like to learn more about our timber flooring products or have questions you need answered then get in touch with one of our timber flooring specialists today.
