We often treat our floors as if they were indestructible, but unlike durable luxury vinyl tiles, hardwood floors are prone to damage from things we might consider to be damaging to wood. Not only can the wood be easily damaged, but so can the veneer and gloss that protects them. To protect your investment, you will want to treat your floors delicately.
Here are some things you might be doing that are damaging your hardwood floors.
Furniture
We’re not saying that you can’t have any furniture in your house, but we are saying that you should be using furniture pads. Furniture pads are felt stickers that you place on the bottom of your furniture. This ensures that if the furniture is moved (either on purpose or accidentally) it won’t scratch the hardwood floor underneath it. This is a quick and inexpensive way to protect your floors for years to come.
Improper Cleaning
If you don’t like regularly cleaning your floors, hardwood flooring might not be the best option for you. Although it seems like a small thing, not sweeping the dust and dirt on your floor can damage it very quickly. These abrasive bits can be stepped on and carried throughout the house, scratching the floor as they go.
Of course, you will want to mop your floors when doing a deeper cleaning, but unlike tile, you can’t douse the floors with water. With hardwood flooring, you will want to make sure you’re using a damp cloth (think a Swiffer Wet Jet) and a wood safe cleaner. Although wood flooring is treated to withstand water, this treatment has limits, so you will want to make sure you’re not exceeding these and using too much water when mopping.
Pets
We know you love your pets, and we love them too! Keep in mind though, that they may be damaging your floors. Two of the most common ways your pets can be damaging your floors are with their nails (especially if you have a soft species, such as a birch installed) and any accidents they have. With your pet’s nails, be sure to keep them trimmed. Not only is this better for the dog, but it’s actually better for your floors. Long nails can cause scratches and indentations in your hardwood floors that create lasting damage.
If you have a house-training or elderly pet, make sure you’re immediately cleaning up any accidents they may have. This also applies to any area rugs with hardwood floors underneath. If your pet has an accident on an area rug, not only should you clean the rug, but also clean underneath the rug and ensure the nothing leaked through to the hardwood.
We don’t want hardwood floors to limit your life, we simply want to bring to light things you may be doing that are causing damage – this way your investment lasts the lifetime of your home. If the damage of your flooring is too extreme to repair, call our experts to request a complimentary quote for new flooring!
Millennium Hardwood Flooring
9705 Research Blvd Suite C1
Austin, TX 78759
512-351-2258