Preventing Scratches and Damage: Tips for Protecting Your Hardwood Floors

Tips for Protecting Hardwood Floors

After you’ve made an investment in your hardwood floors, the next best step to take is to educate yourself on some simple maintenance and care routines.

By doing so, you’ll put yourself in the best position to keep your wood floors just exactly how you expect them to look long into the future!

Keep reading to learn about five quick and easy tips you can use now to protect your floors as well as some long-term hardwood floor care methods.

5 Quick & Easy Preventative Measures

1. Stop it in its tracks!

A pretty simple way to dramatically reduce the amount of dirt, dust, and debris from entering your home and posing a threat to your hardwood floors is to place a doormat at the main exterior entry points of your home. These doormats will reduce the chances of dirt being tracked into your home: stop the dirt!

When it comes to the interior entryway of your home, lay an area rug or floor mat to protect this high-trafficked area. Play around with the rug’s placement so as to put it in the most strategic area to prevent scratches and dings to your floors.

Another tip: do not get any rugs with rubber backing! This will backfire because water gets trapped underneath these rubber mats.

2. Pay attention to your furniture

If you are someone who likes to switch up your decor every now and then, make sure you protect your hardwood floors when doing so. We certainly want you to avoid simply hoping for the best by choosing to just drag your heavy furniture or other heavy objects to a new location.

That’s asking for damage! Instead, take the time to lift it completely and carry any furniture or appliances that need relocating.

Once it’s in place, there are certain furniture pads for particular types of furniture. For things you move quite a bit, it’s best to use slip-on felt pads or silicon pads to act as leg protectors. Make sure you put them on correctly, clean them regularly and replace them when needed!

Floor mats are best for office spaces that house office chairs or rolling chairs. Again, be careful to avoid any mats or area rugs with rubber backs.

Self-adhesive pads are best for furniture that generally stays in the same spot. These come in various sizes and you can even cut them to size for a custom fit.

3. No-shoe policy!

One of the most effective ways to keep your hardwood floors in beautiful condition is to instill a no-shoe policy in your home. When shoes are taken out of the equation, dirt, grim, and other grit all have less of a chance to wreak havoc on your floors.

At the very least, kindly request that any stiletto heels or other types of high heels be left at the door because those types of shoes are bound and determined to damage your wood.

Consider the use of a shoe rack or a designated decorative shoe bin to encourage your family and other visitors to leave their shoes at the door.

4. Do it now!

The best way to prevent damage to your hardwood floors after something has been spilled is to clean it up right away! Do not wait.

Take the time to sop up the liquid that’s been spilled. By doing so, you will help to prevent the liquid from seeping into any crevices in the floor and you’ll decrease the chances that your floors will warp.

5. Avoid buildup and haze

Daily sweeping or vacuuming is the preferred method of hardwood floor cleaning. The more frequently you can rid your floor of potentially damaging dirt and debris, the better able you are to protect your floors. Going too long between sweeping or vacuuming encourages buildup to accumulate on your floors and that is the opposite of what you want!

And as always, be mindful of what type of cleaning material you are using. If you squirt the cleaner on a window and it leaves a mark, you can be assured that the particular cleaning will indeed leave a hazy residue on your floors. Try out a couple of different solutions until you find a streak-free one!

Long-Term Care Tips

In addition to the regular cleaning of your hardwood floors, there are some other more long-term care tips you should be aware of.

Regular Inspections
By taking some time every now and then to regularly inspect all areas of your hardwood floors, you’ll be able to draw your attention to any loose boards or planks. You can also discover any scratches or dents that might need repairing.

Refinishing & Resealing
To fully extend the lifespan of your hardwood floors, it’s suggested that you renew the finish on your floors. Doing this will brighten dull surfaces and give your floors the shine that you want.

You can do this every few years by giving your floors a light sand and then applying a fresh coat of the applicable finish.

Other general signs to look out for that it might be time to refinish your hardwood floors include:
 – Extremely stubborn stains that you cannot get rid of
– Stained or discolored areas from water damage
– Discoloration caused by areas with prolonged sun exposure
– You want a new look!

Be mindful of how many times it’s appropriate to refinish your particular hardwood floors!

Conclusion – Preventing Scratches and Damage: Tips for Protecting Your Hardwood Floors

We guarantee you that your commitment to some quick and easy maintenance tasks will pay off in the long run. Your floors will inevitably stay in better condition than if you chose to ignore them!

At Lakeside Floor Coverings, we believe it’s very important that you know how to take care of your floors. Understanding the correct preventative measures as well as some long-term maintenance techniques will allow you to protect your floors for the long haul!

Get in touch to get started on your flooring project. Our friendly staff can arrange a time for you to visit our showroom or for our professional team to visit your home or commercial property for an on-site estimate. Call 763-503-0100.

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