How To Protect Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors can instantly add value to your home, but only if correctly maintained. Unlike vinyl substitutes, many everyday tasks and actions can actually damage the wood under your feet if you are not careful; from kitchen wood floors in Minnesota to living room wood floors, every homeowner with wood flooring would be wise to learn a few basic tricks that can help them protect their flooring. However, wooden flooring is not hard to maintain if you keep the following things in mind.
Define the High Traffic Areas in Your Home
First of all, you need to consider where the high traffic areas of your home are so that you are aware of areas where your hardwood flooring might receive damage. It is essential to protect your flooring in high-traffic areas so that it does not fade or wear unevenly. Typically kitchen wood floors in Minnesota are considered high traffic, as are living room areas and bathrooms.
Keep in mind that if you install hardwood floors in your kitchen, you may consider a few extra variables. While hardwood is an excellent choice for a kitchen because it is easy to clean, kitchens tend to have more moisture than other home areas. Therefore, you need to be mindful of this and install moisture-absorbing padding underneath to minimize the amount of water on the wood.
You should also carefully consider the color of hardwood flooring for your kitchen because specific colors are more forgiving for food spills and stains. Darker colors are less tolerant, especially when it comes to scratches, which is why most professional floor installers will recommend lighter shades for kitchen wood floors in Minnesota.
Choose Rugs that Offer Real Protection
A great way to protect hardwood floors in high traffic areas is with the careful placement of rugs. Rugs add warmth to a room by instantly accenting the flooring and any painting or cabinetry in a warm. No one likes to step on a cold floor in the morning or evening, and a rug is the simplest way to remedy this issue.
More importantly, rugs offer extra protection for your kitchen flooring by acting as a barrier between spills and stains and your hardwood floor. Depending on the layout of your kitchen, you might choose a large area rug for the center of the kitchen or individual floor rugs strategically placed near areas where you prepare food and are thus more likely to spill.
The rug material you choose matters, so if you are shopping for rugs for extra protection, you will want to select rugs with absorbent matting under them or heavy woven rugs versus thin decorative accent rugs.
Save Your Wooden Floors from Furniture
The number one way that wooden floors are scratched is by sliding furniture. Everyday items such as chairs, tables, and appliances are constantly moved or slightly pushed, causing micro-scratches on wooden floors that can eventually turn into very noticeable groves. The best way to prevent this from happening is by placing furniture pads under any furniture items that may slide across your flooring.
Learn to Properly Clean Wooden Floors
Over time, stains and moisture will hit your kitchen flooring, but adequately cleaning kitchen wood floors in Minnesota is your best defense against damage. Do not clean with water because the damage will increase over time, leaving behind mineral deposits that swell and lead to cracks. Instead, opt for specialty cleaning products designed for hardwood flooring. In addition, make it a point to clean stains and spills immediately to prevent staining or discoloration.
If your hardwood flooring has seen better days, contact Dave’s Floor Sanding. We specialize in sanding and refinishing hardwood floors and can instantly revitalize the hardwood flooring in your home. We also carry a line of custom-designed cleaning products that will allow you to maintain the fresh shine of hardwood. Contact us today for more information.