A Step by Step Guide to Caring For Your Wooden Flooring

Thanks to the wide range of beautiful grains and stains available, wooden flooring is a stunning addition to any home or space. If you’re lucky enough to own natural hardwood floors, you’ll know it can seem difficult to maintain their shine. However, cultivating simple habits to care for your floorboards will help you enjoy their original appearance for longer.

1. Try to keep liquids out of reach

First up when it comes to keeping your wooden flooring in perfect condition is ensuring no liquids stay on your surfaces for long. Because un-oiled wooden floorboards are porous, water, drinks and even excess moisture in humid environments can leave your flooring looking dull and warped over time. Spills can damage your floor by sinking into the grain, altering their appearance, and even worse, expanding the wood so your floorboards split or gape. To stop liquid accidents leaving a lasting mark, make sure to mop spills up as soon as possible using a dry cloth.

2. Be mindful of pets

Although having your fluffy friend curled up next to you is a real treat, be mindful that pet nails and claws are one of the main causes of marks and scuffs on your wooden floors. You could combat this by simply placing rugs or pet beds on their favourite area of the room, so your pets spend less time settling on your floorboards. If your flooring is in need of a more long-term solution though, you could consider sanding to remove scuffs or an uneven surface. Quicksand Flooring offers professional sanding services to carefully restore your flooring to its original beauty and shine. Sanding leaves a smooth surface behind that removes any indents left from your pets’ claws, instead bringing out the natural pattern and grain.

3. Get in the habit of daily sweeping

Because we’re constantly bringing dust and dirt inside when we come into our homes, it can be easy to accidentally damage your floorboards without even realising. Even the smallest of particles can scratch your floor, causing it to appear dull and damaged over time. Luckily, stopping the strain on your floorboards is an easy task. Simply sweeping or dusting each day stops the possibility of any dirt being driven into the grain, and dust settling. This will help you avoid any scratches, and maintain a natural shine to your floorboards too.

4. Check you’re using the correct cleaning products

Homeowners trying to protect their floors often make the mistake of using strong, chemical based cleaners to try and restore wooden floorboards to their original shine. Rather than harsh cleaners that could strip the natural stain and shine of your flooring, it’s a good idea to look for gentle, natural products. Removing stains, dust or dirt with more gentle materials will help restore the durability of your wooden floorboards, so you can enjoy their beautiful appearance for longer.

5. Protect your floorboards with furniture pads

You might not notice, but the stress of furniture on wooden floorboards can cause indents and scuffs over time, leading to dents in the appearance of your flooring, and an uneven surface over time. Investing in furniture pads for the bottom of your chairs and tables puts a soft material on the stressed area, stopping the worry of heavy items scratching your floorboards. Soft pads also mean you can move your furniture around much more easily, so you can refresh your space without damaging your wooden floor.

6. Oil your floorboards regularly

Alongside regular maintenance, it’s also important to treat your flooring with a professional oiling service every 3-5 years if possible. Especially in high-traffic areas like hallways and landings, even the most durable wooden floorboards can undergo stress from multiple pairs of feet walking across them each day. Oiling your flooring every few years offers long term protection against the strain of daily impact. Extremely hard-wearing, natural oil provides a barrier that repels liquids and dirt, while retaining the stunning shine and stain of your floorboards too.

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