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Hardwood floors are incredibly durable, as long as you practice the right maintenance and cleaning routine. They can even last 100 years or more with the proper maintenance. There are wood flooring options, wood flooring refinishing and hardwood floor treatments that can be utilized in preserving your wood floors. Here are the biggest mistakes homeowners make when trying to keep their hardwood floors clean and why you should avoid them.  

Many homeowners believe that steam cleaning is a harmless method for cleaning floors because it’s just water. However, steam will damage your hardwood floors. The sudden and drastic temperature changes, along with water, can ward your wood floors. Even when steam mop manufacturers claim that it’s safe to use on wood floors, this is actually bad for them. The force of the steam leaving the mop can penetrate between the boards, forcing moisture into these crevices and into the wood, leading to warping with regular use. 

Vinegar is thought of as the every-cleaner by many homeowners. From sinks to the laundry, vinegar is used all over the home. But don’t use vinegar on your hardwood floors! Wood floors require a neutral solution with a pH level of 7. Vinegar is acidic, with a pH level of 2 or 3, which will erode your natural wood floor’s finish and shine. You will end up having to refinish your floors much sooner than you’d like. 

Applying polish to wood seems like a great idea to get that new-floor shine. The suggested use of these chemicals is to reapply them frequently–as much as once per month. The reason for this is that the polish sits on top of the wood floor’s finish and will get worn off, especially in high traffic areas. The problem? Reapplying polish will eventually make your hardwood floors appear hazy and the only solution to fixing the problem will be to strip the polish, which will damage the original finish. 

Skip the Pine Sol or other solvents that need to be heavily diluted with water. Using a wet mop on your hardwood floors will degrade the finish and could even leave behind water in between the boards, which can get into the hardwood planks. The water can also damage your subflooring over time. Instead, use a product like Bona, which is a hardwood floor cleaner that won’t wear out your finish or permeate the surface. You’ll spray it lightly onto your floors, using a microfiber dry mop to clean your floor as you go. 

Sweeping up dust, dirt, and fur from your wood floors doesn’t require the same type of brush as concrete or getting into grout lines of tile. Even worse, stiff bristles will scratch the surface, making your floors look worn faster. Instead, use a soft-bristled broom. Even better, use a dry mop to gather dust and dirt more effectively. 

The brush roll on your vacuum is the rotating bar of bristles on the underside of your vacuum. Like with a hard-bristle broom, your floors will get scratched, but at an even faster rate. This will wear down the finish and make your floors look dull over time. Most vacuums come with a “hard floor” option that stops and lifts the brush roll. If your vacuum doesn’t have the option of stopping the brush roll, forgo vacuuming altogether. Or, invest in a robot vacuum that can take care of picking up dust and dirt between deeper cleanings. 

• Furniture legs, glides and casters can scratch and dent your floor. Use specially made felt protectors or furniture coasters to prevent scratches and dents.
• Dust and dirt tracked onto your hardwood floor acts like sandpaper to your finish. Place an entry rug at every outdoor entrance.
• Use rugs in high traffic areas.
• Domestic pets’ nails can scratch and dent your floor. It is a good idea to keep your pets’ nails well groomed.
• Some types of high-heeled shoes may cause indentations in wood floors. High heels worn by an average woman can exert 2,000 pounds of pressure per square inch.
• The use of oil soaps, furniture dusting spray, and liquid or paste wax products can dull your floor’s finish and make further cleaning and refurbishing difficult.

By removing shoes, or at least keeping them clean, free of debris, and dry, this will help prevent scratching and scuffing. Also remember to apply felt pads to all furniture that can come into contact with the wood floors.

As far as cleaning, dry dust moping (Swiffer) can be used at any time. For high traffic areas, an occasional damp cloth or mop can be used. You can use either diluted white vinegar with warm water or Bona cleaning products. Make sure that after any damp mop procedure that you go directly over with a dry mop or towel.

A good rule of thumb is to vacuum or dust mop weekly. Its recommended to use a vacuum that has a felt or brush tip as not to scratch the floors. A damp mop can be used for spills and general cleanup on floors which have non-waxed polyurethane or Swedish finish. If the floor is waxed, occasional buffing helps remove scuff marks that may appear in the wax coating.

The most important factor homeowners must keep in mind when it comes to preserving hardwood flooring is the level of moisture in the air. There are wood flooring options available such as wood flooring refinishing and hardwood floor treatments. Generally, wood floors will expand when exposed to moisture and contract in its absence. Homeowners can minimize the range of moisture changes by installing a humidifier. Here are some scenarios that can lead to expansion and contraction of your hardwood flooring. 

Cupping.  As seasons and humidity change, cupping, crowning, and cracks between boards will all happen to an extent. Cupping is when the edges of the board are higher then the center, usually when humidity causes wood to swell, pushing the boards together and deforming the edges. If the cupping gets worse or does not go away, there is most likely a moisture problem which must be identified and controlled. Common moisture issues could be from large spills in which the liquid is absorbed by the boards or plumbing issues where moisture seeps into the flooring. Once identified, cupping can be reversed by drying out with fans, however depending on the damage the floor may need to be recoated or sanded and refinished.

Crowning.  Crowning is the opposite of cupping, with the center of the floor boards rising higher than the edges. Crowning can be a result of the floor surface encountering moisture. Sometimes this is the result of sanding the floor too soon after cupping, and when the floor dries out and returns to normal the edges are now lower then the middle of the boards.

Cracks.  Cracks can be as wide as a dime, with light-colored woods and plank floors being the most obvious. These will usually close as the season changes and should not be a big concern. 

Buckling.  An uncommon wood flooring reaction to moisture, this is usually a result of flooding. When buckling, floor boards can raise a few inches from the subfloor. When buckling occurs, it is possible to repair without completely redoing depending on the level of damage.

It’s no secret that wooden floors add an extra touch of elegance to any home. But eventually, even the most well-loved floor will start to show its age. There’s no set answer to how many times you can refinish a wood floor, as it greatly depends on the material and condition of the flooring. However, we and most other experts agree that floors can be refinished four to five times before they need to be replaced altogether. So if your floor is starting to look a little worn, don’t despair – it may just need a little refreshing!

The process of refinishing your hardwood floors involves removing the existing finish of your wood floor and putting on a new coating. This restores the wood back to a like-new condition. This can help restore the elegant and classic design to its original shine and beauty, and can significantly extend the life of your floor!

At the end of the day, hardwood floors are beautiful. They can be refinished up to four or five times before they need replacement, but this will depend on the current state and quality of your wood. If you’re not sure whether or not refinishing is right for you, it may be time to talk to an expert!

Controlling humidity is the best way to be proactive in preventing flooring moisture problems. We also recommend following these maintenance tips:

• Use a floor care kit or preferred cleaning product applied to cloth
• Follow any manufacturer recommendations for cleaning instructions.
• Do not regularly clean with water or water based products, the water deteriorates the wood and finish
• Never leave a spill to dry

We hope you enjoy your new flooring! Follow these hardwood floor care tips to keep your flooring beautiful and to extend the lifespan.