Keep Your Hardwood Looking Like New - Care and Maintenance Dos and Don'ts

Hardwood floors can add elegance, warmth, and style to your home. They are fairly easy to maintain. Spills on hard surface floors, including wood, are usually easy to clean up. But dust and dirt tracked over any floor can dull its finish—and so can dusting products. Use these tips to keep your hardwood floors looking as beautiful as the day they were installed.
Here are some dos and don’ts for keeping your hardwood floors in tiptop shape:

• Do use dirt-trapping entry rugs inside and outside your front door.
• Do use felt glides under your furniture legs to prevent scratches.
• Do clean floors weekly with a vacuum or dust mop.
• Don’t use dusting products— they can dull the finish.
• Do damp mop floors with a polyurethane or similar finish. Wipe the floor dry as you go.
• Don’t use water, not even a damp mop, on a wax-finished floor.
• Don’t use oil soaps or ammonia products—they can damage surface finishes. Are you seeking for the hardwood look with even less maintenances? Consider laminate or vinyl floors.

Laminate floor coverings look like beautiful hardwood, but they’re durable and never need waxing, sanding or refinishing. To clean them, just vacuum (without beater bars) or damp mop with water and mild all-purpose cleaner. Most dirt and stains come right up, but you may need to keep acetone (nail polish remover) on hand for cleaning tar or oil. For ceramic tile floors, damp mopping is the best way to keep them clean and shining. And frequent mopping keeps the grout in good shape.

Vinyl floors usually need just sweeping and occasional damp mopping to keep them looking sharp. Most tough stains will come out by using rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) or lighter fluid, mineral spirits or turpentine and a clean white cloth. If you scrub, be sure to use a non-abrasive white scrubbing pad, and check with your retailer if stubborn stains remain.