When well taken care of, hardwood floors can look great. Unfortunately, life often has second thoughts when it comes to keeping things pristine. Wood floors can feel flaky like wet cement at times with scratches and scuffs forming easily.
You won’t tolerate ripped carpet, so why settle for a damaged wood floor? In addition to regular cleaning, prevention is the best way to keep wood floors looking their best. Here are 7 tips for keeping your wood floor scratch-free.
1. Take off your shoes
Good manners and good practices, convincing guests and family to take off their shoes will go a long way to sparing floors. No one will be offended and shoes, especially with pointed heels, can cause serious damage to the wooden floor.
If your hardwood floor is near a front or backyard, shoes can bring in all kinds of debris that can fall to the ground. Sticks and stones may break your bones but they may also scratch the floor. If you can’t get kids or family members to take off their shoes before coming in from outside, try to remind them of one The best outdoor rugs. Speaking of which…
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In addition to being great for hiding the worst scuffs and scrapes, rugs will also cushion your floor from any potential scratching traces. Of course, you will still need to Clean the rugAnd But this is easier than getting rid of a deep scratch.
Rugs can also provide additional insulation and keep your feet (without shoes) off the cold wood floors. If you have underfloor heating, be careful with carpeting as it can cause it to fatigue and overheat.
3. Protect the feet of the furniture
Furniture feet can damage your floor quite easily—especially heavy pieces with a small footprint—but it’s also easy to prevent. Try putting felt pads under your feet or if you have an old rug or rug lying around you can always cut them up. Slipping can be an especially common problem if you have children who jump on furniture or get up and sit down unattended. Rubber pads are the best way to counter this.
4. Pet claws
We all love our furry friends, but they don’t always help out when it comes to keeping the house clean. To solve the disposal problem, we suggest one The best robot vacuums for pet hairBut the sharp claws can be destructive on wood floors and need more than a dog lick to get out.
Dogs’ claws should be trimmed every 3-4 weeks and cats’ claws every 2-3 weeks. This can be done by a professional groomer (especially if your dog is a wobbly one like mine) but if you have a well-behaved cat or dog and are happy to perform a pet pedicure, it can be done on your own. Ask your vet for advice and never go near her; the American Kennel Club (Opens in a new tab) He has a helpful guide.
If you love spoiling your pets (and who doesn’t) also make sure you don’t give them any chew toys or treats in a hardwood floor room. It’s easy for messy eaters to scratch the floor with their teeth.
5. Be careful when moving furniture
Moving furniture can be a risky business for hardwood floors. Always make sure it is well lifted off the ground because the chance of scratching the floor is high if you hold it while moving. Be as gentle as possible when lifting and setting furniture and placing foot pads in the new location beforehand.
If you like to move things around and renovate rooms a lot, make sure you know for sure where the furniture will keep moving to a minimum. Apps like Room Planner (available on Android and iOS) and sites like Styler It can help you plan and preview different furniture configurations.
6. Protective oils and varnishes
There are plenty of oils and varnishes that can clean and protect your floor from stains and scratches. If your floor was previously treated or oiled, you can reapply without worry, but if your floor was previously refinished, use caution. A varnished floor should first be sanded down to the exposed wood. A good varnish should last 5-10 years while you should oil floors every 2-3 years.
7. Vacuum regularly
Obviously, keeping the floor clean will reduce the risk of visible damage to it. Vacuuming regularly will prevent any dirt and debris from falling to the floor and save you a lot of work in the long run.
It is also important to use the correct settings on your vacuum cleaner. If you have one The best vacuum cleaners Make sure to use any hard floor settings and definitely avoid using brush tape.
By following these procedures, not only will your floor look great, but hopefully it will last longer and require less maintenance as well. If it’s too late for your floor, don’t worry. Learn how to clean hardwood floors without damaging them. If you have decided on a hardwood floor finish, check this out How to install laminate without a builder.
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