Introduction

You love your hardwood flooring. It’s beautiful, it’s durable, and it can last a lifetime if you take good care of it. But you don’t want to spend all that time and money on a gorgeous floor only to ruin it with improper cleaning methods or neglect. That’s why we’re here today: to help you maintain your hardwood floors so they look great forever!

Clean with a microfiber mop.

To clean your hardwood floors, use a microfiber mop. This will give you the best results and keeps the floor looking great for longer.

To do this, fill the water reservoir with water and add in some cleaning solution (see below). You’ll want to choose something that is safe for your type of wood flooring. If you have an oiled or waxed floor, make sure whatever you use doesn’t contain any silicone oils or waxes as these will damage your floor.[1]

Then put on the head of your mop and turn it on!

Don’t leave standing water on hardwood floors

Standing water is a common cause of mold, which can be harmful to your health. Water also can cause wood to expand and contract, resulting in warping. It can also cause cracks or peeling paint on the flooring.

In addition to these issues, standing water may actually damage your hardwood floors. As soon as you notice water has pooled on the flooring, “dry” it up immediately with towels or a mop and then protect the entire area with plastic sheeting until repairs are complete (or call in professionals).

Stay away from wax and polish

A common mistake people make when caring for hardwood floors is to use wax and polish. Although these products may sound like a good idea because they’re meant to protect your floors, they can actually do more harm than good.

• Wax and polish can be difficult to remove from the floor. If you want to change or update your floor’s appearance, this buildup will show scratches that don’t match the rest of your floor.
• Wax and polish can make floors slippery. If you have small children or pets who run around on a regular basis, using wax and polish could result in injuries if they slip on the newly polished surface.
• Waxing/polishing can be difficult to apply, especially by hand (as opposed to using machines). This means that there is an increased risk of making mistakes while applying wax/polish manually—which could lead to scratched floors!

Use cleaning products that are pH-neutral or that are specifically made for hardwood floors.

Before you start cleaning your hardwood floors, you should know that many common household cleaning products are not appropriate for use on wood. Obviously, some products are too harsh and will damage the finish while others will strip away so much of the protective layer that water can penetrate into the wood and cause swelling or warping. You should also avoid using any product that contains ammonia or bleach as these can be very corrosive to hardwood flooring (the same is true for products containing vinegar).

The best way to ensure that your floors remain in good condition is by using products specifically designed for use on hardwood: pH-neutral cleaners like vinegar and baking soda mixtures, mineral spirits, mineral oil (which acts as a polish), beeswax polish, lemon juice mixed with salt if you have white oak in particular types of wood (this helps prevent staining).

Get an entryway mat to reduce dust, dirt, and debris.

A good entryway mat is essential to keeping your hardwood floors clean. They keep dirt, dust and debris from getting tracked throughout the house, so you’ll have one less thing to worry about when you come home from work or a long day of running errands.

If you’re using a mat to protect your hardwood floors from dirt and grime on shoes, make sure that it’s not too big for the space where it’s being stored. This can be challenging since there are so many different kinds of mats available in stores today: some people prefer a rectangular shape while others like circular ones; some want their mats thinner whereas others want them thicker; still others need special features such as antimicrobial properties or odor-absorbing qualities (a popular option for pet owners). It all depends on how much room there is for storing them outside before bringing them inside again—so keep that in mind when making choices!

Put felt pads under the legs of all your furniture.

• Put felt pads under the legs of all your furniture. This will protect your hardwood floors from scratches and dents, which can occur when you move heavy furniture across them.
• Felt pads are available at most hardware stores and can be easily installed with a hammer. If you have adhesive-backed felt pads, peel off the protective paper backing and place the pad where you want it on your floor. To install non-adhesive backed felt pads, simply lay down a strip of double-sided tape along one side of the square or rectangle before pressing it down into place with a hammer or rubber mallet.
• You’ll want to use felt with a thickness between 1/4″ – 3/8″, depending on how much weight your piece needs to bear (the heavier it is, the thicker should be). When buying in bulk from places like Lowes or Home Depot, these measurements are usually indicated as numbers followed by “psi,” which stands for pounds per square inch (you may also see this measurement listed as Psi).

Take good care of your hardwood floors.

There’s no need to spend a lot of money on special products or fancy tools, but there are some things you can do to keep your hardwood floors looking their best.

First, don’t use wax or polish on your wood flooring. These products will fill in the pores and make your floors shiny, but they can also trap dirt and dust inside them. Be sure to use all-natural cleaning products that are pH neutral or specifically made for hardwood floors. These cleaners won’t cause any damage and will help protect the finish of your flooring instead of leaving a layer of residue behind.

Conclusion

If you have hardwood floors, they’re probably one of your most prized possessions. You should take good care of them! We recommend that you clean with a microfiber mop and water, don’t leave standing water on the floor (even if it’s just for a few minutes), stay away from wax and polish products, use only pH-neutral or hardwood floor specific cleaning products in order to avoid stripping the finish off your floors (especially with kids around!), get an entryway mat to reduce dust, dirt, and debris before getting into the house every day; put felt pads under all furniture legs so they don’t scratch up your beautiful flooring surfaces; keep pets off floors as much as possible because their paws may not only bring dirt inside but also oils from outside onto those surfaces too!