Wood flooring has many benefits for a home including reducing allergens and creating elegant spaces. While innovations are being made with engineered wood flooring, to increase the hardness and stability, care needs to be taken. Options such as oak flooring require an extra level of care over say a laminate floor. This is because they are a natural product, with a minimum amount of extra care these flooring products can last for generations. There have even been examples dating from the Middle Ages that are still in use today, in some heritage buildings.
As wood flooring is a natural substance it is important to steer clear of harsh chemicals such as ammonia and other common cleaning products. Always check the label to ensure that the cleaning product that you have chosen is suitable for wooden flooring. Another key cleaning tip is to refrain from using hot water to mop your floor. Ideally, water should only be used to clean your solid wood flooring for targeted select areas. This is because the wood will absorb the fluid, which will then cause the planks to react in negative ways when exposed to changes in temperature. Another more obvious tip is to be careful when moving furniture on a wood floor. While wood is a sturdy substance, having a heavy armoire dragged across the surface will create scratches. The solution to such scratches is to sand the affected area and then reapply the varnish or lacquer. This should be a last resort, as sanding will affect the appearance of the wood flooring unless done by a professional. Engineered wood flooring is particularly prone to notwithstanding a lot of sanding, due to the nature of its construction; however, the structure is designed to give a long lasting stable flooring solution.
There are number of simple things that you can do to help care for your wood flooring, such as choosing to hoover over sweeping. Sweeping in effect drags debris including abrasive sand and dirt across the surface of the floor, the cumulative effect of this is a light sanding over the course of the month. Vacuuming on the other hand lifts the dirt away from the surface of the floor and has the added benefit of getting the dirt from beneath the planks. The use of rugs in high traffic areas such as hallways and around tables will help to create even wear patterns across your wood flooring. There are numerous styles and colours of rug available to match any variety of wooden floors. For example a light purple rug with a minimum of detail would contrast beautifully against oak flooring, currently available at Floorsave.
