As trusted custom home builders in the Dallas area, we know that hardwood floors have become hugely popular with homeowners today, mostly because of the beauty and value they add. Some people choose carpet or other floor coverings when building a home, mostly because they fear caring for hardwood floors will be difficult. The truth is, caring for gleaming wood floors is fairly easy! We have a few tips we think you’ll find useful below.
First of all, pay attention to high traffic areas. In most rooms there are paths commonly used to get from one place to another. Areas where there is more foot traffic will naturally become dull before areas that have very little traffic do. In many cases, a dull appearance is due to the build-up of dirt, however don’t get out the mop and bucket! Soaking wood floors with water is one thing you want to avoid at all costs. Instead, choose a trusted wood floor cleaner such as Bona, Pledge, or Orange Glo and follow label directions.
Certain shoes are not really hardwood floor-friendly, such as those with rubber soles on floors coated with polyurethane. If your floor has scuff marks caused by rubber soled shoes, try rubbing them out with socks. If this doesn’t completely eliminate the scuffs, put a small amount of baking soda on a damp rag and work it out. Finish by wiping the baking soda residue off with a clean cloth that’s damp, followed by a little buff with a dry cloth.
What about tar, gum, or other hard-to-remove substances? Even these things aren’t too difficult to remove from your hardwood floors. If the gum, tar, or other goo has hardened, just put a few ice cubes in a freezer bag and sit it on top of the gum or other substance until it becomes hard. You can then remove the goo with a credit card or spatula, but be gentle!
How can you keep you hardwood floors looking good as new without working too hard at it?
If you have pets, keep his/her nails trimmed to prevent scratching. Protector pads placed under furniture legs will help prevent marring of the floors if you decide to rearrange the furniture, or just need to move it out of the way for cleaning. In high-traffic areas, use decorative area rugs to protect the floor. Other than cleaning your hardwood floors occasionally with a product designed for this purpose as described above, what should you do? Simply vacuum, use a dust mop, or microfiber cloth dusting system such as Swiffer. That wasn’t so hard, was it?
Considering building a Dallas custom home? Give Bud Bartley Custom Homes a call today, and join the hundreds of satisfied homeowners who have relied on our skilled craftsmen for over 30 years.
