Hardwood Floor Maintenance
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Installing a hardwood floor is an elegant and classy choice. Hardwood floors have a way of enhancing the look of any room in a way that most other floors cannot do. However, having a hardwood floor means doing proper maintenance and care for it. Otherwise, overtime it will start showing its age. The following are some tips to retain the looks only a hardwood floor can give.

The first basic tip to keep in mind is that the floor should be kept as clean as possible at all times. Dust and dirt particles remaining on the wood is a sure way to slowly destroy the surface of a hardwood floor. This is because dirt can scratch the polished exterior of the floor as a result of foot traffic. The best way to clean up dust and dirt is by using a fine broom. If possible do not use a wheeled vacuum cleaner. This is because the wheels of the vacuum cleaner can scratch the wood. Sweep the floors at least every alternative day. When vacuuming, it is important to use a soft vacuum brush. Vacuuming should be done once a week.

The next tip has more to do with preventing damage to the floor. This involves using synthetic mats at the entrance point of the house. This is an excellent way to collect any residual dirt from people's shoes. There is a wide choice of mats available today and finding one that suits the interiors of the house should not be difficult. Last but not least make sure the mats do not have adhesive or abrasive coated bottom.

Hardwood floors should never be cleaned with water. Using water is a sure way to destroy the wood in the long run, no matter what type of wood it is. Wood floor cleaning products are available in most supermarkets. When using one of these spray the floor and then wipe it with a cotton cloth. The cloth should be as soft as possible. These days more and more people are opting for polyurethane finish as opposed to waxed finish. Each type of finish will have a specific way to clean it properly.

Stains are the biggest enemy of hardwood floors. And at some point the floors will get stained no matter what. Somebody will eventually drop something on the floor that will cause stains. Having to deal with stains is one of the drawbacks of having a hardwood floor. The best way to deal with difficult stains is by using rubbing alcohol and fine steel wool. When this is done it will leave a mark on the wood. The last step is to do a polish job to make the wood look normal again.
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If your floor has a polyurethane protective finish on it; that also needs to be maintained. You should have the floors screened and re-coated with polyurethane every 3 – 5 years depending on the amount of traffic and wear you have on the floors. If this process isn’t done, the floors could become damaged, then they would most likely need to be refinished.
Many people cover the portions where most of the foot traffic happens with carpeting. However, this is a matter of personal taste. Some see this as defeating the purpose of having hardwood floors in the first place. If carpets are used then it will retain the original luster of the wood for a long time.