Hardwood Floors Maintenance & Care

Maintenance

  • Important: Do not use wax-finished cleaner on Polyurethane-finished floors and vice versa.
  • Sweep or vacuum regularly, since built-up grit can damage the finish. The vacuum head must be a soft brush or felt type. Be certain the wheels of the vacuum are clean and do not damage the flooring. Do not use a vacuum with a beater bar head.
  • Important: Never wet mop or flood your floor with water or other products. This can severely damage the floor.
  • Remove spills promptly using a soft cloth.
  • The use of brand specific care and maintenance products is highly recommended such as Bruce No-Wax cleaner.

Care

  • Use rugs at workstations, pivot-points (e.g., stair landings, room entries), and high-traffic areas to reduce wear, especially if you have a large family or indoor pets.
  • Use mats at all exterior doors to keep sand, dirt, grit, grease, and oil outside.
  • Keep pets’ nails trimmed and paws clean and free of dirt, gravel, grease, oil, and stains.
  • Place protective pads beneath furniture legs and feet to reduce scratches and dents.
  • Use a dolly and protective sheets of plywood when moving heavy objects, furniture, or appliances.
  • Make certain furniture casters are clean and operate properly (a minimum 1" width is recommended.)
  • Remove shoes with spiked or damaged heels before walking on floor.
  • Periodically rearranging your area rugs and furniture will allow the floor to age evenly. UV sunlight will soften the tone of different species of hardwood to varying degrees.
  • For spots such as candle wax, chewing gum, glue, orange juice, syrup or anything sticky, use mineral spirits to wipe out gently and damp cloth afterwards.