Mar 20 2009

Maintaining the Look: Hardwood Floors

There’s no denying the beauty of expertly selected and treated hardwood floors. It doesn’t matter how stylish the throw rug, sometimes the clarity and warmth of a hardwood floor sings louder than any other textile. You loved it when you first had it done, but lately you’ve begun to notice the telltale signs of use and time have decreased it luster. Well here at chictip we’re going to get that old flame going once again!

Dirt and other muck are literally nails on a chalkboard to any good hardwood floor, making marks and scratches all over the place. Prevent this by having strategically placed entry mats in your home or by employing a “shoes off” policy.

If you spill, clean it up! Of course a little water or accidental beverage spill isn’t the end of the world, but clean it up right away to prevent any discoloration.

The sun is definitely our friend, but the same goes for your hardwood as does for your person – a little goes a long way. Be sure to invest in a nice set of blinds to keep that wood safe.

Furniture dragging – just don’t do it!

If you employ SVD, you’ll have a beautiful floor all the time. To the layman that means, Sweeping, Vacuuming (with a friendly attachment) and Dusting!

Know your floor – what sort of finish does the wood have? Is it finished? This will determine the sort of cleaner you use. As a rule, stick with something soap free and PH Balanced to keep your wood healthy and vibrant.

As a final note, if the wood appears damaged or is actually visibly damaged to the point of tripping or harming others, don’t play with it yourself! You wouldn’t operate on yourself, would you? Get a floor doctor, he’ll save you a headache and that my friends is a beautiful thing.