6 Big Mess Ups Homeowners MakeThat Are Destroying Their Wood Floors

1. Sweeping instead of VacuumingSweeping with a soft bristled broom is a great way to keep up with the day to day debris. But it is not effective at removing the fine particles of sand, grit and silt that are creating razor like incisions in the finish and eventually destroying your hardwood floors. A good vacuum with a hardwood floor attachment is needed at least once a week.

2. Using vinegar as a cleaner:Many people think that vinegar is a great cleaner for hardwoods. Its not. Vinegar contains acetic acid which helps to keep the grain of the wood from darkening if it gets wet. But vinegar has no properties that can breakdown grease and oil build up. Grease and oil are whats holding dirt and grit to your floor. So I recommend about 1-2 oz. of dish detergent along with 8 oz of vinegar for protection and together they will make a cheap, safe and effective cleaner for mopping your hardwood floors.

3. Not Changing the padding under your rugs:All "net-style" padding needs to be replaced every 5 years. These inexpensive pads contain latex and fillers that are full of impurities. These impurities eventually breakdown the "skin" of the polyurethane finish and bond with your hardwood floor. Removing the pad after this has occured is costly and labor intensive. Its much cheaper and less heartwrenching to replace the padding after 5 years.

4. Not using a chair matt under a rolling chair:Buy a chair matt that is made for hard surface flooring. You will thank yourself 100xs over

5. Watering a plant without a catch basin under it. Many times homeowners are unaware that a potted plant is leaking water onto their hardwood floors. Periodically check your potted plants to see if moisture is accumulating on the hardwood floor. Also check for spots under area rugs where you may have an animal that is a repeat offender.

6. Not fixing a leaky window or door seal.In our experience, most of the damage that we see to hardwoods is in the foyer. It is usually caused by water entering the home without it being handled.

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or call our office at 205 223 3671.