Wooden flooring for the home: does it have to be hard work?

There are many myths about wooden flooring, not least that it takes a tremendous effort to maintain. In fact, though it does need care, this is not significantly greater than the amount of care you’ll have to take to look after carpet, linoleum or tiles, and it can last a great deal longer than those.

Your floor needs you!

Wooden floors need love. Although they can last for years – even decades – if properly cared for, neglect can lead to them becoming dry and damaged. Once there, scuffing and scratching takes significant effort to remove. If you use a hardwax oil to protect the wood, it will be much more resistant to damage.

The benefits of wooden flooring

Wooden floors are easy to sweep clean, with no need to lug a hoover around. Unlike carpets, they don’t attract parasites such as dust mites, so they’re much more hygienic and a particularly good choice for people with asthma. In addition to this, they’re much cheaper than they used to be, with lots of different options available, and if they are damaged they’re much easier to fix than carpets are either to deep clean or to replace.

Key steps in caring for your floor

Caring for a wooden floor properly involves taking the following simple steps:

• Sweeping the floor clean at least twice a week.
• Avoiding the use of abrasive cleaning tools or liquids of any kind (even water).
• Using a soft cloth to quickly absorb any spilled liquid.
• Using floor protection mats underneath the legs of tables, easy chairs, dressers and so on.
• Keeping shoes off the floor and keeping pets’ claws trimmed.

No matter how careful you are your floor will inevitably take damage over time, so at least once a year you should give it a deep clean.

Deep cleaning you floor

When deep cleaning your floor you should start by brushing it clean, then sponge it with a dedicated wood cleaning product, being careful to mop up any liquid that is not immediately absorbed. Don’t use any old polish as some can cause staining. Instead, you should use a specialist wood polish designed to bring the floor to a shine and protect it against future damage. When you’ve finished, let the floor dry for a few hours – until the surface no longer feels tacky – before you walk on it much or put the furniture back in place.

A real investment

A well cared-for wooden floor can add significant value to your property, so it’s worth thinking about the effort you put into looking after it as an investment in your future. Not only do you get to enjoy a beautiful floor whilst you live there, but you’ll be able to sell your home for more when you’re ready to move to a new one. A shining wooden floor is something all your visitors will admire and it will really bring out the best in your home.