A Hardwood floor is a timeless investment, for one simple reason: seasons will change and trends will drastically fluctuate but hardwood floors will always be a part of it.
Well-kept, a hardwood floor will outlive your walls, furniture, and overall décor.
However, if you want it to last these years you need to give it proper maintenance.
How do we do that, you ask? It's simple.
Moist.
Clean.
No Machines.
MOIST! Floors do not like water, wood or faux wood (aka laminates) do not like water.
They each react differently to it, but in general do not behave well with it.
So whenever there is a spill on your floor, proceed to clean it up as quickly as possible, because it'll harden if its "gooey", or it'll soak into the seams in wood if it's too liquid.
But use a moist towel or mop.
Too wet and you're starting your floor on a bad path towards a shorter lifespan.
CLEAN! Vacuum your floor on a regular basis.
You might think it doesn't look dirty, but dust and dirt ALWAYS build up.
There is no avoiding it.
It seeps through the windows, enters on your shoes and through the wind when we come in the door, it even comes off our skin.
Why is it bad? When we walk over the dirt or dust it ever so slightly scratches the surface of the floor and over time destroys the floor's finish.
So vacuum it up.
Just remember to use a non-abrasive attachment on your vacuum cleaner.
In addition to vacuuming, it is also recommended to mop up any dirt a vacuum missed with a moist mop, again, not a wet mop.
NO MACHINES! NO STRANGE PRODUCTS! Never use a machine, buffing or polishing machines are not meant for hardwood floors and will ruin the finish.
Instead use a hardwood floor cleaning product.
However, If the product does not say it cleans hardwood floor it probably doesn't.
Save yourself the hassle of permanently staining the finish on your hardwood floor, or leaving unseemly streaks that will be hard to take off and use a special product dedicated for hardwood floors.
Also be very careful to use the correct amount of water that your product of choice recommends- just because the water is mixed in with a cleaning product does not mean it is wise to just pour it on.
Follow these three simple recommendations and your floor will be clean and looking brand spanking new for years to come!