Proper care and maintenance will help ensure your hardwood floor always looks its best, while making sure your investment continues to appreciate in value. Here are some care and maintenance pointers from the ESL Hardwood Floor Specialists.

• Once a week or so, vacuum, sweep or dust mop your floor. Do this more often if you think it’s needed. Make sure your vacuum head is brush or felt. A wand attachment is preferable. Don’t use vacuums with beater bars or hard heads.  A hardwood floor swivel-head mop with a microfiber cover also works well to eliminate fine particles of grit and dirt that can act like sandpaper on hardwood floors.

• Spills and tracked-in dirt should be wiped up immediately. For spot cleaning, use a cleaner specifically intended for a hardwood floor with your selected finish, according to the manufacturer’s directions
• Periodically, as necessary, thoroughly clean your floor with a cleaner specifically intended for hardwood floors with your selected finish, according to the manufacturer’s directions.

• Never clean or wet mop with water. Water can permanently damage your floor.

• Never apply wax treatments to a urethane-coated floor.

• Never use any of the following products (or products similar in nature) on your floor: ammonia-based cleaners, acrylic finishes, wax-based products, detergents, bleach, polishes, oil soap, abrasive cleaning soaps, or acidic materials such as vinegar. Many of these products can pit or etch your floor’s finish and inhibit the effectiveness of recommended maintenance products.

• Interior and exterior doormats are a good idea at all entrances to collect dirt and moisture and prevent them from being tracked onto the floor.

• Area rugs cut down on wear in front of the kitchen sink, at “pivot points” and in high-traffic areas. Use rugs made of a breathable material to prevent moisture entrapment. Don’t use rugs with solid rubber or vinyl backings.

• Don’t damage your floor with shoes that have heel taps or sharp objects protruding from the sole such as rocks, exposed nails and gravel.

• Avoid walking on your floor with spike-heeled shoes. If you must, be sure to properly maintain your spike or stiletto high heels to minimize potential damage from the steel heel support.

• Keep animal nails trimmed to minimize finish scratching.

• Don’t roll or slide heavy objects directly on your floor. When moving appliances or heavy furniture, lay a solid protective covering on your floor and gently “walk” the item across it. Carpet or cardboard doesn’t adequately protect against surface compression scratches.

• Use furniture leg protector pads under all furniture and make sure to keep them clean and well maintained.

• Replace hard, narrow furniture rollers with wide rubber rollers.

• Keep the relative humidity in your home between 35% and 55%.

• Protect your floor from direct sunlight. Use curtains and UV-resistant film on large glass doors and windows.