Recommended Maintenance Schedule

The following guidelines from the National Wood Flooring Association are for hardwood floors with average traffic and wear.  Your specific needs may be more or less frequent depending on your lifestyle.

Daily or a Few Times a Week:  Sweep or dust mop.

Weekly:  Vacuum using the bare floor setting.

Monthly:  Clean with a contractor recommended wood flooring cleaner.

Every 1 to 2 Years:  Have the floors professionally maintained with a Deep Clean.

Every 3 to 5 Years:  Have the floors professionally maintained with a new Maintenance Coat.

Every few decades or as needed:  Have the floors Refinished.

Maintenance Tips

Hardwood floors are easy to maintain.  Start with regular sweeping, dusting, or vacuuming using the bare floor setting.  Keep the floor clear of debris and dirt.  To avoid scratches, use breathable throw rugs at entrances and put floor protector pads under furniture or anything that comes in regular contact with the floor.  Stick with cleaning products recommended by the installer or your maintenance contractor.

Manage Moisture

Wood is a natural product, and will gain or lose moisture until it reaches equilibrium with its environment.  Minimize changes to your wood floor by keeping room temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and maintain a steady humidity of 30 to 50 percent.  Clean spills of any liquids up immediately.  Avoid using wet mops or steam mops, which may damage the finish and floors over time.

Kids and Pets

Today's hardwood floors are made to withstand the traffic of busy family life.  Reduce dirt and debris with regular dusting and sweeping.  Place breathable floor rugs in high traffic areas.  Trim nails on pets to reduce scratching and wear.  If scratches do occur, they will most likely be on the surface and are easily repaired.  Have a maintenance coat applied by a flooring professional every few years to protect your floors!

Professional Repair

Your floors may change slightly over time, developing subtle changes like squeaks, gaps that don't close with seasonal changes, pet stains, or finish wear in high traffic areas.  Feel free to call us to discuss professional maintenance and repair to keep your floors looking great for decades!