Wide Plank Hardwood Flooring is not only beautiful, but also an extremely long-lasting investment. When sourced from a trustworthy provider and installed by skilled professionals, you can rest assured they will last for decades. However, they do require some simple maintenance to keep them looking beautiful and reduce the need for refinishing.
Preventive Maintenance
It’s best to take some preventive steps to ensure your wide plank hardwood flooring doesn’t endure unnecessary strain and wear. Here are some preventative maintenance tips that can help:
Moving Appliances
If you are planning on moving appliances across your hardwood floors, ensure you clean the surface thoroughly first. This prevents scratch marks caused by grit or sand from forming on the floor. It’s best to place a thick clean mat or carpet piece (face down), under the appliance and then move it carefully across your floor.
Moving Furniture
Clean the floor thoroughly before you move any furniture. It’s possible that the furniture pieces may have missing or damaged slides. This is why we recommend that you remove & replace all the existing slides with ones made of felt. This will prevent your hardwood floors from getting scraped and damaged when you are moving your furniture around.
Rugs & Door Mats
Place rubber-backed door mats inside and outside every exterior door in your house; this will protect your wide plank hardwood flooring from any abrasion caused by dirt and sand.
Humidity Levels
You can prevent your wide plank flooring from damage by maintaining proper humidity levels in your home.The National Wood Flooring Association recommends keeping humidity in the 30-50% range. Installing a dehumidifier/humidifier is the best way to control this aspect.
Regular Maintenance of Wide Plank Hardwood Flooring
Aside from preventive care, the other regular maintenance tips you should follow are the following:
- Wipe spills without delay
- Do not mop the wide plank floor with water
- Don’t use a steam cleaner; use a micro-fiber dust mop instead
- Clean dirt and sand off the floor immediately using a vacuum cleaner
- When using a broom, use one with soft bristles
- When you are damp dusting, use a hardwood floor cleaner recommended by the manufacturer
- If the flooring already has a polyurethane finish, don’t use oil or wax to polish the planks
If you follow these easy tips, you will find that your wide plank hardwood flooring stays looking beautiful for years and years.