Preventative Maintenance

• To keep wood floors clean, it's best to have everyone in the household remove their outside shoes upon entering the house. This will prevent grime and grit from being tracked on to the floor. Also avoid walking on wood floors wearing high heels, cleats or tap shoes as these can dent the floor. Once the dents fill in with dirt, it can be difficult to clean.
  
  Place felt or rubber protection on the bottoms of chair and table legs to prevent scuffing the floor and lift furniture before moving as dragging is sure to cause scratches to appear.
  
  Wood floors fade in sunlight. Keep curtains drawn during times of direct sunlight or use sheer curtains. To keep floors from shifting and creaking during the cold, dry weather, use a humidifier.
  
  

Cleaning Wood Floors

• Clean up any spills as soon as they happen. Food and liquids will damage a wood floor if not dealt with quickly. A dry cloth is best for cleaning up spills, but a damp cloth may be used for stubborn food bits or discoloration. Avoid using wet mops, scrub brushes and dripping-wet sponges. Standing water is a wood floor's worst enemy, so keep cleaning cloths and sponges slightly damp.
  
  In most cases, soaps are unnecessary. Wood cleans easily with regular sweeping . If vacuuming, use the soft brush attachment to avoid scratching. Dust mops and "Swiffers" are ideal for routine wood floor cleaning.
  
  Oil soaps build up and cause a wood floor to look dull. For heavy-duty cleaning, use a cleaner specially formulated for wood floors. Most hardware stores carry several options and the staff is sure to have a recommendation. Wax may be used as extra protection; however, it can also build up and cause a dull finish over time. Once the wax starts to look dingy it can be stripped and reapplied, if desired.
  
  Caring for a wood floor is simple but essential. Keep floors clean and dry and they'll last a very long time.