Hardwood Care & Maintenance

 
 

Caring for Your Hardwood

 
  • Hardwood floors should be vacuumed or swept regularly to help keep dirt from settling into the wood. When vacuuming, do not use a vacuum that has a beater bar or power rotary brush head.
  • Sun ages wood. Use window coverings to help decrease the exposure of sun on your hardwood floor. Rotating rugs and floor coverings on wood can help the overall look of the wood stay more evenly toned over time.
 

Preventing Damage

 
  • Care for your pets paws and nails. Keeping pets paws and nails clean and short will help decrease wear on wood floors.
  • Wood floors expand and contract with weather conditions. Because Utah’s climate is dry, it is helpful to have a humidifier in your home. Humidity should be set between 35% and 55%.
  • Place mats and rugs throughout your home to protect your wood floors from excess debris that is brought in by shoes. Placing mats in front of sinks, stoves and other high traffic areas will help reduce the wear and protect floors from water.
 

Additional Protection

 
  • Avoid walking on wood floors with damaged or spiked shoes.
  • Avoid wet-mops and damp-mops. Putting too much water on your wood can warp and distort planks. Do not clean or saturate your wood with water or other liquids.
  • Do not use oil soaps, liquid or paste wax, lemon, citrus, tung oil, or silicon products on wood floors.
  • Do not use steel wool pads, scouring pads containing metal or scouring powders.
  • Avoid cleaners that have acrylics or urethane polish.
  • Do not use spray mops, steam cleaners/mops, or power cleaners on hard wood floors.