Hardwood Floor Care Will Keep Your Hardwood Looking Fantastic

Article by: Scott Gray

Hardwood is still the homeowner's favorite choice of flooring , Chairs - what to choose and caring for it takes minimal effort. Unlike laminate , The Beauty Of Remodeling or engineered wood, , Are Your Home Theater Speakers in the Right Place? hardwood can be refinished many times, and will add years of beauty and warmth to your home, , HEPA Air Purifiers as well as increase its value and speed its resale. Ongoing floor , Air Filters - Everything You Need To Know About Air Filters care is needed to keep your hardwood looking its best, however, and there are four major aspects of hardwood floor , DIY Methods to Save on Utilities care:

1. Hardwood floor , Discount Wood ing cleaning

2. Hardwood floor , HEPA Air Purifiers repair

3. Hardwood floor , Top 10 Accessories for Your Motor Home refinishing

4. Hardwood floor , It's the most wonderful time of the year. protection

Clean Your Hardwood Regularly

Knowing how to , Reverse Osmosis Water Filter clean hardwood floors , DIY Methods to Save on Utilities is important because the bane of hardwood is dirt and grit, which will scratch and mark the floor , Convection vs. Conventional Ovens... What's the Difference? if not removed promptly. As well, dust is seen more easily on wood floors , The 5 Biggest Decorating Trends Of 2006 than it is on linoleum or on carpet, , Honeywell Air Cleaners Â– Good Value with Low Maintenance especially in the sunlight and especially if the floor , Are Your Home Theater Speakers in the Right Place? has a dark stain. Hardwood floor , Are Your Home Theater Speakers in the Right Place? care, therefore, means sweeping and dusting regularly - once a week, at least, and after any event that leaves dirt and grit behind. Regular household , Designing With Hardwood Floors dusting and cleaning products , Top-notch ways to learn more about loft and bunk beds plus more. will cause damage, however, and you must use only products , Why Use the Hand Truck? specifically designed for hardwood. Vacuuming is preferable to sweeping because it allows the dirt and dust to be pulled from between the boards, but use a vacuum with a bare floor , Reverse Osmosis Water Filter attachment, not a beater bar, which can damage the wood. , Shopping For The Right Mattress

When a more in-depth cleaning is required, use a cleaning method appropriate to the finish on your floor. , Safety and Windows Installation If your floor , Chairs - what to choose has a glossy finish, it means that polyurethane, or a water-based urethane, or a similar finish has been used to form a protective barrier over the hardwood. If it has a matte finish, it means that the floor , Stone Foundation Repair is protected with a penetrating seal of oil and/or wax. On neither of these finishes is water , Overhead Garage Doors an acceptable cleaning agent, but both of them can accept a surface, damp-mop cleaning, which means the mop is not wet but only damp to the touch. You are cleaning only the surface and not using enough water , Nail Guns - The Principle Behind Direct Drive And Indirect Drive Nail Guns And Why They Are Safe to penetrate even the oiled-and-waxed hardwood. When using a damp mop on oil and waxed hardwood, you can add a little neutral ph hardwood floor , The 5 Biggest Decorating Trends Of 2006 cleaner to the water , Stone Foundation Repair before dipping the mop into it. A floor , Find Out What's up your Nose! with a protective glossy barrier can accept a generic hardwood floor , Counter Tops - Clean, Shiny, Inviting: Choosing the Best One cleaner providing it doesn't contain any wax or oil.

The don'ts are every bit as important as the do's in hardwood floor , Reverse Osmosis Water Filter care;

1. Don't use ammonia, regular floor , Discount Wood ing cleaners, household , What You Should Know About Steam Showers cleaners, or dusting products , What Do We Do With Our House and Floor Plans? on hardwood.

2. Never use wax on a floor , Stairs, Stairwells, Carpet, Tiles and Timber ing with a urethane or other glossy finish.

3. Never wash hardwood; use only a slightly damp mop.

Repair Any Damage to Your Floors , Miracles Always Happen Under A Tent ( A Gazebo Or A Canopy)! as Soon as Possible

In most cases, when your oil and waxed hardwood floors , The Beauty Of Remodeling have suffered surface damage, you have to remove the finish with a wax or oil stripper before dealing with the damage. After completing the repair, , Are Your Home Theater Speakers in the Right Place? you then re-wax or re-oil the area. Surface damage occurs less often on hardwood protected by polyurethane or a similar type of sealer, and when it does, the damage is not as obvious. When repairing floors , Counter Tops - Clean, Shiny, Inviting: Choosing the Best One with such finishes, strip the finish from the entire board or boards where the damage has occurred. Make your repairs , Why You Need a Gutter and then apply a finishing product , Find Out What's up your Nose! to those boards that is consistent with the rest of the floor. , History of the Chaise Lounge

1. Water , Discount Wood Flooring marks: Remove the protective finish, rub the marks with fine grade steel wool. Repeat if necessary, clean, and then refinish.

2. Burn marks: Lightly sand , Nannies, Grannies, and the Ontario Fire Code: What Realtors Need to Know About Retrofit Section 9.8 the area, use a damp cloth to pick up the grit, and then refinish as desired.

3. Scratches and gouges: Conceal shallow scratches with matching wood , Stairs, Stairwells, Carpet, Tiles and Timber Flooring putty or a putty stick. After the area is dry, sand , HEPA Air Purifiers and refinish.

Refinishing Your Worn Hardwood Floors , Stone Foundation Repair Will Recapture Their Original Beauty and Value

In a home , It's the most wonderful time of the year. with shabby hardwood floors, , Budget Kitchen Remodeling Ideas the biggest improvement , Shopping For The Right Mattress you can make is to refinish the floors. , Convection vs. Conventional Ovens... What's the Difference? Begin by making any necessary repairs, , The Beauty Of Remodeling and then removing all the furniture , Why You Need a Gutter and drapes and sealing the vents and registers in the room , Good Things About A Tankless Water Heater so that you won't spread dust throughout the house. , Budget Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Sanding floors , Honeywell Air Cleaners Â– Good Value with Low Maintenance is easiest to do with a drum sander and an edging machine for the sides and corners of the room. , Nannies, Grannies, and the Ontario Fire Code: What Realtors Need to Know About Retrofit Section 9.8 You can rent these machines, and it is a good idea to rent a buffer or floor , Decorate Your Home with Custom Prints and Posters polisher at the same time. Plan , Chairs - what to choose to make three passes with your sanding equipment, using increasingly finer sandpaper each time. Vacuum carefully and pick up every bit of fine dust and grit with tacking cloths. All dust and dirt must be removed. You can now apply a stain if you wish or you can leave the natural , History of the Chaise Lounge color and design , Top 10 Accessories for Your Motor Home of the wood , History of the Chaise Lounge - such as the popular oak, maple, or cherry - to be displayed.

Polish and clean the dust and dirt from the floor , Air Purifier - How To Tell If YOURS Is Any Good again, and then apply your sealer - a polyurethane or a water-based urethane that provides a protective barrier, or oil and wax, which penetrates the wood , Chairs - what to choose and protects from within. Carefully read all the information , HEPA Air Purifiers accompanying each product, , The Vital Role of Acoustical Door Seals follow the safety advice, , A Brief History of Solar Energy (solar panels) and apply as many coats of stain or sealer as suggested by the manufacturer , How to Paint Laminate Countertops - 4 Easy Steps of the products , Nail Guns - The Principle Behind Direct Drive And Indirect Drive Nail Guns And Why They Are Safe you are using.

Hardwood Floor , Air Filters - Everything You Need To Know About Air Filters Care Means Providing Ongoing Floor , Honeywell Air Cleaners Â– Good Value with Low Maintenance Protection

As well as regular cleaning, and repairing and refinishing when necessary, there are a number of protective measures you can take to preserve the beauty of your hardwood:

1. Use area rugs , Find Out What's up your Nose! and mats in high traffic areas and sites of frequent spills (e.g., in front of the stove, sink, and refrigerator). Move these rugs , Why Use the Hand Truck? frequently so that these areas of the floor , A Brief History of Solar Energy (solar panels) remain the same color , Art Prints For Home Decorating as the exposed floor. , Nannies, Grannies, and the Ontario Fire Code: What Realtors Need to Know About Retrofit Section 9.8 As well, it is best to choose cotton mats as they do not trap water , Bathroom Magic under them as rubber or vinyl might.

2. Keep high-heeled shoes in good repair , HEPA Air Purifiers and avoid using stiletto heels.

3. Keep nails , Air Purifier - How To Tell If YOURS Is Any Good trimmed on pets.

4. Clean up spills immediately with a paper towel or dry cloth. A damp cloth can be used for sticky spills, but dry the spot immediately afterwards with another towel or cloth.

5. Lift rather than drag furniture , Counter Tops - Clean, Shiny, Inviting: Choosing the Best One when moving it and use felt contacts under furniture , Air Purifier - How To Tell If YOURS Is Any Good legs to prevent scratches and gouges.

6. Use sheers or blinds to protect your floors , Stone Foundation Repair from the discoloration caused by direct sun , Stone Foundation Repair rays.

With proper care and maintenance, your hardwood floors , Siding for Homeowners will retain their beauty and enhance any dÃƒÂ©cor that you choose. When your floors , Reverse Osmosis Water Filter become worn, or if they become damaged, they can be restored to their former glory with a little time, effort, and money. Use the Internet , What Do We Do With Our House and Floor Plans? to check out quality products, , Bay Windows Add Character And Space To A Home read the information , Kitchen Renovation on how to , Power Tools Tips for Do It Yourself Home Improvements use them, compare prices, and place , Nail Guns - The Principle Behind Direct Drive And Indirect Drive Nail Guns And Why They Are Safe your orders. We can help with all your hardwood floor , Tapestries a fantastic way to add décor to your home care needs - everything from discount hardwood flooring , The 5 Biggest Decorating Trends Of 2006 to hardwood cleaners - and all items can be purchased online , Art Prints For Home Decorating and delivered to your door. , Designing With Hardwood Floors Let us help you keep your hardwood floors , Siding for Homeowners looking their best.

Scott Gray is currently freelance writing and enjoys providing information , Power Tools Tips for Do It Yourself Home Improvements and moneysaving tips , Reverse Osmosis Water Filter to consumers who are in the market for hardwood floors, , HEPA Air Purifiers hardwood floor , Discount Wood ing care, and hardwood flooring , Counter Tops - Clean, Shiny, Inviting: Choosing the Best One articles.

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