Tips and Tricks for Your Hardwood Floors

When it comes to your home, you want it to look as welcoming and put together as possible. I’ll be honest and say I love when my home is clean!  As someone who enjoys having dark hardwood floors, I am used to dirt showing up soo easily! But I would rather know my enemy then allow it to hide ( yes I’m thinking of those little dust bunnies everywhere ). Honestly, it can be even more challenging when you have two kids running around and an active husband.  Multiple people trudging in and out of the house sure does make for a lot of action on your floors. So, how does one keep and maintain those wood floors with a family that’s extremely active and on the go? I have a few tips and tricks that can hopefully help you out!

1. Door Mats - The number one thing that helps us keep our wood floors as clean as possible from dust or dirt is by putting door mats in front of the doors we use often. These doors include our backdoor, patio, garage and front door. By putting these mats there, it’s extremely helpful for guests, family and even pets wipe their shoes/paws before they have a chance to track unwanted dirt through the home. Truly, even the smallest of doormats can catch more dirt than you think.

2. Vacuum Often -Not only are debris and dirt hard to see on a daily basis but they also cause more damage to carpets and hardwood by being walked or crunched on without you noticing.   Because of this, I make it a habit to vacuum often. Side note - It’s also one of my favorite chores to have my kids help me with! An easy way to make sure that each room in your home gets vacuumed once a week is to create a schedule.  Assign a room for each day of the week. This way, each room gets cleaned and you won’t feel overwhelmed with the need to vacuum the whole house all at once. Making the effort to do it can make a world of a difference. 

3. No Shoes Sign - Winter time and cold weather brings snow, soot and extra dirt into your house.  Especially around busy holidays, you’re going to have many people come in and out of your home for parties and get togethers. An easy way to keep your floors looking their best is to ask your family and friends to take their shoes off before they even walk through the door. This can be as simple as you letting them know to put their shoes in a basket near the door, or set up a small area mat with a sign that says “shoes here”.  Taking your shoes off at the door greatly reduces the amount of dirt in your house, thus helping to protect your hardwood floors.

4. React Quickly To Spills - If you or a friend spills something on your wood floor, try to clean it up as quickly as possible. This can even be crumbs from your toddler high chair or muddy footprints in the hallway.  Leaving any sort of substance on your floor can wear them down and eventually damage them. Furthermore, leaving spills unattended can create bacteria can make your family sick. Even the smallest of crumbs can invite critters and pests into your home.  

5. Upgrade your floors - Nowadays, there are floors that are resistant to both scratches and dents!  This makes having children and messy husbands much less of a worry when considering hardwood floors.  If you’ve been wanting to upgrade your wooden floors, there are several companies to choose from. I reached out to an expert,  Selecta Flooring located in New Jersey.   They explained that with recent advancements in wood finishes and refinishing technology, their hardwood floors are extremely resistant to both dents and scratches. With the right protection, your flooring can and will stand up to everyday wear and tear of your family’s routines.  

   I had another concern for  hardwood flooring: the damage to our environment.  Sometimes I get concerned that the flooring industry is going to greatly affect our forests.  Luckily, I learned that there are a number of options that address these concerns. There are reclaimed flooring and recycled wood options to choose from. Selecta Flooring assured me that hardwood is not contributing to the deforestation of our planet!  They actually offer eco-friendly wood floors so you can have the benefit of real hardwood without the negative effects. Getting these upgraded floors can really help to prolong the life of your wood floors, and minimize any future damage.  

   I hope that these tips and tricks help you to keep your floors looking their best.  My biggest advice is to take your time with your floors, involve your children to help if they are old enough to do so and do your best with everything. As Mom’s we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to keep things tidy and neat. A few crumbs won’t make the front page of the newspaper as long as you and your family are happy under your roof. What are your go to tips for keeping your floors tidy and your hardwood floors in prime condition? I’d love to hear in the comments below! 

   
   
   xo

   Caitlin

This is a guest blog by Caitlin from Cait’s Cozy Corner