Does your property have timber floors? Or are you considering installing timber flooring in your home? Then you need to know how to look after these floors to ensure they stay looking fantastic. Along with regular floor polishing and maintenance, you also need to know how to prevent damage to them. Check out our must-do preventative measures below to minimise damage to your timber floors and save you money.
Don’t drag furniture
While it might seem easy to push or darg furniture to move it, this can be disastrous for your timber floors. Heavy furniture, in particular, can scuff or scratch your flooring. These marks can be difficult to remove. It’s far easier to make the effort to lift furniture when moving it instead. If something is too difficult for you to lift on your own, ask for help from a friend or family member. Remember to lift heavy weight properly to avoid injuring yourself too.
Use furniture pads
Sometimes when you use furniture, it will push it slightly, potentially leading to scratches or scuffs on your floor. For instance, think about how when you may find that your couch slowly moves back overtime. This is because when you put your weight on the couch or push off from it to get up, it can push the couch backwards.
This can be a difficult thing to avoid, however. But if you want to minimise the risk of your furniture scratching or scuffing your floor, it’s best to put some felt pads on the feet of the furniture. This creates a protective layer between the furniture and the timber. The felt pads stick to the feet of your furniture and are far softer, meaning fewer scratches and less scuffing. You will need to replace the pads over time however as the adhesive can become less effective and the felt can become worn. But this only needs to be done every few years or so.
Use rugs, mats and runners
Rugs, mats and runners are a great way to protect your timber flooring from everyday wear and tear. Like the felt furniture pads mentioned above, they act as a protective barrier between the timber floor and anything that might damage it, including furniture feet or people’s shoes. Additionally, a good rug can help tie a room together, create a clear boundary in a space and also make for a more comfortable space overall.
Watch out for pet claws
Pets are important family members, but their claws can be a nightmare when it comes to timber flooring. Their claws can easily scratch or gouge the wood. But, thankfully, there are things you can do to minimise the chances of this happening. For instance, you can have a ‘no pets’ rule in areas with timber flooring. You may need to use some pet gates to stop them from entering the space.
Alternatively, you can keep your pets’ claws neatly trimmed. This is a painless process and something you can do at home or ask a vet or pet groomer to do regularly. Similarly, you can get nail caps for your pets. This soft, plastic sheathes slip over your pets’ claws, stopping them from being sharp and reducing the chance of them damaging your floor.
Beware of water
Even sealed timber floors can be damaged by careless use or spilling of water. Wood is porous and therefore will suck up the water. This can then cause the wood to swell and bulge. It can leave your flooring warped and uneven. The wood may also start to rot and will need to be replaced at great expense.
Therefore, you need to have some rules about water around your timber floor. For instance, if there are any spills, these need to be cleaned up quickly and thoroughly. It can help to have a ‘no eating or drinking over the timber floor’ rule if you have young children to avoid these spills.
And when it comes to cleaning your timber flooring, you need to know the best way to do this. Sometimes you will need to mop your timber, but you need to make sure you do not use too much water. Use a damp mop, rather than one that is soaking. And don’t leave the water to dry on its own. Wipe it up with a soft cloth or towel. Ideally, however, avoid using water on your timber if possible. Clean it instead with a broom or vacuum.
Avoid high heels
Timber flooring can be hardwearing, but it can still be damaged. In particular, high heels that apply a lot of pressure to a small area, like stilettos, can actually leave dents or even holes in your timber. Therefore, it’s a good idea to establish a rule about no high heels — or even shoes — on your timber floor. Make sure guests know this before they come over so they can wear appropriate footwear.
Sweep and vacuum regularly
One way many timber floors get damaged is from not being cleaned regularly. Dirt and small debris can act like sandpaper when someone walks across it, scratching and scuffing your floor. Therefore, you need to make a point of regularly cleaning your floor to stop this from happening. For instance, give the floor a quick sweep with a soft-bristled broom each day to get rid of dirt from the main areas. You can then vacuum once a week for a more thorough clean.
Use the tips above to avoid damaging your timber floor and get the most out of it. Remember to be careful about avoiding scratches and to not let your timber get wet.
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