Importance Of Maintenance With Hardwood Floors
Discover all the benefits of owning hardwood floors. Find out how hardwood floors compare to other floors and important hardwood maintenance tips.
One of the best parts of designing your own home is having full customization of what the final product looks like. Even if you are buying an existing home, you have a fair amount of customization options. A popular way to enhance the look of your home is to make alterations to the floor. Many homeowners get rid of tile and carpeting in favor of hardwood floors.
Hardwood floors not only look better than other flooring options, but there are a number of benefits to having hardwood floors over other types, such as carpeted or concrete flooring. To get the most out of your hardwood floors, it is important to understand all of the necessary cleaning and maintenance tips. There are several specialized cleaners you can use to not only keep your hardwood floors clean, but also increase the longevity of your floor. Listed below is everything you need to know about making the most out of your hardwood flooring.
Benefits of Hardwood Floors
If you are still on the fence about getting hardwood floors in your home, consider all of the benefits. For most homeowners, the biggest benefit is the look. Hardwood floors have a sleek, sophisticated appearance. They make your home elegant while still maintaining a warm, inviting atmosphere. Hardwood floors also go well with a number of décor options. This includes refinishing the floor to make changes and keep your house feeling fresh.
Compared to other flooring options, hardwood floors are easier to clean and maintain. You also have more cleaning options, such as vacuuming, steam-cleaning and sweeping. It is easier to spot dirt and other debris on the hardwood floors. Other types of floors do a better job concealing dust or dander, which causes a build up and can even trigger allergies.
There are also practical benefits to adding hardwood floors to your home. Because they are so sought after, hardwood floors commonly enhance the overall value of a home. Many sellers will remove carpets from their home before listing it to enhance the value. Hardwood floors also produce better air quality because they do not retain as many pollutants as other floor options.
Hardwood vs. Other Flooring Options
Hardwood flooring has many advantages over other types of flooring. Compared to carpet, hardwood flooring has much greater durability and longevity. Carpets must typically be replaced every 10 to 15 years. Hardwood flooring commonly lasts for 100 years without needing any replacement. Even concrete flooring, which is known for being one of the most durable floors, typically does not last as long as hardwood floors.
Another consideration is cleaning. While there are several specialized cleaning products for carpets, they are more involved and expensive compared to hardwood floors. It also takes multiple cleaning attempts to thoroughly clean carpet fibers, further adding to the cleaning time. Even after a cleaning, if you are not careful, your carpet will stain. Concrete floors fare better, but are more reliant on floor sealers to resist water and dirt staining.
One initial downside to hardwood flooring is the cost. There’s no denying hardwood floors are more expensive than other options. On average, you can expect to pay between $15 to $20 per square foot of hardwood flooring. In comparison, concrete flooring is closer to $10 to $15 per square foot, while carpet is only around $4 to $9 per square foot. However, maintaining other flooring costs more, and neither option increases your overall home value. You may initially spend more on hardwood flooring, but it is an investment that ultimately saves you money in the long run.
Maintaining Hardwood Floors
While hardwood floors are relatively low maintenance, there are a few steps you should take to keep your floors healthy. Whenever there is a spill, make sure to wipe it up before it has a chance to stain. Cleaning up spills is easy with hardwood floors, requiring nothing more than a damp cloth or paper towel.
One potential issue with hardwood floors is scratching. Moving furniture on a hardwood floor can lead to marks and blemishes from the heavy furniture. To prevent any scratches, apply furniture pads to chairs, sofas, tables and chairs. Furniture pads are inexpensive and attach directly onto the bottom of furniture. Not only do they keep your hardwood floors healthy, but they also reduce sound when the furniture is moved.
Beyond cleaning spills and using furniture pads, hardwood floors do not require special maintenance. You want to sweep or dust whenever you notice debris accumulating on your floor. It is also a good idea to vacuum at least once a week. If you want to cut down on vacuuming, consider investing in a Roomba or similar device. If you want to go above and beyond, there are a few specialty cleaning products designed for hardwood floors.
Professional Floor Maintenance Services:
While there are plenty of floor cleaning and maintenance cleaners available, your best option is almost always to hire a floor cleaning and maintenance service. Professional floor cleaners offer one time or recurring cleaning options, and will always do a better job than someone trying to clean their own floors. Professional services will repair damage, and get a deeper clean than you ever could on your own. There are many such services around the country, each offering their own deals and specials, so it can be hard to choose. Many services, such as the Los Angeles based Tile Cleaners, boast incredible reviews on Yelp and Facebook, and offer free online quotes. Searching for such services through Angi's list gets you access to the dozen's of local services in your city. For those in Florida you could make use of National Floor Care Specialist, their services cover carpets, fabrics, tile, and wood floors. They offer free online quotes, a 10% discount for booking online, and are currently offering a $40 off cleaning coupon! Servpro, a national service chain, has cleaning services available 24/7. You can visit their site to find the closest location to you and book their services. They offer 24/7 emergency services for damaged floors, homes, and more.
Better Life Naturally Dirt-Destroying Floor Cleaner
Better Life is often the top pick for hardwood cleaning because it is quick to use and affordable. It leaves your hardwood floor with a streak-free shine. The ingredients are made largely with natural ingredients, making it a safe choice if you have pets or young children. It also gives the cleaner a more pleasant aroma compared to chemical reliant cleaners. Even without any chemicals, it is highly effective at removing grease, grime, dirt and other debris from your floors. On average, a 32 oz bottle costs between $6 to $10 and can be found at most hardware stores.
Bona Hardwood Cleaner
In terms of efficiency, it is hard to find a better cleaner than Bona. Bona uses a fluid cartridge, which is placed inside of a spray mop. It doesn’t contain any wax or oils, leaving a smooth finish on your floor. It is particularly effective at removing dust and dirt. One of the downsides is Bona does not have any scented ingredients. Unlike other cleaning products, it is only effective on hardwood flooring. It is one of the pricier options, costing around $15 to $20.
Murphy Oil Soap
Murphy Oil Soap is one of the most reliable cleaners on the market. Murphy has a history of producing high-quality floor cleaners at an affordable rate. You only need a small amount of cleaner to remove grime from your floors. It also works on a number of other surfaces, such as tile, vinyl and linoleum. It leaves your floor with a natural shine and a pleasant, comforting scent. A bottle of Murphy Oil Soap typically costs between $10 to $15.
