Your hardwood floors can lasts a lifetime, if you properly take care of them. Our hardwood floor expert, Scottsdale hardwood flooring, who is in the floor care industry, says if you follow these quick and easy steps, you won't regret it.


"If your home is on pier and beam, you want to make sure you have an adequate number of vents around the outside skirting. That's real important. If it's on a concrete, pier, or beam, you want to keep the outside sealed really well with caulk or flashing- whatever the particular area requires. Keep the outside elements from getting in," Burleson says.

Also be careful of how your floor is being cleaned, whether by you or a professional.

"What causes warping to hardwood floors is when people use a cleaning service. Some homeowners don't realize that they shouldn't tell them to clean the floor with too much water," Burleson says.

According to http://www.pioneerthinking.com, a home and lifestyle website, taking care of your hardwood floor means getting rid of dirt and grit as soon as it comes in.
Dirt, grit and sand can greatly damage your entire hardwood floor. When sitting on your floor, they act like sandpaper on the finish. This is the way scratches, dents and dulling are caused. A big must is buying floor mats for the entrances to your home, where hardwood floor exists. You can also make sure everyone takes off their shoes before stepping into the house.

Other items that can mess up your hardwood floors are water and spills. You must clean them up as soon as they occur. Also, avoid oil soaps. It is hard to get them off once they are on.

Burleson says always lift your furniture before you clean the floor. Protect your floor by preventing direct contact of wood furniture on a wooden floor. Felt contacts under this type of wood will help prevent scuffs.

Vacuum your hardwood floor with a brush attachment, and keep the sun out of its way as much as possible. The sun will discolor the floor. Always use brooms with fine ends, because they trap dust and grit effectively.

Use a good dust mop, one with a 12 to 18 inch cotton head, and a special dust mop treatment. Spray the treatment onto the mop head 12 to 24 hours before dust mopping.

A good idea is to also follow the recommendations given to you by the company you bought the floor from. The company should have a set list of cleaning products that will work great on your hardwood floor.

When looking for professional cleaning service, don't just assume that they know what they are doing. Make sure you do the research to find out exactly what needs to be done. This can be the difference between your floors lasting a few years and lasting decades to come.