Tips to take care of wood flooring

Natural wood flooring is a stunning feature of millions of homes. Wood floors are appreciated for their durability and aesthetic appeal, each of which is bolstered when floors are properly maintained.

A host of variables can affect how long wood flooring lasts and how its appearance holds up over time. Wood flooring in homes with pets that roam around the house, such as cats and dogs, may require more frequent maintenance than those without pets. The same goes for homes with children, who may routinely track dirt in from outside or spill food and drinks with greater frequency than adults. But even wood flooring in homes without pets and children requires consistent maintenance. Homeowners who want to protect their wood floors and ensure they maintain their aesthetic appeal for the long haul can consider the following maintenance tips, courtesy of the National Wood Flooring Association.

· Sweep, dust or mop each day. The NWFA recommends daily maintenance to remove dust and dirt that accumulates each day. Such cleaning can prevent damage that can compromise the aesthetic appeal of the floors and potentially affect their longevity.

· Clean spills immediately. Spills are inevitable, especially in homes where young children live. Though spills might not be preventable, the damage they can cause can be avoided with a prompt response. Cleaning spills immediately with a dry or slightly damp cloth can ensure the floors do not soak up the spilled liquids. The NWFA notes that mopping wood floors with a wet mop or steam mop will damage the finish and the wood over long periods of time. If allowed to soak into the floor, spilled liquid can contribute to warping, swelling and staining. Each of those issues can be costly to address, but a quick and immediate cleanup can prevent all three from happening.

· Vacuum once per week on the bare floor setting. Utilizing a vacuum is less taxing on wood floors than sweeping so long as the vacuum is on the bare floor setting. Sweeping is best avoided to prevent small particles from being dragged across the floor, which gradually wears down the finish and ultimately contributes to a dull look. Vacuuming vertically lifts the debris off the floor, ensuring nothing is dragged along the surface of the floor. If you're using a manual vacuum instead of a robotic vacuum, vacuum with the grain to reduce the risk of damage.

· Apply wood flooring cleaner once per month. If your wood floors are newly installed, ask your installer to recommend a cleaner specifically designed for the finish on your floor. If your floors are not new, contact a flooring professional for a recommendation. Wood flooring cleaners specific to a given floor's finish are important because these products are specialized and formulated with both cleaning and protection of the floor itself in mind. The right wood floor cleaner won't lead to dull-looking floors nor damage the finish.

· Recoat floors if they start to look dull. The NWFA notes that recoating with wood floor finish every three to five years can renew the appearance of natural wood flooring that might be starting to look a little dull.