Hardwood floors are durable, cost-effective and long-lasting. You can add value to your property with this flooring, but it does need regular maintenance.
To find out whether you can walk barefoot on this flooring and what you can do to maintain this flooring, read ahead.
Can You Walk Barefoot On Hardwood Floors?
Yes, you can. In fact there are many benefits of walking barefoot on hardwood floors.
The hardwood floor enables your feet to assume their natural position, ensuring that you walk on your soles as your toes spread out freely.
It also helps increase the blood flow to your feet.
No matter how many benefits there are, you can’t always walk bare feet on your hardwood floors and eventually you’ll have to wear shoes.
When the floor comes in constant contact with rough and abrasive surfaces, it can quickly lose its shine.
So, if you want to preserve the look of your hardwood floors, you need to know the best hardwood maintenance tips.
These tips can help retain the look of the floor and ensure that the wood’s color doesn’t fade.
So, here is all you have to do to maintain the pristine look of your flooring option.
· Daily Routine: Sweeping The Hardwood Floor
People going in and out of your home can quickly make the floor dirty.
If you let the dust and grime accumulate for a few days, it’ll get in between the floorboards and cause issues in the long run.
A daily sweeping schedule keeps off all dirt and debris from the hardwood floor and prevents scratch marks.
You can use a vacuum cleaner to get better access to dust particles. However, the upright models have beater bars that can scratch the surface.
Unless your vacuum cleaner has a bare floor setting, it’s better to go for the robotic models.
They have softer cleaning heads that are perfect for your hardwood floors and of course, getting a robot vacuum means less work for you.
· Weekly Routine: Mop The Hardwood Floor
Sweeping is also helpful in keeping your floors dust-free, but you have to make sure the mop isn’t too wet.
Excessive moisture can seep in the hardwood floor and cause mold. Some people like to mop their hardwood floors daily, but experts advise against it.
So, if you are ready to take on daily sweeping, take care not to use too much water. Steam mops are best alternatives to mopping and provide a clean finish.
· Monthly Routine: Deep Clean The Hardwood Floor
One of the best hardwood maintenance tips is to deep clean the hardwood floor on a monthly basis with an oil-based cleaner.
Since water doesn’t go well with hardwood floors, a soap-free detergent will surely do the job for you.
You can get several deep cleaning products that thoroughly clean your floor without causing any damage to the floorboards.
· Yearly Routine: Wax The Hardwood Floor
Many people polish hardwood floors every month, but when it comes to waxing, it’s better to give it more time than that.
You can wait a year or more to wax the floor. The duration depends on the type of wax you have used.
This product works to protect the wood and seal it for a glossy shine. If you polish regularly, it can help buff away small scratches and even out the floor.
· Other Considerations
It’s important that you protect the floor from UV rays and excessive heat. A simple trick that can help you here is using blinds on your windows and doors.
This will prevent direct contact with sunlight and hence, stop the premature aging of the wood.
You can follow this tip to keep the color from fading so that the wood ages gracefully. Use protective rugs and mats to minimize the damage to the floor.
You also need to clean up spills quickly so that they don’t leave permanent stains.
Natural Hardwood Floor Cleaners
There are several DIY solutions that you can use to clean and keep your hardwood floors looking new.
They are the perfect cost-effective way to keep your house clean and give a shine to the floorboards.
1. Vinegar
This ingredient works like magic on hardwood floors. Just mix it with some warm water and you have a perfect solution to wash away any grime on the floor.
You can add a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant smell. Use vinegar weekly to give your floors the ideal shine.
2. Lemon
Another natural element that is an incredible hardwood floor cleaner is lemon.
Mixed with water and olive oil, lemon juice makes for a wood floor cleaner that leaves little to be desired.
If your hardwood floor has lost its sheen and you’re looking for a cost-effective alternative to waxing, you need to give this remedy a try.
3. Tea Bags
Looking for some hardwood maintenance tips that don’t use water to clean the floor? You’ll love this remedy because you can use this daily or whenever you please.
Once you give it a try, you’ll stop using commercial hardwood floor cleaners.
Used tea bags are usually destined for the trashcan, but now you use them to give your hardwood floors a rich sheen.
Just save all the tea bags for a week and use them to add shine to your lackluster hardwood floors.
Final Word
With the help of these hardwood floor maintenance tips, you can elongate the life of your floors and make sure they improve the value of your property.
As for the people wondering can you walk barefoot on hardwood floors, remember that you can. In fact, as mentioned, there are some great benefits of doing so.
However, if you are not comfortable with walking barefoot, you can wear shoes on your hardwood floor.
In this case, though, you will have to follow the maintenance tips mentioned above.
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