Though wood is obviously a hard material that can withstand all manner of knocks, a lot of people with wooden flooring take this for granted and don’t correctly look after or maintain it. For this reason many home owners are unintentionally ruining their wooden floor. Below we list a few of the most common no-no’s involved in looking after your flooring and how they can result in all kinds of damage.

Sunbathing
If you chose the colour of your wooden flooring for a specific reason – whether you like the hard and dense darkness of Walnut or the bright and natural colouring of Beech – you’ll want to keep it that colour for as long as possible. Keep your blinds drawn when the sun is at its strongest will help limit sun exposure and discolouration and ensure the wood doesn’t dry out and possible shrink/crack.

Sharp Objects
Whether it’s high heeled shoes or your cat and dog’s scratchy paws, constant exposure to any kind of sharp object is going to chip away at the integrity of your hardwood flooring. Keeping things like this in check, on top of using rugs underneath table and chair legs, will ensure your flooring remains to spec.

Mopping Up Too Often
Unless you’ve got muddy feet constantly traipsing through your home, you won’t need to mop your wooden floor more than once a month. When it is time to clean, ensure the mop is damp and not soaking and give your floor a dry rub when finished. If you need to clean constantly, give your wooden floor a once over with a dustpan and brush or a quick vacuum instead of turning to the mop. But saying that…

Vacuum – With The Right Attachment
Most people look at the various attachments that come with a vacuum cleaner, nod, then stick the upholstery brush on and put the rest in the cupboard never to be seen again. Stop right there! Using a floor brush attachment is much more gentle on your wood and offsets the grit and dirt that can scratch your floor.

Letting Off Steam
Are you getting the picture that too much water is bad for your wooden flooring yet? Good. If you’re using a steam mop instead of a regular mop, make sure your mop is on the lowest setting and constantly moving across the floor. If your floor has a wax finish or has been laid for a while, we’d recommend skipping steam altogether. Be very very cautious with steam cleaning, as most manufactures do not recommends there use and this could have an effect on any warranties. Justwood as a company do not advocate the use of steam cleaners on most of the floors they supply.