- Every floor must be dust mopped, vacuumed or swept with a
soft bristle broom daily, or as often as necessary to remove grit and dust
from the surfaces. Walking on dusty or dirty floors is the fastest way to
damage a finish.
- Place walk-off mats at all exterior entrances. This will
capture much of the harmful dirt before it even reaches the hardwood floor.
Shake out, wash or vacuum mats and area rugs frequently.
- Floor protector pads of soft felt or similar material
should be placed on the bottoms of the legs of all furniture. Floor
protectors must be kept clean of grit and periodically replaced.
- Keep high heels in good repair. An unprotected tip will
dent any hardwood floor.
- Keep domestic animal's nails trimmed.
- Kitchen floors experience the most traffic in a home. To
prevent premature wear of the floor, place an area rug in front of the sink,
stove and refrigerator. Shake out, vacuum or wash these rugs frequently.
- Finally, using a humidifier or dehumidifier in
conjunction with a furnace or air conditioning system to maintain relative
humidity in the home at 30-50 percent will maintain the moisture in the wood
and minimize cracks between the boards.
 Polyurethane Finishes - Routine Cleaning
Use the finish manufacturer's or the pre-finished manufacturers' recommended
cleaning system. If the manufacturer is not known nor has a recommendation,
use
a cleaner that will not leave residue that would inhibit bonding and re-coating.
NEVER WAX A URETHANE FINISH. DO NOT WET A FLOOR WITH WATER. When using
any wood floor cleaner which requires mixing with water, follow mixing
directions precisely. A cloth wetted with water and squeezed dry may be used to
wipe up food and other spills, provided the area is buffed dry immediately. Heel
or scuff-marks and stubborn stains may be removed by lightly rubbing with a
cloth and a wood floor cleaner.
Long-Term Maintenance
Urethane finishes eventually will show wear patterns from surface scratching.
When high traffic areas begin to look dull, it is time to re-coat or restore the
finish. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
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