Care and Maintenance

If you have it, flaunt (and protect) it!

As someone who has studied wood floors, how they were finished, how they were protected and maintained I can tell you that cleaning and maintaining wood floors has never been easier and better. Be glad you didn’t spend your weekends on your hands and knees like some of us did in our youth waxing the floors. And before that, you got to shove a 25 lb. waxing pad around on the end of a pole. Talk about fun! Hold me back. Imagine telling your maid or teenager to “hunker down” and wax away.

Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles to cleaning and maintaining wood floors are homeowner’s expectations. It isn’t practical to think that a surface that gets this much use and abuse is going to look good without some effort. In the past, many manufacturers of finishes did a poor job developing maintenance program and providing the products needed to clean the floors. However, within recent years some manufacturers have stepped up to the plate and delivered simple, inexpensive cleaning products and kits that dramatically improve cleaning and maintaining a wood floor. Once again, the manufacturers of waterborne finishes have led the way in producing simple and logical products to solve challenging situations. They also provide tremendous consumer support via their websites when you need additional information and products.

Sometimes, it is as simple as going to the local hardware store to pick up some over the counter products that go a long way in preventing damage and wear. A recent trip to my Ace Hardware found a great display that was well stocked with Bona Kemi cleaning kits. The display has a simple video that goes over the basic cleaning steps. On aisle 18, I found a great selection of felt floor protectors that help eliminate scratches and gouges when furniture is being moved. And around the corner from the floor protectors were bristle mats for all exterior entrances. Bingo! With one trip to my local hardware store I found pretty much everything I needed to protect and preserve my floors! Check your local hardware store for supplies or use the internet to track them down.