Taking Care of a Wooden Floor with 3 Easy Ideas

Taking Care of a Wooden Floor – Wood floors look amazing. They really add a certain character to the room. No matter what color they are and what wood they are made of, they can add prestige to the room like few other flooring materials.

If you have wooden floors, it’s important to know how to take care of it. A well-maintained floor will add character and value to your home. Here I explain how to care for wooden floors.

Some of the ways to take care of hardwood floors and other wood floors are one-time things. These are adding furniture feet to protect floors and to add rugs and mats to catch debris. I explain more on these below.

• Add rugs and mats to catch debris, especially at the entryways (put one outside the door and one inside the door on the hardwood)

Also, setting up a schedule to clean your floors is important. A little each day will go a long way toward protecting your floors. Microfiber clothes work wonders because they trap dirt. They are safe for wooden floors and easy to wash.

Taking Care of a Wooden Floor

Here are some tips and tricks on how to care for a wooden floor.

1. Add Feet to the Furniture

Head to any hardware store and you will find little felt feet to attach to your furniture. These can come in different styles. Some examples are:

• Felt furniture pads – These are pre-cut pieces of felt with self-adhesive so you can stick them on the bottom of furniture legs. They come in circles as well as squares and rectangles. They come in many sizes. 
• Anti-slip and non-slip furniture pads – Similar to above. They are often made of more cushiony material. They protect wood floors and also prevent the furniture from moving around. 
• Screw on felt protectors – These you screw onto the bottom of chair legs. They will protect the floors from chairs scratches.
• Chair leg caps – They often have a cork bottom to protect wood floors.
• Furniture caster caps and sliders – Round disks you attached on the bottom of furniture.

You will also find sheets so you can cut them yourself. They will also usually have one adhesive side. Stick them to the feet of any and all furniture which will be touching the floor.

So, for example, if you had a dining room with a wooden floor, you would stick the felt to the feet of all the chairs and the dining room table. These felt feet prevent the furniture from directly scraping against the wooden floor.

Not only does this save your ears the screech of wood on wood, but it also helps to protect both the floors and your furniture from scratches, gouges, and other unsightly injuries.

2. Add Rugs, Floor Mats, and Runners

Placing runners, area rugs and floor mats on your hardwood floor will go a long way to protecting wooden floors. Be sure they are anti-slip. If they are not made with a non-slip coating, you can add a separate non-slip backing.

Use runners in hallways and other corridors, especially if they are in areas of the home or workspace that get a lot of traffic.

Add entry rugs to doorways

THIS IS MY WIFE’S FAVORITE TIP. Adding rugs inside and outside every doorway in your home will make a huge difference to protect your wooden floors as well as to catch dirt.

Adding rugs and mats inside the doorways will go a long way toward protecting high-trafficked areas, especially if people come in and out with shoes. Many shoes have grooves on the bottom. Where I live, there are lots of tiny rocks that can get stuck in shoes and scratch floors.

Another tip to keep hardwood flooring and other types of wood floors protected is to use outdoor entry rugs.  Use welcome mats or rugs (if it’s a covered area) outside the doors so it is an extra level of protection to catch debris and wet shoes before they come into the house. 

Also be sure to have a rug or mat to catch dirt if you have an attached garage. Put one on either side of the doorway, in the garage and inside the home.

Add rugs on wood floors to create living spaces

Rugs will help create and define spaces as well as protect the floors. Consider areas in children’s bedrooms and in the living room. They will also be more comfortable than the wooden floor. Place a run under a dining room table to help protect the floor from spills.

Rugs to protect wood floors in the bathroom

If you have hardwood or engineered wood floors in the bathroom, be sure to add a thick and absorbent rugs or mats to the areas by the sink and by the tub and shower areas.

Anti-fatigue mat in the kitchen

If you have hardwood floors in your kitchen, it will be very important to protect them as this is a high-traffic area. Protect the flooring by your kitchen sink with an anti-fatigue mat. These are cushioned. 

3. Clean It to Properly to Take Care of a Wooden Floor

Learning how to clean wood flooring and cleaning a wood floor is actually more straightforward than it might initially appear. However, it is important to learn how to clean a wood floor.

Wipe up water immediately

Immediately clean spills, and wipe up water from shoes. Do not ever allow any standing water on the floors. If the floor mat gets wet, hang it to dry. Do not set it back down on the wooden floor. Set wet shoes and boots on a plastic mat that will trap excess water.

Sweep daily

It may seem excessive, but sweeping wooden floors daily will make a big difference and help preserve the integrity of the wood. Light, regular maintenance is key. You can use:

1. Broom
2. Microfiber cloth
3. Vacuum on floor setting
4. Roomba
5. Dry Swiffer cloths or other-brand equivalent

Sweep wood floors daily with a microfiber cloth or soft bristled brush. This will remove any dust or dirt that collects on it. Using microfiber cloths can also help trap allergens.

Consider a light vacuuming or using a Roomba daily. You want to be sure that if the vacuum has a beater bar, it doesn’t hit the floor. Be sure to also consider the wheels on a vacuum might damage the floor.

It doesn’t have to be perfect, but the idea is that by sweeping up and maintaining wooden floors daily, even if not thoroughly and perfectly, dirt won’t have time to accumulate. Consistency is key.

Use a floor cleaner for wood floors

Twice a month (or when you have to remove a stain) clean the floor using a microfiber mop and a floor cleaner specially formulated for wooden floors.

If you use anything which was not designed to vacuum wooden floors, you run the risk of scratching it. Be sure to consult a flooring specialist if you aren’t sure whether you can use a product.

Never steam clean a floor as this can cause some serious damage and even warping of the wood.

Use wood polish or oil

You may also want to occasionally apply a polish or oil to the wood to bring it back to life. Be sure it is safe for wooden floors. Before using it, test it on a small spot that is not in a high-trafficked area, such as the back of a closet.

Choose Engineered Wood

If you are the one who gets to choose the type of floor, consider choosing real wood engineered flooring over other types of wood flooring.

Engineered wood has been treated with a special sealant which makes it entirely more durable. This means it is less susceptible to mess, scratches, and other things which could potentially damage it.

If your engineered oak flooring is in a room where furniture is moved about frequently, choosing engineered wood will help you to make sure that the floor isn’t damaged prematurely.

Caring for Wooden Floors

Wood floors are easier to care for than a lot of people realize. Adding furniture protectors will help avoid furniture scratches. Using rugs will do a lot to prevent wear and tear on wooden floors plus it will keep them cleaner. 

Use these 3 tips and start taking better care of your wooden floors today. Using home maintenance tips will serve you well and add value to your home when they are in great condition. Wooden floors can be stunning and can create a make home a wellness sanctuary.

Garage conversion cost ~ Find out if it’s worth it to add wooden floors.