Beauty of Wood Floors
If you mix pets, children, entertaining and simple day-to-day life with your beautiful wood floors, you know that what you get is floors that are less than pristine. I am speaking from experience as my 100 year old pine floors bear the brunt of the feet of many sub-contractors, my daughter’s garden experiences, dog dirt dragged in from the backyard. Not to mention the occasional hairball hacked up by one of our Maine Coon mix kitties.
The fabulous thing about wood floors though is that they are very forgiving and easy to clean. Look at the alternatives. Carpet gets filthy and stains if you even think about it—God forbid that you’d spill a little red wine. Tile chips and fractures if you drop anything on it (even a simple can of Campbell’s soup!)
To get your floors looking their best, simply start by sweeping up the loose dirt and debris. These can scratch your polyurethane finish. Vacuuming also works if you move the setting from “carpet” to “wood floors.” Next mix a half a cup of white vinegar with a gallon of warm water. Vinegar can be purchased for dirt cheap prices—buy the generic because it’s the same stuff. Keep your bucket on a towel to avoid unfortunate water rings. Soak your mop in the brew but make sure that you wring the mop out thoroughly several times so it’s damp but not sopping. Mop the room, making sure that you change the water/vinegar solution regularly when the water turns swamp brown.
(As an aside, I also adore the Ms. Meyer’s organic lavender cleaner to on floors. It’s pricier than the vinegar, but it leaves your whole house smelling of lavender and that can make a day more joyful.) www.mrsmeyers.com
Don’t let puddles sit on your wood or you can get splitting and cracking of the boards. I like to take a towel rag and mop up the super wet spots as I go, but that’s just my little quirk. It also ensures that the floor is fairly dry when I’m done.
Here are some tips for taking extra care of your wood floors:
- Place rugs or mats at heavy traffic point entryways to catch abrasive dirt and grit
- Don’t use oil soaps as they’ll add a film to your finish
- Rotate area rugs to protect your floors
- Use pads and protectors on chair legs and heavy furniture
- Keep your pooch’s nails trimmed short
- Tread softly in your stiletto heels
