It’s Time for Hardwood Flooring Winter Care
Every year around this time I like to offer Hardwood Flooring winter care tips. Here in the Reno/Tahoe area, the two worst enemies to your floor’s finish are standing water and abrasive dirt. Either of which will cause damage to the finish and even the fit. Rain and snow will soon be in our forecasts, so dirty wet floors need to be addressed.
With just a few precautions and a little understanding, keeping the grit and moisture off your floors and out of your house will be a breeze.
Consider Your Immediate Surroundings
Every home or office location in the Reno/Sparks area is different. The kind of surface you installed on your yard or driveway will dictate what kind of measures you’ll need to use. Considering where your home or business is located and the level of foot traffic it sees is also a factor. If you follow a few simple rules for hardwood flooring winter care, your floors will get through the Winter as beautiful as ever.
Prepare for Accidental Messes
As durable as your hardwood floors are, leaving them wet or dirty for a little while won’t ever have as destructive an effect as it would with carpeting. Keeping a mop and dry towels near the front entrance just makes sense though. There are also many affordable, commercial hardwood floor care kits available if you feel the expense is warranted. This will likely be a daily task if you have indoor/outdoor pets.
Ask Everyone to Remove Their Boots or Shoes
This may actually be the most important tip for your hardwood flooring winter care. An old towel spread on the floor makes an excellent place for shoes and boots to dry off. A bench for people to sit on while they remove their footwear is nice. An umbrella stand or coat rack in the entryway can be beautiful as well as functional. All of these serve as a clear indicator that you would like everyone get stocking footed in your home and leave their outerwear & drips by the door. Especially during these winter months.
Keep the Elements Outside
A bristle-type boot cleaner at every entrance is an easy first step. You can find them in local shops and everywhere online, both decorative and effective. Even the door leading into your house from the garage might use one. Welcome mats outside and floor mats inside will help absorb excess moisture, in addition to the scrubbers.
Artisan Hardwood Floors is Here To Help
There are dozens of additional winter care tips I can offer for your hardwood flooring, and I’m always happy to meet new folks to discuss their flooring concerns. Of course, if you feel you might like a refinish as additional protection against the elements, now is an excellent time to get the work done.
Contact me today, and let’s set up a time to discuss all of the excellent options available to you and the great ways you can take care of your hardwood flooring all year round.
Sorin Giurca
Master Craftsman, Artisan, Owner