At Frank’s, we love hardwood flooring and we’ve got plenty of the stuff in-store to impress! Wood flooring adds a beautiful style and premium feel to any space, however it is essential to keep it clean and protected to extend its longevity in your home.

Over the years, the appearance and colour of natural wood will shift but it’s important to ensure this happens only as a result of the wood ageing naturally as opposed to a result of damage caused by poor maintenance.

There are a few things you can do on the regular to help make maintaining your beautiful hardwood floors considerably easier.

• First of all, make sure that your home features good quality doormats at all entrances. This will ensure that as much dirt as possible is caught before it makes its way into your home and onto your floors.
• To keep your hardwood flooring maintained, make sure you sweep, mop and vacuum regularly. Doing so will prevent abrasive dust or grit accumulating, which can lead to scratches on the surface of the wood. 
• However we do recommend taking extra care when mopping hardwood flooring, it is important that your mop is damp and not soaking wet. Use the minimum amount of water you can and ring it out well.
• When vacuuming, use one with a soft brush head because vacuums with a hard head can make the floor. The same applies for heads with rotating brushes because the support bar underneath could risk scratching the floor.
• Always wipe up any spills on your hardwood floors immediately when they happen. Liquid that is left standing on the surface of wood will likely absorb into the timber and cause stains or movement within the flooring.
• NEVER use a steam cleaner to clean your hardwood flooring. This can break down the finish of the floor and cause damage to the floorboards.
• Apply felt pads to the base of your furniture to prevent it scratching the wooden floor if being moved around or pulled.
• Avoid using household cleaners and detergents because they can be abrasive, causing damage to your hardwood flooring.

Should I retreat and replenish hardwood flooring?

If your hardwood flooring already has an oiled finish, it can be replenished using maintenance oils and polishes. More often than not, this is as simple as cleaning the floor and to apply the treatment does not require any form of sanding.

When the time comes, you can sand and completely retreat the floor to return it to its original look. If you choose quality cleaning and maintenance products, it is unlikely that you will need to carry out this process again until many years down the line.

Pop down to your local Frank’s and we’ll be happy to help you find the perfect hardwood flooring for your home.