Keeping your wooden floor protected from scratches
When you’ve spent a long time deciding which is the perfect wooden floor for you, you’ll want to keep it looking good for as long as possible. Unfortunately, opportunities to get scratches in your floor are plentiful, but can seriously detract from the overall effect. A beautiful wooden floor with an ugly scratch mark isn’t always easily fixed either – with a solid wood floor you can always sand down the top layer of the wood and refinish it (although this is a big undertaking and not a quick fix), but for laminate flooring this isn’t even an option – you’ll have to live with it or replace it. In this case, prevention definitely is better than cure, so here are a few easy ways to keep your wooden floor protected from scratches.
Footwear
Protect your wooden floor from scratches by being mindful of your footwear when you walk over it. Boots and high heels are the worst culprits for leaving scratches and indentations in your floor, so you should always get into the habit of removing your shoes when you come home. Obviously, you can’t expect guests to remove their shoes when they come into your home, so having area rugs or runners in high traffic areas can help to prevent some damage. Never walk over your newly re-varnished floor in anything other than fluffy socks for at least 24 hours after it has drie
Felt pads on furniture
Moving furniture around to redecorate, clean or make room for new pieces (or a Christmas tree in December), can result in scratched floors. The solution – add felt pads to the bottom of your heavy furniture to prevent deep scores. These felt pads are easy to apply and last for ages – and they’re extremely cheap so it’s a simple and extremely effective way to prevent unsightly damage to your wooden floor.
Care when cleaning
Taking care of a wooden floor is very simple – it’s one of the easiest flooring types to keep clean, which is why it’s such a popular choice for many homes. You do however need to have the right kit on hand for cleaning – never use a hard-bristled brush to scrub your floor and if you use a mop, be careful not to push too hard otherwise you could end up scratching your floor.
Toys & small children
If you have young children, you’ll know that their toys can be a hazard to your floor. The best way to prevent these scratches is to have a playmat which you can roll up when not in use to protect your floor, and their little knees while they play. Also try not to drag toyboxes across the floor, and add felt pads to the bottom of these too.
Refinishing your floor
Sometimes deep scratches in your floor are unavoidable, and if you have a solid wood floor you may want to consider sanding it and re-varnishing it to restore it to its former lustre. Our team can provide you with lots of tips and advice if you want to tackle this job yourself, from how long it will take to the right products to us. Contact us anytime for more expert advice and guidance when it comes to looking after your wooden floor.
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