With proper care, your hardwood flooring should give you many years of use with out refinishing.

Cleaning:

• Wood and water do not mix. Excessive water of any kind will damage the floor very quickly or over time. Wipe up spills immediately.
• Polyurethane floors should be cleaned with a dedicated hardwood flooring kit and vacuumed regularly with a non-beater bar vacuum cleaner (Note: some vacuum wheels may scratch surface). *Bona-X kit recommended
• Absolutely no wax or oil finishes (Murphy’s, Furniture Polish, or Windex).

Felt Pads:

• Be sure to have felt tabs or pads under any piece of furniture that will be moved to any extent even accidentally.

Mats:

• Some type of entry mat should always be used at entry ways to collect dirt and debris that may be dragged in from outside.

Rugs:

• Any area rugs should have some padding underneath to protect the floor from abrasion due to the rug backing, however many of these pads will leave “imprints” on the floor after they have been down for some time.
• Rubber pads tend to be worse than natural products; however, some amounts of “picture framing” (see below) may have to be accepted.

UV Light:

• Ultraviolet light will “bleach” or lighten the finish and/or wood itself in areas exposed to intense sunlight (some exotic species get darker).
• Rugs on the floor block the light so when the rug is removed the areas underneath are darker giving a “picture frame” effect. The only real option is to tint the effected areas with UV tint and also try to keep affected areas shaded or blinds closed during the most intense times of the day.

Refrigerators:

• The weight of most refrigerators will leave “indentations” caused by the wheels being rolled directly across the floor.
• Put luaun or thin plywood in front of the wheels to roll the refrigerator on whenever moved for cleaning or repairs.
• This method also applies to any large furniture with wheels.

Other Tips:

• Put rugs under pet bowls
• Keep heels in good shape (sharp high heels may indent the floor)