Many homeowners dread the winter season because their hardwood flooring could potentially suffer damage due to the harsh weather elements. However, with the help of a few simple tips, you can easily keep winter elements such as snow, slush and slat at bay and ensure that your hardwood floor retains its natural look and feel without suffering any unsightly cosmetic damages.
Invest in Rugs and Floor Mats: By placing door mats or rugs over your floor, you can ensure that snow and slush stays outside your home and not inside it. Always keep spare mats and rugs so that you can rotate them in case they get wet. Also, make it a point to remove your shoes at the door and not bring it all the way inside your home. Ask your guests to follow the same. Allocate a separate spot to dry your shoes if they are wet.
Deal with Pets: If you have pets at home such as dogs and cats, there is a very high possibility that they might leave behind snow and slush across your flooring once they return home after venturing outside. So it is a wise idea to train your pets in such a way that they wait by your home’s door for you to dry their paws and then proceed to enter your home.
Watch Humidity Levels: Prolonged use of heaters within your home during winter will cause your hardwood flooring to lose its inherent moisture and sport visible cracks due to shrinkage. If you notice that your home’s humidity levels are low and not at an ideal level, allow a humidifier to run for some time to restore the balance.
Practice Regular Cleaning: No matter how conscious and alert you are, there are always possibilities for snow and slush to creep into the nooks and crannies of your flooring. So cleaning your flooring on a regular basis is imperative. You can either vacuum or use a mop to remove the debris and keep your floor spotless.
The above mentioned tips are extremely useful for hardwood floor owners who are keen on protecting their investment and see to that their flooring lasts for several winters without having the need to undertake any repairs or replacements.