Oak wood flooring is one of the best flooring ideas for you home as this type of floor will not only make your home look great but also give it a touch of class. However, this type of floor is also quite costly, and so it is very important to take good care of it. Besides from the fact that it cost you a lot of money to install caring for it also makes sure that the floor remains in good shape for many years.
There is a misconception that caring for this type of floor is hard but provided you know to go about it this should be very easy for you. To make sure that your floor is well looked after you should keep the following important things in mind.
- Always give the floor a clean sweep
The easiest and perhaps also the most effective way to take care of your oak wood flooring is using a vacuum cleaner or brush. The brush or vacuum helps to get rid of dirt particles that can cause discolouration to your floor. However, if you are using a brush, you should choose one that does not have very hard bristles as they might cause more damage to your floor. For the vacuum, you also have to choose a god quality vacuum for maximum cleanliness.
- Avoid regular household cleaning products
There are specially designed products that should be used to clean your oak wood floors and so you should avoid using the regular household dusting or cleaning products. Although some of these products might be able to clean the floors properly a majority of them will cause permanent damage to your floor.
- Use a damp cloth
You should never use water to clean your oak wood floor as this will cause permanent damage. Instead of using water you should use a damp cloth to clean the floor. In case water spills on the floor, you should also clean it up immediately. This is because if the water is left to soak on the floor it will cause the edges of the floorboard to rise as a result of swelling.
- Beware of the sun
The sun has the potential to cause severe damage to your oak wood flooring, and so you should be careful not to expose it to direct sunlight. A good indication that the floor is exposed to too much light is discolouring of the floor.
- Don’t drag furniture
Dragging of furniture’s from one place to another in a room is one of the most common causes of damage to any wood flooring. Instead of dragging furniture you should felt contacts under the furniture legs or simply lift up the furniture.
- Use rugs on high traffic areas
Rugs are great for keeping high traffic areas in the house scratch and scuff free. However, you should use a rug with a breathable backing material as this will help prevent moisture damage from the floor.
- Be careful with repairs
When you are experiencing splits on your floor, you might be tempted to repair them with wood filler but you should be very careful with this as it may cause further damage. Most experts will recommend that you use a mixture of oak wood sawdust and wood glue to fill any splits.