How to clean and maintain hardwood floors

When looking at homes for sale, many homebuyers tend to gravitate toward properties with hardwood floors. These buyers often like the glimmering sheen that comes from a nice hardwood floor and the aesthetic appeal of the surface.

However, after buying properties with these floors, many homeowners neglect to properly maintain them and allow them to become dirty and grimy. To keep them in top shape, DIY Life has some expert advice.

One way in which hardwood floors can get dirty is from mud and sand tracked in by dirty shoes, DIY Life states. The do-it-yourself website states dragging in mud is the equivalent of using sandpaper on wood when doing home remodeling projects - doing so erodes the wood's surface.

By sweeping and mopping on a regular basis, DIY Life says homeowners can worry less about their nice floors being ruined by muck and slush from outdoors. A mixture of white vinegar and warm water is ideal when mopping.

Despite your best efforts, though, the site states it's near impossible to keep your hardwood floor looking brand new all the time. After a while, the surface will become more scratched and sustain more blemishes.

However, there are ways to conceal these marks. DIY Life recommends using a shoe polish that is the same - or similar - color to your wood floor. By using a soft cloth to buff the surface lightly, you can diminish the severity of a scratch or ding on your floor and make them nearly disappear.

For hardwood floors near doorways, in hallways and on staircases - also known as a home's most heavily-trafficked areas - DIY Life suggests using area rugs. Though these may hide your nice floor, it'll protect it in the long term, the source states.

In at least one area of your home, your hardwood floors are likely in rooms with windows in which sunlight beams into your home. Sunlight can damage these floors over time, so getting blinds, curtains, shades or drapes may be another smart way to protect your floors and diminish the sun's effect on them.

Also, some furniture may scuff your floors, even if it's sitting in place. Protective felt pads can be found at home improvement stores, according to DIY Life, which can be used under the feet of your couches, chairs and other furniture pieces.

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