Wood Floor Care And Maintenance

Your floors are an investment. Something that you want to last for years and years and years. But when it comes to wood flooring what can you do? It's fine right? It's a hard floor, it shouldn't need as much professional maintenance as carpet or tile right? Well, not really. Wood floors don't need as much professional maintenance, but they still require some TLC. We have compiled a list of important thing you should and should not do with your hard wood flooring. 

• Sweep regularly with a soft bristle broom or dry dust mop. 

• Use a suction only type vacuum. Vacuums with a beater bar or power rotary brush head can damage a wood floor and should not be used. 

• Wipe up spills promptly and use approved hardwood cleaner. 

• Use felt protectors under heavy pieces of furniture and chairs.

• Use protective mats at all exterior entrances. 

• Spiked heels or shoes in need of repair can severely damage flooring. 

• Replace hard plastic, metal casters, or wheels on furniture with soft rubber casters or by using a protective mat under the casters.

• Never wet mop your wood floors. Excess moisture or liquids can cause damage to wood flooring. 

• Never use oil soaps, wax, or other household products to clean your floor. 

• Keep pet nails trimmed. 

• Protect your floor when using a dolly for moving furniture or appliances. 

• Use protective window coverings to protect hardwood floors from excessive heat during periods of direct sunlight. 

• Never use rubber backed rugs or pads as they may damage hardwood floors. Area rugs should be soft, non-abrasive, and urethane backed.

As always, if you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to either leave a comment below or give us a call at 818-263-9314

Area Rug Underpads

Happy Friday Everyone! This week we've done a lot of work with different wood floors. I just want to let you guys know one thing to be aware of when it comes to your wood floor.

Area rugs are beautiful! The allow us to change the look and feel of our home. Unfortunately, one of the most common problems with area rugs on wood floors is what we call "waffling." This happens because of a certain underpad. The so-called "waffling" is shown in the picture below.As you walk along the carpet, the plastic of the underpad melts and sticks to the floor, causing the utter mess in the picture above.

(For the "after" click here!)

So, as you can see, when we start working, we have to tackle this area first. Also, this limits your choices when trying to choose a new rug. The non-skid carpet underpad (pictured below) would not be our recommendation if your area rug is slipping and sliding.  

"So, carpet tape then?" you may be asking. While carpet tape is a viable solution, when trying to remove the carpet tape, it has tendency to want to stay stuck to the carpet and the floor, either damaging your floor or your carpet as a result.

You best bet is something with a cloth top and a rubber bottom. The rubber keeps the carpet padding from moving along the floor, while the cloth top keeps the carpet secure to the padding. If you have already done your research and are trying to find said carpet padding, JP Carpet Cleaning Expert Floor Care can provide you with the padding you need, cut specifically for your area rugs!

Clean Dark Water Spots From Hardwood

Have dark spots on your hardwood floors? Here's our simple at-home solution (of course, we recommend a professional for a more extensive cleaning, but this is a good "in between" fix).

The first step would be to clean the spot and surrounding area with No. 2 steel wool and a wood floor cleaner or mineral spirits. Thoroughly wash the spotted area with household vinegar and allow it to remain for three to four minutes before buffing the area to remove the vinegar. If the spot is still there, sand with fine sandpaper, following the grain pattern of the wood and feathering out 3 to 4 inches into surrounding area. Apply the vinegar again and again allow it to remain for three to four minutes. If the spot is still there, repeat the sanding. If two repeated applications of the vinegar do not remove the spot, apply an oxalic acid solution directly on the spot. Proportions are one ounce of oxalic acid to one quart of water.

**Always use the recommended cleaner for your floors, and buff vigorously with clean towel. Refinishing might be necessary. And never be afraid of calling for help, our experts are here to help you (818) 263-9314! 

Any questions? Something we didn't address? Tell us below and we'll take care of it!