5 Easy Ways to Protect Your Hardwood Flooring This Winter
Many Toronto homeowners prefer hardwood flooring. Besides being aesthetically appealing, it is durable and easy to keep clean.
However, with winter fast approaching, you should know that the season can be tough on hardwood floors. Indeed, the ice, dirt, and debris that you bring home can cause serious damage.
So, to protect your flooring, follow these simple tips.
Simple Tips to Protect Hardwood Flooring This Winter
If you are the proud owner of a home with hardwood flooring, taking proper care of it should be your top priority. According to flooring experts, you should follow these tips to keep it like new in winter.
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Set the Humidifier
With a sharp winter drop in temperature and low humidity, hardwood flooring can shrink and develop gaps and cracks. These allow dirt to accumulate and cause damage while making the flooring look unsightly. That is why it is important to maintain the humidity level inside your home. Set your humidifier to 30-45% to prevent any contractions of your flooring while keeping your home warm.
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Remove Shoes and Add Doormats to Entryways
Wearing shoes inside your home tracks mud, snow, water, and salt in from outside. This can stain and scratch your hardwood flooring.
To prevent it, install a shoe rack at the entrance and make it a habit to remove your outdoor footwear before coming in.
You may have visitors who do not feel comfortable removing their shoes. In that case, consider adding rough welcome mats in the entryways where they can scrape off dirt and debris from their footwear.
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Sweep the Floor Regularly
Even after taking these measures, it is not possible to completely stop snow, dirt, and debris from getting in. Salt and other ice melt compounds often leave a white residue that can scratch your flooring if not cleaned immediately. So, make sure your home is mopped frequently to prevent any ice melt or dirt buildup. You can also use a clean and dry microfiber cloth to wipe up puddles.
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Be Careful with Your Holiday Decorations
Everyone looks forward to celebrating with family and friends during the holiday season. If you are planning to purchase a real Christmas tree, make sure to use a tree stand to avoid water, pine needles, and sap from damaging your hardwood floor. You can add a drain tray and tree mat for extra protection.
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Use a Protective Coating
If you have recently installed hardwood flooring in your Toronto home, make sure to apply a protective finish. This will prevent moisture from soaking into the wood while protecting it from stains and scratches. This allows you to easily wipe up muddy footprints or ice melt stains.
You can also consider refinishing your hardwood flooring if it was installed many years ago. This will protect it from winter damage and give it a brand-new look and feel.
Installing new hardwood flooring in Toronto is a huge investment. So, it is important to take proper care of it. If you neglect your floors in winter, it could lead to cracks and scratches that require tedious and time-consuming repairs. So, make sure you follow these tips so your hardwood flooring sustains less winter damage and to make look newer longer.
