HOT PROPERTY

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HARDWOOD FLOORS: A WINTER CARE GUIDE

Wood

floors are stunning when they’re well-maintained. During winter, though, it may take a bit more work to keep their

beauty intact.

Snow, ice, and salt can all adverselyaffect your floors’ highlypolished appearance when theystick to wood, making them more susceptible to warping. Keep your wood floors healthybyfollowing afew simple strategies.

Step on Mats Before Entering Your Home Place mats at everyentryway (front door, side door,etc.) and have everyone who wants to come inside wipe off their wetshoes first. This way, mostofthe water’s moisturewill be absorbed by the mats,not the wood. Choose high-quality mats made of absorbent, nonslip fibers,likesisal or wood; avoid vinyl, rubber,and other cheap synthetic materials. “Synthetics can adheretoand discolor wood floors,” says Deon Mohs,manager of Dave’s Floor Sanding and Installing in Blaine, Minnesota. “There’samat with awaffle design that’spopular,” he recalls.“But three months after youset it down, when youpick

the mat up,the design is etched on the floor.” Oncethe wood is damaged likethis,there’sno easy fix: Youhave to sand it to getrid of the discoloration.

Take Off Your Shoes Using mats will sopupmostofthe mess, but notall. Makeitanewhouserule that as soon as someone has wiped their shoes on the mats,theytaketheir footwearoff. This will keep the winter elements coming inside to a minimum. Have ashoe rack by the door where everyone can put their sneakers,shoes,and boots to dry.

MakeCleaning Easy Hardwood doesn’trequire fancyequipment to keep it in pristine condition –asimple dust mop will do.“Useadry mop for dustand a damp mop for spills,” says Mohs.Avoid using averywet mop –when water is absorbed into

the wood, it maycausethe floors to warp. Mohs recommends using aliquid cleaner, preferablyacitrus-based type that yousquirt ontothe floor.“We generallystayawayfrom oil soaps and waxes. If youuse one of those products,you can no longer buff and coat floors in the future–instead,you’d have to sand them down to the rawwood to getrid of the oil residues left behind.”

Keep aHumidifier On “One thing nottooverlook is that wood is anatural product of trees,soit’sgoing to do what wood does,” says Mohs,likedry out when humidity is absent in the air.He recommends keeping ahumidifier on during the cold months so that the house’srelative humidity levelisfairlyconstant throughout the year.“If youhave largefluctuations in a home’shumidity,the wood is going to expand and contract,”hesays. “The moremoisture in the air,the moreitwill getinto the wood.” If youdon’thaveahumidifier running when temperatures drop,you’reheating the floor, your home’shumidity will drop,and the boards aregoing to shrink, he says.That will leadtogaps between the floorboards.

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Your flooring needs special attention during the coldest season of the year. Photo courtesy of

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