For all the benefits of real hardwood flooring – it looks fantastic, it adds value to your home, it lasts for generations – there is one drawback. It’s a bit high maintenance.
This is especially the case in the kitchen where there are all sorts of potential hazards for your hardwood floor. From food and water spillages through to muddy footprints and scuff marks, read on as the experts at Posh Flooring explain how you can protect it.
Prevent Effects of Spillages
Whether it is food from the dinner table, a spilled drink or simply water splashing out of the sink, there are all manner of spillages that can have an impact on your wood flooring.
The best thing to do – apart from to stop being so clumsy – is to put down mats and rugs at the main spillage areas, so in front of the sink, the dishwasher, washing machine etc. This way you can stop a lot of the moisture reaching the floor’s surface in the first place.
Tackle Spillages
In the event that food or liquid does spill on to the hardwood floor you need to make sure that you get onto it straight away.
Go over any spilt water with a dry mop or cloth immediately before it has a chance to soak into the wood, while food and other liquids should be wiped up with a damp cloth. This will minimise the risk of any major stain taking hold.
Prevent Damage from Heavy Objects
Although durable, wood flooring can still be liable to scuffing and dents from large, heavy objects and furniture. The kitchen table, fridge-freezer and washing machine could all cause damage if dragged across the floor so we’d recommend attaching felt pads to the bottom of any object that could leave an unsightly mark.
Use Door Mats
The kitchen is a particular area of high foot traffic, and in many properties it provides another route into the home, with shoes bringing dirt and moisture in from the outside. The best way to minimise this problem is to lay down door mats to allow people the chance to clean the soles of their shoes, while rugs placed in the right areas can also help to limit the dirt that finds its way onto your hardwood floor.
A quality hardwood floor can prove to be a real highlight of your home and ultimately make your property more valuable. However to ensure this remains the case it is essential that you take the steps necessary to protect your flooring from the hazards of the kitchen.
This guest blog was written by John Rooney on behalf of Posh Flooring – stockists of a huge range of hardwood flooring, as well as engineered wood flooring, laminate and vinyl.
