Protect your hardwoods from holiday decorations - Calgary, Advantage Hardwood

Hardwood floors add warmth and beauty to your home. Keep them fresh during the winter months with these crucial tips

Protect hardwoods from holiday decorations

Hardwood floors add warmth and beauty to your home. This is especially true during the winter months when the air is dry, and snow and ice begin to make their way inside.n order to maintain their beauty, they need to be cared for properly.

Here are a few winter tips for keeping your hardwood floors fresh and beautiful from the experts at Advantage Hardwood!

Gapping Between Boards

You might notice some gaps appearing between your hardwood floor boards, and that they tend to get wider as the weather gets colder. The reason for this is that the humidity in the air is lower, and the moisture within the boards decreases causing the boards to shrink.

A great way to keep this from happening is by running a humidifier in your home. You may need anywhere from 3 to 5 pints of water per hour to make up for lost moisture depending on the level of ventilation in your home.

Prevent Moisture from Damaging Your Wood Floors

Water and Debris

Your floors are a magnet for dirt and other debris all year long. In the winter, you also have to worry about water from melting snow and ice. Water can make its way into your wood flooring causing warping and other damage to the boards. Additionally, dirt and other debris can cause scratches in the surface, allowing more moisture to enter. Sweep and mop often to eliminate these issues.

Ice Melt and Salt on Your Wood Floors

Winter damage on wood floors. Rock salt, or sodium chloride can be extremely abrasive if tracked inside from the outdoors, causing scratches and damage to your wood floor’s finish. Calcium chloride, on the other hand, leaves a slick film that dulls and damages the surface. Nip the problem in the bud and provide mats at every door for guests to wipe their feet on to avoid this Winter worry from harming your hardwoods.

How to Protect Wood Floors from Paws, Claws, and In-Laws

Holiday Decorating

Many people love the look, feel and smell of a live Christmas tree during the holiday season. However, be very careful when adding water, and make sure to clean up any spills to avoid staining and other damage.

Use a tree skirt made of a soft fabric, such as cotton or velvet and avoid those with a rubber backing as these have chemicals, which if left on your wood floors for an extended time, can alter the appearance of your wood floors. Finally, clean up fallen pine needles so they don’t get tracked around the house under guests shoes, which may cause scratches. They may be small scratches, but overall they have the ability to dull the appearance of your wood floors.

Pets and Children

Your kids and pets love to play outside in the snow, but, all that snow may end up melting on your lovely wood floors when they come in. If possible, allow your dog back inside through either the garage or the laundry room, and if you don’t have that option, have towels ready to wipe off their paws when they return.

As for the children, remind them to shake off any excess snow and remove their coats, snow pants, scarves, mittens and boots outside, or in a designated area with protection for the floor, and remember to quickly wipe up any puddles they do create to avoid damage.

Is the finish on your hardwood floor fading? Advantage Hardwood can give your hardwood floors a facelift ...Contact us and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free, no obligation consultation. 403 995 9779