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

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

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

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.

Ice Melt and Salt on Your 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.

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.

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 hardwood 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.