Wood flooring, whether it’s timber flooring or engineered wood, is extremely durable and resistant to wear and tear. Aside from its long-term durability, natural timber flooring has physiological and psychological benefits for people, lowering heart rates, blood pressure, and stress and anxiety levels.
To extend the life of your wood flooring and enjoy these benefits, there are a few poor habits and actions you should avoid, as they have the potential to damage your wood floors.
1. Using floor cleaners with harsh chemicals
Cleaning products can cause warping, peeling, stripping, and moisture damage to wood flooring, especially timber flooring. They can strip off the layer of coating on your wood flooring and wear down the natural gloss of the wood.
Avoid cleaning your wood floors with products that have vinegar, ammonia, or oil. Cleaning products containing harsh chemicals, such as chlorine bleach, which contain sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite, can harm wood and affect its natural appearance as well. Instead of using harsh floor cleaners, choose gentle or natural cleaning agents that won’t harm your wood floors.
2. Washing wood floors with water too often
Water sitting on wood can easily seep through, causing it to rot, weaken, and fall apart, as well as allow mould to form and grow. This might cause poor indoor cleanliness and potentially result in injury. When cleaning your wood floors, don’t use too much water too frequently and be sure to dry them immediately to prevent moisture from seeping into the wood.
3. Walking on wooden floor with high heels
Despite the fact that the majority of Singaporean households do not allow shoes in the house, some of us still walk around in our shoes when we forget something. If you often wear high heels, remove them at the entrance to avoid damaging your wood flooring. They can cause dents, scratches, and chips in your floors.
4. Using the wrong cleaning tools
Always use soft cleaning tools to clean your wood floors as abrasive materials, such as stiff brushes, can scratch your flooring and ruin the layer of coating on your wood, exposing it to moisture, germs, bacteria, and dirt. Aside from sharp and abrasive materials, steam cleaners should not be used to clean wood floors because the excessive heat and moisture can cause cupping and long-term damage. When cleaning your wood floors, we recommend using microfibre mops, soft cloths, and soft brushes.
5. Too much sun exposure
Although it is impossible to avoid the sun in Singapore, it is important to avoid exposing your wood flooring to direct sunlight for extended periods of time because it may cause colour deterioration. Applying window treatments to block off the sun’s damaging UV rays is an easy way to prevent prolonged sun exposure. Alternatively, you may protect your timber flooring from the sun by applying sun-resistant sealants on the wood.
6. Dragging furniture
Some of us enjoy changing the layout of our homes on a regular basis, which involves the movement of furniture. We also regularly drag our seats around the place for activities such as eating and mingling with guests. This simple habit of dragging furniture can significantly scratch and damage wood flooring. Carry your furniture away from the ground when moving it, or place a thick soft rug beneath it before moving it to avoid damage.
Aside from moving furniture carefully, it’s a good idea to put protection pads beneath the legs of all your furniture to prevent the wood and finish from being damaged over time.
There you have it: a list of actions and poor habits that will damage your wood flooring. Avoid doing anything that will harm your wood flooring if you want it to last a long time.
Floorrich is a flooring specialist in Singapore that offers a wide range of flooring products for residential and commercial spaces. If you’re thinking about replacing or doing up new flooring, we are here to help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.