If you have chosen to add hardwood floors to your home renovations you have made a great decision if you are planning to maintain the hardwood floors
. Flooring that is hardwood is made using mature trees, it is then treated and finished. Maintaing hardwood floors can be difficult because they scratch easy and also absorb moisture.
It is not a good idea to leave a pool of water on your hardwood floors. The moisture will go into the cracks in between the slates and they will swell as they absorb the water. If this happens in even a little spot it will still be noticeable. If there happens to be any liquid at all spilt on the hardwood floor you need to clean it up immediately. When you clean your hardwood floor you can use a damp mop but only damp. There are also floor cleaners that are specially formulted for hardwood floors that you could use. Whatever you choose you must use only a damp mop.
Another thing that can happen to hardwood floors are dents and scratches. High heels are torture to hardwood floors. Over time any furniture legs can dent or scratch the floors. You can choose to put area rugs under the furniture to protect the floors or you can put felts on the bottoms of the furniture legs. Also you could add some area rugs to the highly traveled areas in your home such as kitchens, hallways, in front of the couch.
There are some people that feel that the scratches and the dents give their hardwood floors character. But when you feel that you are in fact sick of them you can get your hardwood flooring refinished. If you have your hardwood floors refinished every decade or so and keep on top of protecting your hardwood floors, they will look the best. Everything you do from moving furniture to allowing your dog to roam in the house will affect your hardwood floors.