We just completed our first 6 months in our new home!
We weren’t sure we’d ever move in some days when we were painting and planking all the things, so it’s honestly hard to believe that we’ve been here for six months now. Which means we’ve had time to live with some of our choices and develop a little bit of a routine.
One of the things we’ve developed a routine with, is the care of our Pergo Flint Maple hardwood.
If you missed our previous two posts, check out “why we choose our hardwoods” and “how to install them” – make sure to give them a read.
We’ve also had several questions about hardwoods throughout the home {some people can’t believe we put them in the kitchen because we’re crazy like that-they’re awesome by the way} and the big question: Are they difficult to care for?
The simple answer is no. They’ve been amazing.
But even if it was yes, we’d sworn to ourselves that we wouldn’t do carpet again because….
This glorious photo above is from our previous house, when we pulled up the carpet to install hardwoods. We were the only people to live there {and perhaps a little OCD when it comes to cleaning: no shoes in the house, vacuum all the time kinda OCD}. And this was underneath. We’d been living with it for over a decade. We’re pretty sure our fabulous builder from before hadn’t even bothered to sweep before laying those carpets.
But pulling away from that nice visual and back to the question at hand: Is it hard to care for hardwoods throughout the house? No, it’s probably easier. Because unlike carpet, hardwoods won’t let the dirt hide.
And because our basement isn’t finished yet and it will later be our main entry just because it’s easier {we’re still waiting on codes -thanks septic} those hardwoods were put to the ultimate test this winter and spring with all things foot traffic. Which brings us to…
Let’s start with the door.
Keeping a mat outside and rug inside to help collect any of dirt and debris is a great place to start. If it doesn’t make it in, you don’t have to clean it. And as much as a ‘hot button’ topic this is, if you don’t want shoes in your house, it’s okay to not wear them. {Gasp!} We’ve even discussed getting little booties for people to wear if they don’t like taking their shoes off. Too far? Not in our book.
It’s your home and it’s ok to have some rules. There’s also a fine line between being good hosts and making people comfy, we know. In other cultures, it’s considered rude to not remove your shoes. We know we have indoor dogs. So no, things aren’t spotless and we try to stay flexible. We wipe those paws before they come in, clean up often after them, as well as our own children, who are probably dirtier ;}. Another argument for no shoes: every little piece of dirt or rock that comes in on someone’s shoes can potentially be ground into your hardwood floor causing damage to the protective surface or the hardwoods themselves.
So to help with tracking in, make sure you use mats. They’re your best friend.
But we all know no matter how hard you try, floors will still get dirty and have things spilled on them.
That’s life and you have to live it. We just try to make it a little easier in the meantime.
Vacuuming
For simple dirt issues, our go-to is the Swiffer Vac, if you have hardwoods. If you don’t have one of these, stop what you’re doing and order one now. You can thank us later. We shared a little more about it here + how we keep it clean with pets. This little vac is amazing because it removes the worry of the rotary brush, which can be a big no-no with hardwoods. You get the suction of the vac with the follow through of a cloth to catch any leftover dirt {or dog hair}. Really, a game changer with your hardwood care.
Whatever cleaning tool you use, we would suggest a regular vacuum routine, but skip the brush as it could damage the hardwoods. And by regular, we mean more than once a week. Also, understand that the vacuum won’t get everything unless it has some serious suction, so you’ll want to look for spots that might need a little wipe down with a dry cloth, hence why we love the Swiffer vac. It accomplishes both goals with one tool.
Mopping
You’ve probably heard that you shouldn’t mop floors, and in a sense, that’s true. There is the risk any time water comes into contact with hardwoods, it can cause serious damage. All that aside, our floors have been so great, we’ve come across standing water from time to time, and the finish has held up beautifully with no problem. A careful mop with the proper tools shouldn’t cause any issues, but you should know how to properly mop a hardwood floor before reaching for that trusty kitchen mop.
The idea is a quick brushover with a dry mop. Using a little household vinegar or a hardwood floor cleaning solution should add that extra umph you need for cleaning. It’s also not a bad idea to check out the cleaner on a spare piece of hardwood or in a hidden place, just to make sure it doesn’t stain your hardwoods.
To mop, you’ll simply want to apply the cleaner directly to the mop pad, not the floor, and mop with a back and forth motion, then follow up with a dry cloth to remove and remaining moisture. When the mop becomes soiled, simply replace it with a clean one. Cleaning the hardwood floor with a soiled cover could cause streaking. The covers are generally re-usable, so simply throw the cover in the wash and dry as you would any towel.
To mop, you’ll simply want to apply the cleaner directly to the mop pad, not the floor, and mop with a back and forth motion. When the mop cover becomes soiled, simply replace it with a clean one. Cleaning the hardwood floor with a soiled cover could cause streaking. The covers are generally re-usable, so simply throw the cover in the wash and dry as you would any towel.
There is also the option of disposable pads as well. Mopping once a week should suffice and you can always use a damp cloth to hit any spills or problem areas during the week. Just remember no excess or standing water.
There are also those non-dirt issues.
Dents, scrapes, and scratches, oh my!
Yes we will harp on it again, but one of the easiest ways to combat some of these issues is to take off your shoes and ask guests to do the same. This prevents any small debris from causing issues with the floors.
Another simple way to protect the floors is furniture pads on all furniture legs touching the hardwoods. This is a simple thing that can save you from some scratches. However, there are some issues and things to consider with furniture pads. If you own dogs or cats, beware that if the pads are not properly trimmed to the leg, they will be a nice little collection station for those random pet hairs. Also, check the pads periodically; they tend to become dislodged after some time. Perhaps start by checking them weekly, until you know which ones are receiving more abuse and then you can scale back your routine to switch them out occasionally.
Speaking of pets…
Do keep those nails trimmed. You’d be surprised what an excited pup or crazy cat can do with those nails. Nature made those nails hard and tough for a reason and there is no need for them to grind right into your hardwoods. Take advantage of those Vet trips and have them properly cut.
Spills
When little ones something on the floor, you’re in a whole lot better shape than if you have carpet. Simply grab a paper towel to wipe it up, and then with a slightly damp paper towel, give it one more wipe over. You don’t need excess moisture; just enough to get rid of the stickies. A major pro to having hardwoods.
Who doesn’t love a great sun tan?
Your hardwoods, that’s who. Close those curtains when direct sunlight his hitting your hardwoods. Sun fades everything. It’s like super duper powerful or some other fancy science word inserted here. Bottom line, the sun does a number on everything and you should never let any of your indoor furnishings take direct sunlight every day and this includes those amazing hardwoods.
Minor Dings + Scratches
If you get a minor ding, there a couple simple ways to repair it.
First, we suggest trying a stain pen from a repair kit. Of course, try out the stain pen on a spare piece first or a hidden spot. If the stain pen just doesn’t do the trick by itself because the ding is too big, then try a little stainable wood putty and the repair kit. You simply fill the ding with the wood putty and wipe it flush to the floor and allow it to dry. Once dry, simply use your stain pen and no one will ever know.
If those cuddly little fur balls leave you a little present on the hardwoods to be found later you can use a clean cloth to dab a small amount of hydrogen peroxide on the stain and wipe it away. After you’ve scooped it first, of course.
We truly do love our Pergo Flint Maple floors. With the right knowledge, they’re super simple to care for and so much better than the before.
For all types of ideas on how to care for your floors, check out the Pergo website.
As always we hope you have a fabulous day and we’d love to hear about your ideas and experiences with cleaning hardwoods!
:: This post was brought to you in partnership Pergo. All opinions are 100% ours. Please read our full disclosure pertaining to partnerships here ::
Wilma says
We have hardwood throughout our bungalow, except in the basement, the bathrooms and our two most used entrances. So we have it in our kitchen, living area and bedrooms. We love it. Our entrances have tile (which I love less) covered by rugs, as we live in the prairies, so we have full-on winter for about half the year. In front of the sink I have a large indoor/outdoor rug from the pottery barn, which I hose off with carpet cleaner once a year (along with the entrance rugs). It still looks great!
For cleaning, instead of a rotary brush, we just use a floor brush–I always thought this was common, but I guess not. It’s just a brush with natural or synthetic bristles, so no scratching. I have a Dyson vacuum (and a Dyson stick vac), and I bought as an add-on the floor brush. It works great. I vacuum daily (very quickly), because of my three small children.
As for mopping, I either spot clean or use a very well wrung out norwex mop (no cleaner required). And sometimes I will clean on my hands and knees with a rag (again, only damp) and a vinegar/water mixture. It works great.
We definitely have scratches and dings, especially from where I haven’t replaced the kitchen chair pads quickly enough. Hardwood markers work great. But, the floors are not perfect. And I’m ok with that.
And finally, as for the shoe thing, where I live (and in the vast majority of Canada) it’s impolite not to remove your shoes, unless your elderly or disabled or something. Even then, guests need to be encouraged to leave their shoes on–taking your shoes off in any home is that ingrained. I find it odd to leave shoes on–it just seems dirty to me–but to each their own! Although do people really leave their shoes on and lie on their beds or couches like on tv? Is this real? Because it seems so…icky…
Anyway, I love love love hardwoods and will never (hopefully) have carpet in my home ever again 🙂
ashley @ the handmade home says
RIGHT?! The whole shoes on the furniture thing on TV drives me batty. I’m always like, would they REALLY have their shoes on??? When our kids were really little it would freak me out when people wore shoes because I was thinking of the pee they just stood in via some public restroom at the mall, and then they wore them inside my house where my babies were crawling. Gross. Call me neurotic but there’s something cleaner about it for sure. And yes, I think that with hardwoods you definitely have to be okay with all the imperfections. It’s all about what you want. SO true though! Love the cleaning tips!
DBLori says
I remember i used to keep a basket with knitted style booties at the front door. They were some cheap ones that I found at Walmart many years ago. We didn’t have hardwood floors, though, but I could see the kids having some fun with the knitted kind on those floors playing floor hockey. Whee!
Sue says
I have the original oak floors throughout my house,excluding sunroom and baths. My kitchen floors are much easier with wood,trust me,I’ve had vinyl tiles,ceramic tiles,sheet vinyl and anything else you can think to put on a kitchen floor. I’m clicking over to check out the swiffer vac. I have a central vac,but I’m shopping for something to use for times when the big hose is too much trouble. I’m lazy that way.
ashley @ the handmade home says
AMEN! I’m actually shocked by how easy wood floors in our kitchen! We have always had tile and this has been a sweet change.
Megan | Adventure & Home says
Our original hardwoods are in really rough shape, so we’ve been thinking about what to replace them with. Thanks to some beetle damage, they just aren’t worth salvaging and I definitely agree with you on the carpet front! One of the things we were worried about was taking care of them, since hardwoods can be a bit pricey.
We may just have to transition to a “shoes off” model. I also love the tidbit about the cuddly little furballs. 😉 Story of my life! Haha.