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I am back with the home tips for all the new homeowners we have in the community. It’s such an exciting time! We are nearing the 2nd anniversary of being in our home, and our hardwood floors still look brand new! I always knew I loved the look of hardwood floors, but I had no idea how much work went into maintaining them! I asked around and did some research and found a trio that has yet to let me down. Keeping a home clean is nothing like keeping an apartment clean, lol. The right tools and techniques can really make all the difference. I save a lot of homemaking/home cleaning tips on Pinterest, but it’s time to bring them over to the blog!
Before I get into the tools, I have a bonus tip to share with you! Nothing I say matters if you don’t start with quality wood. If you are in the Atlanta area, Brazilian Wood Depot has you 100% covered. The chart below is what drew me in! I’ve learned the hard way that when it comes to your home, some projects can’t be cheap. When you are talking floors, decks, fences, etc., safety and quality have to be taken into account. Invest with a company you can trust upfront and remove that stress from the start. Yes, the chart refers to decking, but their quality standards are across all offerings. Decks just happen to be something I’m researching at the moment and I’ve been learning about various wood types like composite decking vs wood. :).
Now, on to our floor cleaning trio! I tried a few other combinations but I found this to be the winner. Below you will find the tools that have kept our floors looking brand new for 2 years! I plan for them to look just like this when we move too lol. Let’s pray baby J doesn’t have other plans!
1. Furniture Pads
We have felt furniture pads under everything touching our floors! This is the best way to protect your floors from scuffs and scratches. Furniture moves, guests won’t always pick up chairs to pull them out, and some things are simply easier to slide. Felt pads will give you peace of mind as your home is being loved on and lived in. They also mask that awful screeching sound metal makes when it slides across anything. We stick to the big packs because the places that get the most traffic do slide off. –Think bar stools and dining chairs.
2. A Dry Mop
You can opt for a Swiffer or microfiber dry mop but get you one! This gets all the dust, fur, etc., up vs. moving it around. If you use a traditional broom you will never get it all up. It’s harder to get in tight areas, it brooms kick up so much dust. A dry mop is designed to trap and look dirt into the pads. Trust me, when you have hardwood floors, they get dusty. I like to pull out my dry mop a few mornings a week and do a quick pass over our floors. It prevents build up, keeps them looking nice, and gets up all the fur my dog leaves behind :: rolls eyes::
Note I didn’t say wet mop. If you put a wet mop on dusty floors, you will get streaks. You will also notice they are not designed to trap and lock dirt so things get left behind. This may seem like an annoying extra step but it really makes a big difference. It also helps cut down on how often you need to use the next last tool in our trio.
3. A Steam Mop
I never knew love (whispers clean) like this before my steam mop! You can clean and sanitize your floors without harsh chemicals stripping them down. No dirty mop water, no buckets, or wringing out with your hands. I am able to zip across my floors with the steam mop in no time! The shine is like no other! I put in a few drops of lavender essential oil and that really turns things up! I may or may not have asked my hubby and the dog to levitate for at least 24-hours so I can enjoy my clean floors!
Hardwood floors are a feature that adds value to your home, so you want to take care of them! On top of that, clean floors just look so amazing! Get some quality wood and quality tools to protect your investment!
XOXO, Laya
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