Tips To Protect Your Hardwood Floors This Summer

Summer is almost here! With hot and muggy weather comes special challenges for homeowners with hardwood floors. These tips will help you maintain your hardwood floors when the temperatures and humidity levels rise. 

Draw Blinds To Protect From UV Rays

UV rays can cause your hardwood floors to become discolored and brittle over the course of many years. To protect your hardwood floors, draw the blinds when direct sunlight is shining through the window. If this option is less than ideal, consider installing a clear film on the window to protect your home from harmful UV rays. 

Run the Air Conditioner or Dehumidifier

High humidity can cause hardwood floorboards to swell. In extreme cases this can result in a condition known as "cupping," wherein the edges of the boards become raised and the boards take on a concave shape. To prevent this from happening, run the climate control or dehumidifier regularly throughout the summer. 

Keep Towels at the Back Door for Little Ones

Leave towels at the back door for little ones who like to play in the sprinkler, and teach them to dry off before they enter the house. If despite these efforts your kids are prone to run inside dripping wet, put floor runners at each door to catch the excess water.  

Vacuum Up Grit

Between your gardening habits and the kids playing in the sandbox, summer is a time of year when extra dirt and grit tends to get dragged through the house. Over time, an accumulation of grit can can cause your floorboards to become scratched, especially at the entryways. Vacuuming can suck up the dirt more effectively than sweeping. Use a vacuum with a special hardwood floor attachment to suck the dirt up from your floorboards. When using the vacuum, don't forget to turn off the beater bars to avoid damaging the floors. 

Leave a Box at Each Doorway for Shoes and Umbrellas

Leave a box at each entrance where your children, spouse and guests can take off their shoes. This will help prevent sand and grit from being tracked into the house. Next to the shoe box, leave an umbrella box. This will help protect your hardwood floors from the drippy mess that can happen as a result of summer's unexpected rain showers. 

Well maintained hardwood floors beautify your home while also increasing your property values. Following these tips, you should be able to keep your hardwood floors looking beautiful throughout the summer. If your floors are in need of replacement, summer is the perfect time to have them replaced by contractors like those at A B Cushing Mills Ltd.