Hardwood flooring is designed to last decades, even centuries! But it will take a little bit of easy maintenance to keep it as beautiful as the first day.

There is no shortage of information online about how to maintain hardwood flooring but most of the websites will inform you on what type of products you should be using. There are important of course, but there are other preventive actions to think about:

• Use only approved hardwood floor cleaning products on your hardwood floor.If you run out of hardwood flooring cleaner that is made specifically for your type of hardwood floor, This guide will help you in that regard.

• Consider adopting a “no shoes” policy. Hardwood floors are a pleasure to walk barefoot on, while many types of shoes could damage it. Grant yourself that pleasure!

• Sweep your floors on a regular basis with a soft bristled broom or vacuum with a vacuum that is designed to work specifically with hardwood flooring.

• If you spot stubborn dirty areas, rub a very slightly damp mop or rag with some hardwood floor cleaner. Dry the spot fully immediately.

• Place throw rugs in front of doorways that lead inside the house to minimize dirt or debris from being tracked in. Clean underneath these rugs often to avoid trapped debris from scratching the floor.

• Place felt underneath all furniture pieces, and replace felt liners as they become worn.

• When you move furniture, if you can safely do so, pick up the furniture completely to avoid scratching the floor or place a carpet under it to pull.

• Place an area rug on the floor in front of the kitchen sink to help catch moisture before it has a chance to sit on the wood.

• Clean up all spills immediately.

• Keep your pet's nails trimmed. Some grooming establishments offer to “sand” or “grind” down your furry friends nails as a part of a pet manicure.

• Avoid activities that you may have used the floor for in the past such as cutting down boxes with box knives or cutting fabric with sharp scissors when working with patterns, 

• Do not use cleaners designed to eliminate or repel dust. Their chemicals won’t do your wood flooring any good.

• Do not use wax-based products on the floor as they can leave a dull finish over time.

• Do not use ammonia based products on your hardwood floor.

• Dry rooms such as air-con bedrooms can overtime cause crack to appear on the wood. That is because of the drastic and repetitive changes of temperature. Prefer fans to air-con.

• Light sanding / wire-brushing of your floor and re-coating should be done by a professional hardwood floor installer.

Always follow the manufacturer guidelines and consult your local authorized Kaltimber re-seller if you have any questions. Please visit our dedicated page for more information about how to care for ironwood decking and flooring