How to Effectively Clean Hardwood Floors

  

 Chicagolandpro.co

Dark hardwood floors are very common flooring to have in their homes; they are elegant and beautiful floors. When you have dark hardwood flooring in your home’s main living areas: foyer, office, dining room, family room, kitchen, and bedrooms, they can get dirty.

While these floors are beautiful and make homes improve in value, they can be high maintenance; anyone with dark hardwood floors will agree. Every crumb, dog or cat hair, or spot of dust can show up on your floors like a big ol’ pimple on class picture day. We’ve all been there. It’s embarrassing. And just like the pimple showing up in the photo, having junk all over the floors when you have guests over is incredibly embarrassing.

So how do you deal with this dirt, while still loving your beautiful dark floors?

Relax. Your floors will not be 100% clean all day, every day. If you have pets, they will bring some dirt into the house and they will shed some hair. Your feet and shoes will bring some dirt into the house. If you try to clean every. Single. Dirt speck. You are going to drive yourself crazy. Vacuum and clean when you need to.

Have rules. With dark hardwood, footprints show up very easily. Consider wearing socks or slippers in the home. You can try shoes but those can scuff and track in dirt, unless you go the Mr. Rogers route and have indoor shoes. However, if you are keeping your floors clean for guests, then hold off on that rule for guests?

Have cleaning essentials. A vacuum, Swiffer duster mop (dry), and a microfiber mopping pad with hardwood floor cleaning spray.

Have a cleaning routine. Set up a schedule for days and times when you can get your cleaning done. Try to have one or two days a week when you can vacuum. Swiffer two to three times a week. Mop once a week.

If you need tips and help maintaining your floors with a trusted expert, then contact Chicagoland Pro, a hardwoodflooring expert. 

Spring Clean Your Hardwood Floor

Chicagoland Pro- Hardwood Floor Installation & Finishing 

When the snow is melting, the life is coming back to nature, temperatures are rising, and people are getting happier, you know that spring is here. Sure, there is still some snow on the ground in much of the midwest but we know that spring is this close to being here and the age old concept of "spring cleaning" is knocking at our doors. 

Now, no matter what kind of floors you have, it is important that you get them clean and looking good for all those fun times you are about to have now that the roads aren't impassable due to the weather.

Hardwood flooring is definitely one of the simplest floors to clean and takes the least amount of work. Typically, to keep them in good shape means just having to sweep and vacuum them; you just want to keep all the dirt and dust (and other junk) from making your floors home and ruining them. Now, if you have spills or stains, you may have to use a mop or a wet mop device (the ones that have the spray and you attach the tissue to the base). If you use either one of these, make sure you do not soak your floor with too much of the liquid; use enough to get it clean but not to flood the place. Too much moisture can get in between the seems in the floors and ruin them; this can ruin the backing on the floors and perhaps ruin the finish.

If you are one to prefer carpeting, then what you have to do is vacuum and make sure that the vacuum filter is clean (this will give you a real good job at cleaning your carpet). If you have more aggressive cleanings to do, like for stains, then use a proper cleaning solution and blot the stain, don't wipe or rub.

If you have ceramic floors, then you have a pretty easy cleaning job as well, much like with hardwood flooring, your cleaning job is going to be a lot of vacuuming and easy mopping. However, you may have to do cleaning more regularly, daily almost. You have to do regular cleaning to avoid the buildup of things like mold, mildew, grime, etc. Use clean water and then wipe them dry. Make sure your grout is clean and good to go as well. If you have grout to clean, then mix some mild detergent (1/4 cup) with a gallon of water.

They say April showers bring May flowers, should there be April showers (or any other spring month), then try to keep the water out of the house and off your floors. If you have any questions, then contact Chicagoland Pro - a hardwood flooring company. 

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What You Need to Know About Different Kinds of Hardwood Floors

When doing research for future hardwood flooring projects, make sure you know what each kind of flooring is and how it will affect your project. Typically, when we think of hardwood floors, we think of the traditional are a medium brown that have panels that are a few inches wide. Well, while that is one kind, there are many others. 

Laminate floors. These are less expensive than genuine hardwood floors but they are not necessarily inferior quality. Most laminate floors are made with great quality nowadays and look and feel just like real hardwood. Laminate floors are made up of composite wood with a picture placed on top of the traditional hardwood look. Some kinds are glued into place while newer models are able to be placed and locked with no glue. One lure to this kind of floor is that is more suitable for those with pets.

Some people argue that it is better to use real hardwood that can be sanded down and refinished if there is any damage; while this is a good point, if you want laminate hardwood flooring, go for laminate. However, we will still explore real hardwood types.

Select red oak – this is a top grade hardwood floor. The select red oak is 2-3/4 inches wide. The knots in this type are often very tight and your color options are more limited. You do have the choice of the width as you can get wide choices of species of this kind of floor; you can get other species than the oak as well. For the select red oak, you are looking at a cost of approximately $5 per square foot.

Natural maple is another higher grade. This kind has more color variations than the select red oak. The width for the maple is 3-1/4 inches wide and also comes in widths of 4, 5, or even 6 inch widths. This type of wood floor is a bit more dense than the select red oak as well. How dense is it? Well, this is the kind of wood used for basketball courts and bowling alleys. For the natural maple, you’re looking at an approximate cost of $4 per square foot.   

 Rustic ash is the third kind. This kind has larger knots than the others and still has good color variation. This one is a bit less pricey than the other two kinds and costs approximately $3 per square foot. It is indeed a less classy style of wood and suited more for leisure rooms and lodges.

If you are looking to install hardwood floors in your home, then contact ChicagolandPro – a Palatine Hardwood flooring installation company. 

We have many hardwood flooring specials and other hardwood floor services.

What is Engineered Hardwood ?

Chicagoland Pro - Hardwood Flooring Professionals

Hardwood flooring has evolved from the days of the first pioneers. There are many options for people looking to install new hardwood flooring and it may be difficult to choose the best kind of floor. Once somebody has decided on wood flooring, there are still many choices and decisions to be made before you can actually start the installation process. To help navigate through the options we wanted to help by differencing regular hardwood floor from engineered wood, and give our readers more insight into Engineered Wood flooring.

Firstly, as with any wood floor install, we want to access the function and location of the space where the new floors will be placed. This is important for multiple reasons. The way the space is used and location of new floor will help define the options. Design and humidity levels should be taken into account, along with location.

One of the top trends in home design and style is the addition of wood to areas that in the past were uncommon. Bathrooms and kitchens, along with basements were normally made with tile, linoleum and other materials, but not wood. This is because wood has a tendency to warp and stain if exposed to water. Recently, with new innovation and materials, homeowners and designers are choosing to add wood to these places. Engineered wood is a great choice for those looking to add wood flooring to bathroom and kitchen spaces. While the humidity and water, low levels of exposure to water still will affect it will not cause damage to the floor.

Engineered wood is comprised of many different wood products and is designed to meet specific requirements. This specific designations help to make engineered wood more durable under certain conditions. The wood itself is made of many products and come from different sources. Plywood, particleboard, and remaining pieces from saw mills are all used in engineered wood. The wood is crossed, glued and pressed together to get the final result.  Engineered wood is equal to the same market value as solid hardwood that is 3-4". This is important information if you plan on selling or buying a home with engineered wood.

The range of sizes and styles available in engineered wood varies just as regular hardwood floor options. Sizes can vary and include traditional plank sizes to the latest trend of using wide plank boards for wood floor installations. Styles colors also vary, and are not limited either. Along with the wide planks, recent trends featuring scraped or salvaged wood can also be used with engineered wood installations.

As with any product, the prices and quality of engineered wood varies depending on the manufacturer and wood thickness. The thicker the engineered wood, the longer it will last. Boards that are 2-6 mm in width will last approximately 20-60 years less than boards made 2-6mm in width. The difference being that the thicker boards will be sanded and refinished at least once within that time, and like with any hardwood floor, will need proper care to last the test of time.

Engineered floor can be a great option for those looking to do Do It Yourself floor projects. The tongue and groove system helps to make installation easier and faster than traditional hardwood floors. Having prefinished engineered floor also allows for a faster move in time after the floor is placed in the home. Altogether making DIY projects more efficient overall.

If you are considering a DYI project or interested in installing engineered hardwood floors in your home we always suggest you contact a local professional like Chicagoland Pro to help navigate through the process and get expert advice on your investment.

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