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. 

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.

A Few Good Good Reasons To Refinish Your Hardwood Floor

Refinishing Hardwood Floors with Chicagoland Prowww.chicagolandpro.co 

Hardwood floor is a great investment and an asset to any home. Wood flooring, when properly taken care, can last as many as 100 years.

Hardwood flooring should be refinished at least one time in their time lifetime. There are many reasons to do this, but mainly it is a proactive step in protecting your investment. Often people decide to refinish their wood floors to eliminate scratches, stains and dents. Some of these minor issues can be fixed individually but over time the floor will not be able to withstand damage from traffic. At this point refinishing and protecting the floor is a good idea. 

Refinished hardwood floor can also help update the look of a home, allowing for changes in color and style to any room. It does not matter if your goal is to update a space for the purpose of selling or a redecorating project, refinishing your floor can create a completely different look and feel in a room. 

Refinishing do it yourself projects can be a big undertaking for people. It is always advised to get assistance from a professional to insure that the floor is not damaged. When it comes to sanding and staining, it takes a professional with years of experience to do the job right and when done incorrectly can destroy even the best hardwood floor.  

There are tools available and new advancements in refinishing products in recent years.  Time spent away from your home has drastically reduced with some of the new products, and they are also safer; allowing residents to have peace of mind knowing the quality of air after a refinishing project is much better for them and their families. When you start refinishing your hardwood floors ask the contractor working on the project what type of products they use and do some extra research about the options of available to you. Take advantage of the VOC Free and LOW VOC products on the market and get informed. 

Here at Chicagoland Pro we use a Bona refinishing products that has a LOW VOC count and has almost half the drying time compared to traditional products. We are proud to use Bona, as it not only is healthier for our clients but also safer for our staff.

Refinishing floors in your home can be done for a number of reasons. Updating the style or redecorating, protecting your hardwood flooring or simply getting ready to sell your home. Before starting this project it is always important to get in touch with your local hardwood floor professional and get their help in deciding how best to proceed. Some people may find that they may be able to complete the project on their own, but could use some assistance working out a plan and getting a professional opinion. Other people may benefit from having an experienced professional refinish their floor. Either way there is help our there. 

Most flooring professionals,  including Chicagoland Pro offer consolations for free and will help you make a plan based on your needs, wants, home and property. This will help you not only save time and money, but make sure that your are getting the result you want in the end.

Have a question for Chicagoland Pro? Tweet us @ChicagolandPro or stop by our Facebook and post a comment.  

Make Your Home An Easy Sell With Hardwood Flooring

The housing market is improving and with these improvements come buyers looking for homes that they can do more than live in. Buyers today are looking to make an investment when they purchase.  Young buyers are especially specific in their needs and want to know that they truly are buying something that is going to last the test of time, and the market. 

So how can hardwood floor help sell your home? The number one way is it is a proven investment. Hardwood floors can last over 100 years with proper care.  People looking to buy not only want to make an investment, but they also do not want to do all the work to increase the value of this property. They expect the value to already be in the home and wood flooring is something that they are asking and looking for in this purchase. 

The buyers today are a busy bunch. They are increasingly working more hours and doing more in their communities. They do not want to do more work after the purchase. Homes that already have wood flooring as a major plus in their eyes, because they will have more time for themselves, rather than devoting their free time to home improvements.

Easy cleaning is a major factor homeowner’s love wood flooring. Carpets can be difficult to clean, and even when professionally done can still have staining and dust mites. For those people that suffer from allergies or have kids, the idea of constantly cleaning carpet is daunting and time consuming. Buyers want to have more free time and less hassle. For people suffering from allergies walking into a home with wall-to-wall carpet can be a nightmare. Dust mites, mold and other allergens can get trapped in the carpet and give people serious reactions if they are not careful.  Hardwood floors create a healthier daily living experience and provide a better space for entertaining. Carpet can be a deal breaker for those suffering from allergies or do a lot of entertaining at home. 

One of top reasons hardwood floors can help sell your home is the actual installation of them can take time, money and create hassle for those looking to move in.  If the floors are already in the home, the buyers don’t have to worry about moving furniture, taking time away from the home or cleaning dust after an install.  While many people would love to have hardwood flooring, the time commitment and hassle of going through an installation keeps them at bay. By installing the wood floors before selling, people can move in and enjoy their new home without having to even think about making changes.

The new push for more eco-friendly or GREEN homes, makes hardwood flooring an easy sell.  

Wood flooring, especially sustainable wood like Bamboo, Engineered, or Recycled wood, makes those looking to live a green lifestyle thrilled to see the floor when they walk in to an open house. 

Considering all of the reasons above, as well as a better quality of life, it is easy to see why hardwood in a new home is ideal. 

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