Floors for a Lifetime: How to Maintain + Care for your Wood Floors
Renovation is complicated, but finding the perfect hardwood floor shouldn’t be. At Stuga, we do everything we can to make it easy to browse, sample, and buy floors online. And once you’ve got that #EyeScandi look in your home, here's how to care for wood floors just as easily. We made sure they are easy to take care of without harsh chemicals or lots of elbow grease. Check out our tips on how to maintain wood floors below!
First things first, lose the shoes.
In Sweden, you leave your shoes at the door. This protects your home and family from any toxins and debris you may bring in from outside. Stopping the outdoors at the threshold means less cleanup inside. Walking around in socks - or barefoot - is great for maintaining hardwood floors!
A good vacuum is your best tool.
Even if you’re living like the Swedes and leaving your shoes at the door, crumbs and dirt are bound to find a way in. A good vacuum is your best friend with hardwood floors. Water and wood are not a great mix (this goes for all wood floors, not just Stuga!) so we recommend vacuuming about once a week to keep your floors clean.
Our floors thrive in homes that are full of life. Kids, pets, friends and family should all be invited in, and the best way to clean up after everyday life is a good vacuum. Whether you choose a stick, robotic, upright or canister, your vacuum will be your best tool for keeping your floors fresh.
Mop with caution.
Water and wood are not a great match, but sometimes you may need a little more than your vacuum to clean. We send our Floor Cleaner and dry mop with your floors and this is without a doubt your best cleaner. It was formulated to work perfectly with our floors.
Too much water can make hardwood floors swell and break down the finish over time. When using water, use a very well wrung out mop pad and aim for the water to dry within 30-60 seconds. You can overclean your floors!
Install and enjoy.
Many of our floors are sealed with a beautiful matte finish, and are ready to enjoy as soon as you’re done with installation. However, we do have a handful of floors that require one extra step.
Our oiled floors require an application of our Satin Oil or Freshen Up Oil immediately after installation. Don’t forget to let it cure for the full 12-24 hours before moving furniture back in. You will need to re-oil your oil-finished floors periodically, and we recommend hitting busy spots like kitchens and hallways about once a year. Keep it light! One bottle of oil will cover about 1,500 square feet.
Keep your floors looking fresh.
Here at Stuga, we believe great design is a human right. After your floors have been installed, we want you to enjoy them right away, but we recommend being careful as you move in. Ram board is a great option to protect your floors as you’re moving in your furniture and definitely try not to drag anything sharp or heavy across the wood. We include furniture pads to put under dining chairs or other furniture that will be pushed around often in your floor care kit to protect your floors even more.
All hardwood floors will scratch and age but in normal family conditions, our floors patina beautifully and age gracefully. We think they get even better with time! But, if you have a 90-pound labrador, maybe save the ball throwing for outside.
Oops, you need a repair.
We want you to live on your floors and we believe patina is a good thing. Think of them on the same level as the leather chair that gets more comfortable through the years or a marble countertop with beautiful hints of everyday use. As your home ages, your floors will remain showstoppers.
But, what happens when your dog takes a quick turn on his way to greet you or when you move a big armchair a little closer to the fireplace and you get a scratch? Give your local furniture repair person a call! They are the best at fixing dings and scuffs in wood.
Your floors will become the backdrop of your life. They will be underfoot during all of life’s biggest moments. With a bit of love and care, your floors will last a lifetime.
