Wood Floor Care on the Go: Maintaining your Floors While Traveling
September 5, 2024
A private villa in Victory Heights featuring a well-maintained oak wood flooring
It’s great to plan a long vacation, but are you worried about damaging your wood flooring? Our floors need our gentle, loving care, and too much time apart might result in undesirable changes. Let’s explore some ways to keep your hardwood floors shining even when you are enjoying the rays of the sun on vacation.
The Importance of Wood Floor Care
Cherishing Aesthetics, Durability, and Value
Maintaining your wood flooring does more than just preserve its aesthetics. It safeguards its durability, prolongs its lifespan, and adds value to your home. A well-maintained wooden floor is an asset that speaks volumes about your dedication to home care.
Neglecting your floors can lead to a host of issues. Over time, dust and dirt accumulation can cause scratches, affecting the floor’s sheen. Fluctuations in indoor climate, especially in warmer places like Dubai, can result in warping or cracking of your wood flooring. This highlights the necessity of wood floor care, especially while you are traveling.
Pre-Traveling Floor Care Checklist
A clean hardwood floor at an apartment in Old Town
Preparing Your Home for Your Absence
Before setting out on your adventure, it is crucial to:
1. Clean the Floors
A thorough cleaning to remove dirt and grime helps to prevent scratches. Use a soft, dry mop to keep your hardwood floors clean.
2. Set the Right Indoor Climate
The harsh climate of Dubai can affect your hardwood flooring in Dubai. Make sure to regulate your home’s humidity levels to between 35-55% to prevent the wood from shrinking or swelling.
Utilizing Modern Tech for Floor Care While Traveling
Integrating Technology Into Your Care Routine
1. Robotic Vacuum Cleaners
These gadgets can be scheduled to clean your floors regularly, preventing dust accumulation.
2. Smart Climate Control Systems
These devices maintain a consistent indoor climate, preserving the integrity of your wood flooring even in your absence.
Maintaining Your Floors Post-Travel
A cozy bedroom in Cayan Tower with damage-free wooden flooring
Keeping Your Floors in Optimal Condition
Upon returning from your journey, here are a few necessary steps to maintain your floors:
1. Clean the Floors
Dust and dirt might have accumulated, and immediate cleaning prevents the risk of scratches or damage.
2. Check for Damages
Look for any signs of warping, cracking, or scratches that might have occurred in your absence.
3. Professional Inspection
An expert’s skilled sight or floor audit may see flaws that ordinary individuals would miss, and fix them.
Tips on How to Take Care of Your Wood Floors
Well-protected oak wood flooring at a villa in Jumeirah Park
It is important to take care of your wood floors throughout the entire year to keep them in good condition. Here are some tips on how to take care of your wood floors:
1. Keep Your Wood Floors Clean by Sweeping, Vacuuming, and Mopping Regularly
To take care of your wood floors, you should clean your wood floors regularly. Cleaning your floors regularly will help keep them in good condition. Sweep your wood floors daily to get rid of dust, dirt, pet hair, and debris.
You can then vacuum your floors to get rid of dirt and dust that sweeping may leave behind. This will help keep your floors clean and prevent your floors from getting scratched. After sweeping and vacuuming, you can then mop your wood floors, but remember not to use excess water.
As much as possible, commit to a regular cleaning schedule. For instance, you can commit to cleaning your floors every weekend. Just remember that it is better not to wait until dirt and dust pile up before you clean your floors. You should aim to clean your floors on a regular basis.
2. Prevent Sun Damage: Protect Your Wood Floors from Sun Damage
Your wood floors can become damaged due to prolonged exposure to sunlight. You would not want your lovely wood floors to lose their natural color and beauty. Excessive sunlight can do that. Too much exposure to sunlight can cause your wood floors to lose their natural color and become dull.
Caring for your wood floors includes preventing sun damage. To prevent sun damage to your wood floors, you can make use of window treatments. Make use of curtains, blinds, or other window coverings to keep the sun away from your wood floors.
3. Prevent Furniture Damage: Do Not Drag Furniture
Your wood floors can also be susceptible to furniture damage, and that is why you have to make sure that they do not get damaged because of your furniture. Furniture is heavy, so when rearranging one’s home, it may be tempting to just drag them around, but this can cause damage to your floors.
Lift or carry furniture instead of dragging them. Additionally, you can also use furniture pads to prevent damage to your wood floors.
4. Keep the Dirt Outside: Consider a “No Shoes Inside” Policy
To keep your floors clean, you may want to consider implementing a “No Shoes Inside” policy in your home. Shoes can bring a lot of dirt, so to avoid dirt from spreading, it is better for everyone to leave their shoes outside.
Additionally, shoes like heels can also cause scratches. So, to keep the dirt outside and protect your floors from scratches, think about implementing the policy. You can put a shoe rack by the door for everyone to put their shoes.
5. Clean Up Spills Immediately
Spills can happen, but do not allow them damage your floors. Wipe up all spills immediately in order to avoid permanent stains. Do not ignore the spills or let these spills stay for a long time on your floor. To avoid irreparable damage, clean up spills right away.
Maintaining and Taking Care of Your Wood Floors
A carefully tended villa in Arabian Ranches 2 with oak wood flooring
Even though you are away from home, that does not mean your floors have to take care of themselves. A bit of prep before you go, using smart technology, and bringing in wooden flooring experts when needed can keep your floors looking great.
To keep your floors in good condition, you should also clean them regularly, prevent sun damage and furniture damage, consider implementing a “No Shoes Inside” policy, and clean up spills immediately. Remember all these handy tips and keep your wooden floors looking as good as new.
