Hardwood Floor Protection

Hardwood floors can be a great addition to any home. However, these floors will need quite the maintenance to keep them in top shape. Small preventative and regular maintenance tips like these will help you protect your high gloss floor finish in the League city area.

Preventive maintenance tips

When you have hardwood floors in heavy traffic area, it is best to use rugs in these parts of your home. This way your rugs will be able to collect the dirt and debris from shoes before it gets on hard woods floors. Dirt and other small particles can act like razor blades, thus scratching and damaging the high gloss finish on your floor.

Shoes like cleats, golf shoes, or even high heels can cause great damage to your floors since these style of shoes have sharp edges to them. Creating deep scratches or even gouges in the surface of your high gloss finish floor.

When you are picking the right rug to use, be careful not to use any rugs that have latex coating on the back. This latex coating on the back of these rugs can sometimes discolor your wood floors so instead of protecting your floors, you will be doing more damage to them.

Try to avoid using any kind of wax based products on your wood floors. This may sound crazy to some people. However, wax finishes can dull your high gloss floor, thus requiring more frequent care and more expensive maintenance that will be needed to keep your floors protected. Once your floors have been finished with wax, you will not be able to use any other kind of finish on the surface of your floors unless you have them completely sanded and resurfaced.

Small items like soft fabrics under the legs of your tables or other furniture on your wood floor can help prevent any scuffing or scratching if the furniture is accidentally bumped and moves on your wood floor. Another great tip to follow if you have furniture on your wood floors is if you need to move furniture, pick them up and move them. Although sliding them can be easier, you can risk damaging your floors when you slide the furniture across.

Regular Cleaning tips

When you begin to clean your high gloss finish floor, you should always consider a soft bristle broom or even a vacuum with a soft floor attachment.
Try to not wet mop your wood floors. Having too much water on your floor can dull the finish of your floor or even leave a discoloring residue on the surface.
Only use products that are meant for wood floors. Using products that aren’t meant for wood floors could cause more damage ending up costing you more money to have them fixed.
All spills on your wood floor need to be cleaned up immediately. Although a protective finish is able to help prevent stains to your floors, this does not mean you can leave the spill on your floor forever. Leaving your spilled liquid on your floor for too long could leave a stain patch on your beautiful high gloss floor finish.

Made New Again in Dickinson and League City is experienced in high gloss floor finishes. Contact our office to schedule an appointment today.

High Gloss Floor Finish Tips

When it comes to restoring your wood floors back to their high gloss floor finish in the Galveston area, many professionals will say it takes years of experience to get at that level. The level of difficulty it takes to get the lighting to affect the floor in a beautiful way is key. Each type of wood floors takes in the finish completely different than the last floor. Thus making it a difficult task to perform. Here below are some of the common high gloss finish problems and knowing what to do to help prevent this from happening.

Expectations

Before a professional begins doing your restoration on your wood floor in Galveston, you need to understand the expectations for this product. You may know someone that will call you telling you to come over at just the right time of the day to you can see how the sun hits the particular spot with your head tilted just right to see the issue. You need to understand that a finished floor is not like furniture. The finish that you do on furniture will not perform the same way as what a wood floor finish can do. The reason for this is because we are not walking on our furniture to wear it out and dull down the finish. Therefore, you need to take completely different steps when it comes to wood floor finished.

Before a professional can come in and start work on your wood floor to get them to a high gloss floor finish, they need to come in and inspect your wood floor. Evaluate how the light is hitting the room so they can take the right steps to get you a high gloss finish. Having glare off of the sun should not be conducted while doing the inspection.

Having Uneven Sheen

An uneven sheen can happen can happen during repairs on an existing floor. Some people will attempt taping off individual areas that need repairs done. Although this can be a standard method when repairs are necessary, it can cause uneven sheen levels to your floor. Most times, the appearance of different sheens can just be an optical illusion to us. Lighting and many other factors in the floor can make light reflect completely different off the finish in your floor.

Applying the Finish

Before you begin applying that beautiful finish coat on your floor, be sure to thoroughly mix the finish properly. Agents like matting can settle at the bottom of the container, and if you do not get these agents, the finish can end up duller than anticipated. When it comes down to applying the finish to a large area, be sure to mix all your finish together in one batch. Sheen can vary from container to container and it is best to mix it all together to help prevent any uneven finishing. High gloss finishes can vary from manufacturers to another.

8 Tips for Maintaining Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors are undoubtedly a hot commodity in homes today! Many new homeowners are on the hunt for a home with the perfect mix of hardwood and tile floors. Likewise, many current homeowners are taking a close look at their renovation budget to see if they can make the investment in hardwood.

Once the investment is made, and the beautiful hardwood floors of your choosing are installed, then what? Caring for them can be overwhelming thanks to the bounty of chemicals, cleaners, and tools filling home improvement store shelves. However, trusting claims on a label can be an expensive mistake.

Here are some basic do’s and don’ts of wood floor cleaning from the World Floor Covering Association and other floor care resources:

Do…

… use cleaners that won’t leave a film or residue.

… use a light cloth to rub out occasional scuffs and heel marks.

… use a lightly damp towel or sponge to wipe away sticky spots.

… use as little moisture as possible to clean the floors.

… clean up spills immediately.

… hire a professional company to safely clean and maintain your floors regularly.

Do not…

… use wax with a urethane finish.

… use ammonia cleaners or oil soaps. Ammonia cleaners will dull the finish on your hardwood (and granite) almost on contact. Plus, oils will make surface recoating down the road more difficult.

… use excessive amounts of water (like a mop or sopping wet sponge) to clean the floor. Just as you shouldn’t leave a puddle on your antique wood dining room table, you shouldn’t leave water on the floor either. The excessive water can get caught in the cracks in the floor, or be absorbed into the wood, causing it to warp, crack, and lost its integrity.

If you have pets, it is a good idea to think about putting down a few area rugs in areas where they gather … such as under their food and water bowls, and perhaps by doggie doors or their beds. If a pet has an accident or their water bowl spills, just wipe it up quickly then clean it with a damp cloth before it can seep into the wood.

Professional floor care companies have technicians who are well trained in using the right products and equipment to clean various surfaces – including hardwood. A good professional cleaning isn’t just going to shine up the surface of the wood; the intensive cleaning actually removes dirt and grime that has become embedded in the floor. The longer those contaminants are left in the floor, the more damage they can do over time. Plus, there are tools to reach even the most hidden corners and spaces.

Plus, if your floors are looking a little dull, it might be possible to get that like-new shine back without total refinishing.

Keeping your hardwood floors clean is easy if you adopt a regular cleaning routine. You can expect to need to dust them often and wipe away spills quickly. Beyond routine cleanings, it is wise to hire a professional cleaning service, like Made New Again, to help keep your floors in tip-top shape as long as possible!

The Benefits of a Commercial Wood Floor Cleaning

We’ve all heard the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover”, but we usually do. Why? Because we think that the quality of the cover reflects the quality of the book. We might even choose to put the book back on the shelf because of its less-than-attractive cover. Businesses are the same way. Even though the business may offer exceptional services, some customers may opt to forego business with the company because of its poor appearance. Most likely you have even refused to do business with a company because of its exterior! Now consider your own business or workplace. Would you trust it based on its cleanliness? If your business is being unfairly judged, here are a few benefits of a professional wood floor cleaning in Galveston that will satisfy your customer’s judgment.

Why Choose a Professional?

A professional service goes above and beyond the job of an employee with a mop. Intensive cleaning procedures are tested and known to remove dirt, oil, dust, hair, and other contaminants. A typical once-over with a broom and mop only addresses surface problems. Professional floor cleanings reach deep into the floorboards to revitalize them. The option is also available to apply a protective coating that will give your wood floors an attractive sheen.

\Wood floors can truly last for decades if properly maintained. However, the “if” is usually neglected. In order to have magnificent, attractive wood flooring, professional cleanings are in order. By removing dirt, grease, and other unwanted buildup, you can ensure that these substances won’t cause a speedy degradation of your flooring.

Unfortunately, not every business can undergo a complete face-lift. Remodeling companies can charge you at least an arm and a leg, and as a business owner looking to break even, a remodel just isn’t possible. But whether your business has an extravagant design or a simple one, cleanliness is always the trump card. Cleanliness is one aspect of the business that you have complete control over. In order to attract more customers, consider a professional wood floor cleaning by Made New Again in Galveston.

Employee Productivity

If you ask one hundred people if they would be happier in a clean, fresh-smelling environment or a dirty, dingy building, chances are favorable that most people would select the former. Not only do customers judge the appearance of your business, so do employees. In fact, cleanliness can make or break staff productivity. A growing number of studies show us that feelings of morale and effectiveness are enhanced by a clean office environment. Even unseen dirt and debris can affect employees. Be sure to keep your office or workplace in top condition to maximize customer retention and employee effectiveness.

Hiring a professional wood floor cleaning service in Galveston is a sure way to give your business a new persona that welcomes customers instead of dissuades them from conducting business with you. Our deep cleaning services will enhance your business and keep it looking up-to-date and well-cared for. Give us a call today for more information!

Tips on Caring for your Hardwood Floors

The hardwood floor in your home is an investment and as a homeowner it is important to properly take care of these floors so they can last a lifetime. Properly maintained hardwood floor saves you money in the long run, and as an added bonus it adds to the elegance of your property.

It can be challenging to take care of your hardwood floors because they are constantly being walked on. The kids are jumping, skipping and running back and forth, high heels and dirty shoes are scuffing, furniture is being pushed or pulled, toys and heavy objects are dragged across the surface. Regardless of how much foot traffic your hardwood floors get, it is important to maintain them.

Knowing what type of flooring you have and the type of finish that is on it will help you or a hired professional know what kind of cleaning equipment and solutions to use and what to avoid. Researching your hardwood floors can go a long way in preventing unwanted damage during the cleaning process.

After you have done your research you will only want to use the cleaning solutions that are recommended for your specific type of flooring and finish. Oil soaps are not a good solutions because they will eventually buildup and cause your hardwood floors to dull. They can also make it difficult to refinish your floors.

Opt for a soft broom when you are ready to sweep your floors. Soft brooms are more than capable of removing the dirt from your floor. Sweeping with a soft broom will also gently buff the surface helping it retain some of its shine and removing shallow scratches.

Allowing dirt, sand, and other particles on your hardwood floors is not a good idea because those tiny particles will scratch and damage the surface. This can remove the shine and wear down the surface.

You can prevent a lot of abrasive particles from damaging your hardwood floors by taking off your shoes as soon as you enter your home. We like to keep a rug and a shoe rack by our front door. Not only does this help protect floors, it also keeps your shoes organized and easy to find.

Rugs are excellent for capturing unwanted particles that could damage your hardwood floors. Rugs should be used in high traffic areas like doorways, hallways, etc. Rugs have been protecting hardwood floors for decades. They can also improve the appearance of your home and really bring a room together.

Furniture can wreak havoc on your hardwood floors. Placing felt pads of floor protectors under the legs of your furniture can help prevent scratching.

At Made New Again in League City we are experts when it comes to cleaning and protecting hardwood floors. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your hardwood floors we are happy to answer them! Our experts have been offering professional flooring services in League City for years and can help you turn your hardwood floors into a thing of beauty.

Category Archives: Hardwood Floors