Hardwood flooring is a standard feature, not an upgrade, in nearly every Rob Rice home. With many choices in finishes and with its superior quality, our hardwood flooring from Signature Interiors & Design provides warmth, value and timeless beauty to our homes.
Deanna Collins is the design expert from Signature Interiors & Design LLC, who helps with the design choices in all of our Rob Rice Homes.
“When Rob Rice homebuyers consult with us on their choice of hardwood floor finishes, they also often ask how to maintain the floors,” says Deanna. “The following are our ‘top tips’ to protect these lovely floors for years to come.”
#1 Water is the enemy
- Do not use a wet mop and bucket of water or vinegar to clean your hardwood flooring as this will void the installation warranty as well as the manufacturer warranty. Water will cause cupping.
- We strongly advise against the use of Steam Cleaners for hardwood floors. Steam is another form of moisture that will cause cupping and squeaking. Using a steam cleaning devise to clean your hardwood floors will also void the warranty for installation and the manufacturer warranty.
- Protect the floor from any exposure to liquids, water, and other forms of moisture. Blot up any spilled food, drink, or other liquid immediately.
#2 Fixing and preventing scratches and dents
Hardwood floors are not invincible. They will show scratches and dents that are hard to avoid. Stain pens and wood putty are great for scratches and dents; these products are available at local hardware stores. The following will help prevent damage to your flooring.
- Pets’ nails will scratch and mark the floor surface. Keep pets nails trimmed to minimize damage to the surface.
- Do not drag, push or roll appliances, furniture or any heavy objects across the floor. Use heavy-duty moving mats, dollies or other moving aids to protect the floor surface.
- Avoid letting sharp objects come into contact with the hardwood floor. Avoid walking on the hardwood with high-heeled shoes, sports cleats or other types of footwear that may damage the finish or cause indentations to the surface.
- Put felt protector pads on the feet of all furniture and accessories that will be placed directly on the hardwood floor.
- Place area rugs or doormats at entry ways to help prevent sand, grit, oils, dirt and other abrasive materials from being tracked onto the floor surface from outdoors. (Avoid rubber-backed mats as this traps moisture between the rubber and hardwood.)
#3 How to clean
- Do not use any household cleaners, oils, soaps, waxes, abrasive materials such as scouring pads or cleaning agents on the hardwood flooring. If any of these products are applied to your hardwood flooring it will void your installation warranty as well as the manufacturer warranty.
- Avoid using solvents on the hardwood flooring as this will etch the finish and will show dull spots on the hardwood that are not reversible.
- Bona hardwood floor cleaner comes highly recommended. Bona Hardwood Floor cleaner and mops can be found at Lowe’s or Home Depot.
- Vacuuming your hardwood flooring is fine as long as there is not a beater bar turned on. The beater bar will cause damage to your hardwood floor.
Currently, Rob Rice Homes offers over twelve different hardwood floors to choose from. If you’d like to view these beautiful floors go to: www.robricehomes.com/communities.