How to Care for Hardwood Floors: A Complete Guide

Daily and Weekly Cleaning

The single most damaging thing to a hardwood floor is grit. Sand and dirt act like sandpaper underfoot — every footstep grinds the particles against the finish and eventually the wood. A regular sweeping or dry-mopping routine removes this before it becomes a problem.

• Sweep or dry-mop daily in high-traffic areas (hallways, kitchen, front entry)
• Use a microfibre flat mop — it picks up fine dust that a broom scatters
• Vacuum weekly with a soft-bristle attachment — never a beater bar, which damages the finish
• Wipe spills immediately with a dry or barely damp cloth

What Not to Use

This is where most floor damage happens. Steam mops, wet mops, and excess water are the enemies of hardwood. Wood swells when it absorbs moisture, and even a sealed floor will allow water in at the seams over time. One season of steam mopping can cause cupping that requires a full sanding to fix.

• No steam mops — ever
• No wet mopping — a barely damp microfibre cloth is the maximum
• No ammonia-based cleaners (Windex, Pine-Sol) — they strip the finish
• No oil soaps (Murphy's Oil Soap) on polyurethane-finished floors — they leave a residue that prevents future refinishing from bonding
• No vinegar — it's acidic and dulls the finish over time

Protecting Against Scratches

Scratches are inevitable, but most are preventable. The biggest culprits are furniture legs, dog nails, and outdoor shoes tracked in with grit.

Felt pads on furniture legs are cheap and effective — replace them every 6–12 months as they compress and collect debris. Area rugs in high-traffic zones (dining tables, seating areas) protect the floor and add warmth. For dogs, keeping nails trimmed and placing a mat at the door reduces scratching significantly.

Humidity and Seasonal Movement

Wood is hygroscopic — it absorbs and releases moisture from the air, expanding and contracting with the seasons. In BC, this means floors are widest in the humid winter months and narrowest in dry summer with air conditioning. This movement is normal and expected.

Keeping indoor humidity between 35–55% year-round minimizes this movement and prevents gapping, cupping, or crowning. A humidifier in winter and a dehumidifier or air conditioning in summer helps. Dramatic swings — like going away for a month in winter with the heat off — can cause floor damage that's expensive to fix.

When to Refinish

Most hardwood floors should be refinished every 15–25 years, depending on traffic and wear. Signs it's time: the finish is worn through in high-traffic areas, scratches reach the wood (not just the finish), or the floor looks dull even after cleaning.

A screen-and-recoat (light sanding of just the finish, no wood removed) can extend the life between full refinishes and costs significantly less. We recommend it every 7–10 years as a maintenance step.