Polish provides several benefits to wood. It makes the wood shine and protects it from being damaged by moisture. There are numerous types of wood polish—some are water-based, while others are made with petroleum solvents. Unfortunately, the polish on hardwood floors will fade at some point no matter what it’s made from. So, why does this happen?
Here are some common factors that cause hardwood floors to lose their shine.
Clawed Off by Pets
Cats love scratching floors. Whether your feline friend is marking its territory or simply in the mood to play, your precious hardwood floors will pay the price.
Unfortunately, cats scratch in ways that leave marks too deep for most wood polishes to fix. Prevention is better than cure in this instance—so if you have cats, consider trimming their nails regularly or opt for scratch-resistant wood stains.
Chipped Away by Vacuum Cleaners
Vacuum cleaners have been around from as early as 1869. They’ve become a homeowner’s best friend through the years, cleaning everything from pet hair to dirt off the floor. Unfortunately, they can also scratch our precious hardwood floors if they’re used improperly.
The best way to protect the polish on your floors when you’re vacuuming is to use the “brush” setting. This is designed specifically to prevent scratches on hardwood surfaces.
They Erode due to Salty Air
Although salt does minimal damage to wood, it can scrape away the polish on top of hardwood floors over time. There’s a bigger risk of this happening in coastal areas where high winds are common. If you live near a beach and have hardwood floors, then keep your doors and windows shut whenever the wind picks up. It’s also worth investing in erosion-resistant polish or asking for additional stain layers when getting your floors resurfaced.
Scratched by Our Shoes
If you want to avoid damaging your hardwood floors, then it’s best to avoid wearing certain types of shoes. For example, heels and football cleats have sharp edges that’ll scratch away wood stains. Sneakers and dress shoes also leave scuff marks that are impossible to clean without scratching the floor’s stain.
The best way to avoid scratching the stain off your wooden floor is to take your shoes off. You can also get carpets, but we don’t recommend them because of the various health issues they create.
At Five Star Hardwood Floor, we use a cutting-edge dustless refinishing system by Bona to sand our clients’ floors perfectly. You can then choose from a range of stain colors during floor refinishing—or even create your custom stain for a truly five-star experience!
Our expert team has installed everything from Custom Hardwood Floors seattle to wood staircases in countless homes across Seattle. To find out how we can help you, drop us a message today or call 425 802 7517.