The temp outside is rising! Do you know how to protect your flooring investment? Here are 4 simple tips to safeguard your floors in the heat of summer!
Watch the humidity levels.
This tip is important year-round and especially in the warmer months of summer. Air conditioning can dry out the air and in many areas of the country, humidity levels rise to extremely high levels in the summertime. Neither extreme is healthy for your hardwood floors. Some seasonal shrinking or expanding of your floors will happen – but you can keep this to a minimum by keeping the humidity levels in your home within the recommended range of 30-50%.
Give a little extra attention to high-traffic areas.
With warmer months comes more time outside! Of course, you know what that means – more potential dirt being tracked inside! Dust and grime can build up and scratch your floors’ finish. Keep dirt to a minimum with regular cleaning, paying a little extra attention to higher-traffic areas like hallways, entrances, etc.
Minimize direct exposure to sunlight.
You are careful to protect your skin during the warm summer months, the same should go for your floors! Just as too much sun can damage your skin, direct sunlight can easily damage your floor and cause unsightly fading and discoloration. Not only will closing blinds or drawing curtains keep your home cooler in those warm summer months, but it will also prevent unnecessary damage to your gorgeous hardwood flooring.
Check out this video for more information on how to protect your floors from the damaging rays of sunlight!
Say “no” to water damage.
A quick swim in the pool or a run through the sprinkler is a great, refreshing way to exercise and cool off when the thermostat climbs to uncomfortably high levels. Be sure that when playtime is over, everyone is toweled off and dry before heading back into the house. Wood and water never mix – be sure to mop up spills as soon as possible to keep your floors looking great!
We hope these tips help keep your floors looking fantastic all summer long! For more information on how to care for your hardwood flooring investment all year long, visit our Cleaning & Care page!