Summer House Flooring Maintenance Tips
Summer house flooring maintenance demands extra care in order to keep it looking its best. Children and the sun can leave behind dirt that scratch and stain floors.
Outdoor mats help trap debris before it enters your home, while inside, rugs protect furniture from being damaged by furniture, while felt pads reduce friction and protect your furniture from scratches.
1. Keep it Clean
Summer brings with it sun, sand and family fun; therefore it is crucial that a cleaning plan be in place to protect floors from dirt and debris accumulation. No matter if your home features carpet, hardwood, vinyl or tile flooring; regular vacuuming, sweeping and mopping will go far in protecting them against wear and tear caused by summer sun exposure. In carpeted areas it may also be beneficial to get professional carpet cleaning performed to remove embedded dirt or stains.
Vinyl, linoleum and tile floors require gentle cleaners with nonabrasive brushes or mop heads to maintain their beauty. Regular grout line cleaning will help avoid discoloration from occurring over time.
Sweeping and mopping will also help prevent dust build-up from pet hair or dirt tracked into the home from shoes, which could damage or dull floor finishes. Particularly important are high traffic areas where debris like sand accumulates; as well as entranceways where dust may get tracked inside on shoes.
As summer transitions into fall, it’s essential that flooring be prepared for the change in weather. Cooler temperatures may cause wood floors to shrink while de-icing salts left behind on shoes can corrode laminate and hardwood flooring. Protecting against these seasonal damages through air conditioning/dehumidifier usage as well as creating an effective entryway defence can ensure long-lasting beauty of beauty for years.
Placing quality indoor and outdoor doormats at entryways will protect flooring from being scratched or stained by dirt and grime, encouraging family members to remove their shoes before entering, adding boot trays or baskets for dirty shoes or flip-flops that might muddy them, installing hooks for towel or pool bag storage and tracking moisture into the home, installing hooks for pool bags as a barrier against moisture tracking and regularly rearrange furniture to minimize indents or scratches left from heavy items over extended periods of time.
2. Keep it Dry
Summer brings with it many fun outdoor activities – sandcastles to popsicle drips – but when left to accumulate dirt and grime on floors without being regularly cleaned off they can quickly become worn, scratched, and discolored if not maintained regularly. A few simple preventive habits and an ongoing cleaning schedule will ensure floors continue looking great all summer long!
Summer House Flooring Maintenance Tip #1: Give It a Fresh Start
Over time, children and pets tend to leave behind visible wear on your floors. Vacuuming, sweeping and mopping with mild cleaner are effective means of eliminating surface-level dirt, dust and debris from carpets, hardwood, LVP and vinyl surfaces.
Regular sweeping or vacuuming helps keep fine grit from building up and dulling the finish on hardwood and LVP surfaces, while mopping with a wood-safe cleaner removes salt residue left from snow removal, while doormats or boot trays may help reduce dirt entering through high traffic areas and wear.
Bluffton residents with hardwood floors must be mindful of humidity levels in their rooms to prevent warping and swelling due to too much moisture entering. By maintaining an ideal air level and employing dehumidifiers in these spaces, it may help avoid these problems altogether.
Rugs should be shaken out and professionally serviced during the summer to remove deep-set dirt and allergens, including felt pads underneath furniture to protect fibers from scratches. Placing rugs near entranceways and high traffic areas will help catch dirt before it lands on the floor, while placing felt pads can protect fibers from scratches. Rinsing off feet or pets before entering can prevent tracking in mud, sand, or grass clippings into the house – having a towel/pet wipe station near the entrance can also assist in quickly wiping off muddy/sandy feet/paws when needed!
3. Keep it Humidity-Controlled
Humidity is one of the greatest threats to wood flooring, and the summer season presents plenty of humidity issues that can create havoc with it. High moisture levels and drastic temperature shifts can cause significant cupping, crowning, and buckling damage as wood absorbs moisture through its porous structure, expanding as more moisture soaks through. When exposed to large quantities of humidity exposure however, hardwood planks may engorge or „cup,” leading to warping and buckleing issues – particularly prevalent in humid regions but even inland locations can experience humidity fluctuations that affect wood floor floors negatively.
There are several steps you can take to help prevent seasonal wood flooring moisture issues. Installing doormats at all entranceways and using exhaust fans in rooms that tend to retain humidity are both effective at collecting dirt and moisture; rug slip-resistant pads protect surfaces from scratching; regular sweeping/vacuuming with non-toxic cleaners is also key in keeping floors free of grit that could scratch vinyl and hardwood.
One effective strategy to protect floors from excessive wear and tear is investing in area rugs or runners for high traffic areas, particularly around furniture. Not only will you add color and texture, but this extra cushioning will absorb impacts that cause scratches on bare floors such as sudden movement.
At the same time, utilizing both a humidifier in winter and dehumidifier in summer will create conditions which are better for your flooring while making life more comfortable for family members and guests. These simple measures can go a long way towards keeping your floor looking its best year round!
Maintaining proper floor care requires adapting cleaning and care routines to the demands of each season, such as controlling humidity and sand damage during summer, protecting against salt and moisture during winter, managing fall debris removal and conducting thorough spring cleanings – these measures ensure your floors look their best while prolonging their lifespan and can withstand the hot and humid summer season. Reach out to SVB today to discover more of our premium wood floor restoration services, which can help preserve the beauty of your floors throughout the year!
4. Keep it Cleaner
Summer presents ample opportunity for floors to become discolored, from beach sand to muddy footprints. Increased humidity levels can cause wood to expand while extra foot traffic from schoolchildren returning home puts additional strain on high traffic areas. Proper care and regular cleaning throughout the season will help your floors remain in their best condition all year.
Attract dirt into your home without tracking it inside with welcoming front-door floor mats that serve both indoor and outdoor uses. Indoor and outdoor mats can capture most of the grit and sandy debris off shoes before it hits hardwood, LVP, or carpet flooring. If mats aren’t available, encourage family members to remove their footwear when entering and store it near the door; shoe racks or storage benches make this easier so they’re quick and easy when going hiking or watching movies together!
Sweeping and vacuuming regularly is necessary to prevent sand and grit from damaging vinyl, laminate, or hardwood flooring. Rinsing off feet or paws after coming in from the beach or backyard can also help protect floors. For pet owners with animals in their household, creating an accessible spot where towels with buckets of water or bowls of damp paw pads can quickly wipe away any mud or salt that has tracked into the home is key for quickly wiping off mud or salt from being tracked into their homes.
Summer’s high moisture levels can wreak havoc on certain flooring types, particularly wood and laminate. Running a dehumidifier will help manage humidity levels and prevent warping, while frequent mopping with hot water and soap solutions will keep them looking their best.
Mold stains on shower tiles and grout can be an eyesore. A solution made up of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water should be mixed and used to scrub and rinse. Mopping with cool tea leaves can refresh wooden surfaces as well as neutralize pet-related odors.
By following these simple summer maintenance tips, your flooring can work hard to welcome guests and family while remaining cozy and welcoming. With some extra care and consideration, they’ll look as great in September as they did when first installed!