To a single-family rental home, a hardwood floor can add beauty and value. To maintain the condition of the hardwood floors in your rental home, you must take special care. Regular maintenance is essential. Tenants are frequently very rough with hardwood floors, accidentally scratching and gouging them out of ignorance.
Maintaining your Orlando rental property’s hardwood flooring properly is one of the most efficient ways to keep them functional and aesthetically pleasing. But it’s important to know how to maintain a hardwood floor correctly. For instance, the majority of hardwood floors have surface treatments that shield the wood from liquid spillage, scratches, and other types of damage. The ideal method for extending the life of your floor is to maintain this finish.
Avoid Harsh Chemicals
Avoid using abrasive or aggressive cleaners on hardwood floors as they may harm the finish or remove the sealer that serves as protection. Utilize gentle, safe for wood surfaces, pH-neutral, or specially formulated hardwood floor cleaners. Hardwood can be damaged by harsh cleaning agents or ineffective cleaning procedures. Experts advise using a soft microfiber mop or cloth to sweep grime and dust off the floor. Normal mops use too much water, which also has the potential to damage a hardwood floor, and vacuum cleaners can scratch the surface.
Avoid Excessive Moisture or Sunlight
Due to the susceptibility of hardwood surfaces to moisture damage, it is essential to avoid significant water or liquid spills. Immediately clean up any spillage to prevent them from penetrating the wood and causing damage. Instead of soaking the floor in water, use a moist mop to clean it. Furthermore, hardwood flooring color may fade with exposure to too much direct sunshine. Use curtains, blinds, or window coatings to filter sunlight to prevent overexposure.
Regular Cleaning and Preventative Measures
While a landlord has numerous alternatives, one of the best ways to keep a rental property looking immaculate is to work with your tenants to preserve the hardwood flooring. You should instruct your tenant on how to maintain and sanitize the hardwood floors as one of your initial responsibilities. By instructing them in proper maintenance, you can extend the durability and attractiveness of the hardwood while preventing damage.
Encourage tenants to place mats or rugs in the entrances and busy areas so that grit and dirt won’t be tracked onto the hardwood floors. Consider using felt cushions or furniture coasters under the legs of furniture when moving or rearranging items to avoid scratching or denting the surface.
Periodic Maintenance
Even with outstanding maintenance, hardwood floors need a little extra care every few years or in between tenancies. Over time, wear and stress can cause the finish of a floor to deteriorate and acquire scratches and other flaws. But if that’s all there is, you probably won’t need to give the floor a thorough refinish. The majority of the time, a screening, which roughens the surface of the existing finish, and a new application of finish are sufficient to restore a fading hardwood floor. Repairing and refinishing your hardwood floor may be your only option if it has become significantly damaged, warped, has deep scratches, or has other problems. A floor needs to be refinished, which involves time, expertise, and specific tools.
Taking care of hardwood floors does not have to be difficult, but enlisting your tenant’s assistance requires additional planning and encouragement. However, if they maintain positive tenant relations, they are more likely to assist you in keeping your valuable hardwood floor in pristine condition.
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Originally Published on November 29, 2019
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