Care & Maintenance

Every week

Remove grit before it has a chance to travel under shoes and furniture. A soft-bristled broom, microfiber dust mop, or vacuum made for hard floors will do the work. If you vacuum, switch off the rotating brush or use a hard-floor head so stiff bristles cannot scuff the finish.

Good entrance mats catch sand and street debris. Felt pads beneath chair and table legs prevent the small scratches that accumulate through ordinary movement. Check the pads now and then; once grit embeds in the felt, replace them.

Every month

Damp mop only when the floor needs more than dry cleaning. Spray a small amount of hardwood-floor cleaner onto the washable pad, not onto the boards. The pad should feel barely damp, never wet. Work in manageable sections and let the surface dry promptly.

Use the cleaner recommended for the floor's finish. More product does not mean a cleaner floor; it often leaves a dulling film.

Things to avoid

• Steam mops and any appliance that forces heat and moisture into the joints.
• Wet mopping, flooded buckets, and cleaners poured directly onto the floor.
• Oil soaps, vinegar mixtures, abrasive powders, and general-purpose polish.
• Rubber-backed mats that can trap moisture or react with a finish.

Spills and marks

Act promptly. Blot liquid with a clean absorbent cloth and finish with the appropriate cleaner on the cloth or pad. Never let water stand between boards. For a stubborn mark, stop before scrubbing aggressively and ask what is safe for your particular finish.

Furniture and rugs

Lift furniture rather than dragging it. Put broad protective cups beneath very heavy pieces so their weight is spread over a larger area. Move rugs and small furnishings occasionally; wood responds naturally to light, and shifting them helps color develop more evenly across the room.

Caring for carpet

Vacuum regularly, and more often in entries, hallways, and stairs where grit collects fastest. Slow, overlapping passes lift soil from the base of the pile; a quick single pass mostly grooms the surface. On plush wool, use a suction-only or gently adjustable head so the fibers are not over-agitated.

Blot spills immediately with a clean white cloth, working from the outside of the spot inward, and never scrub or grind the fiber. Use only cleaners appropriate to the fiber, and rinse and blot dry so no residue is left behind to attract soil. Plan a periodic professional deep cleaning; it removes what routine vacuuming cannot and helps the carpet keep its texture.

Caring for tile

Sweep or dust mop to remove grit, then damp mop with a well-wrung mop and a neutral pH cleaner made for tile. Change the water when it turns cloudy; mopping with dirty water leaves a film that dulls the surface and settles into the grout.

Wipe spills before they sit, especially on grout. Avoid acidic cleaners such as vinegar or lemon, bleach-heavy products, and abrasive pads, all of which can etch a finish or wear a grout joint prematurely. If the grout was sealed, ask us when it should be renewed, and mention any joint that begins to crack or crumble rather than leaving it.

When to call us

Call when a mark will not release with normal cleaning, boards remain raised after a spill, a finish looks worn through, or the floor develops movement that concerns you. A quick conversation can prevent an unnecessary repair.

For more context on daily habits and finish-safe cleaning, read How to Care for a Hardwood Floor.