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How to Maintain the Hardwood Flooring in Your Salt Lake City Rental

Carpenter staining a hardwood floor A single-family rental house might benefit from the value and beauty of a hardwood floor. To maintain the condition of the hardwood floors in your rental home, you must take special care. Regular maintenance is essential. Frequently, tenants can be very rough on hardwood floors, gouging and scratching them unintentionally or out of ignorance.

Proper hardwood floor maintenance is one of the most effective methods for preserving the functionality and aesthetic allure of the hardwood floors in your Salt Lake City rental property. Understanding how to maintain a hardwood floor is vital, though. For instance, the majority of hardwood floors include surface coatings that help safeguard the wood against liquid spills, scratches, and other types of harm. Maintaining this condition is the most effective way to extend the life of your floor.

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. Use moderate, wood-safe, pH-neutral, or specially formulated cleaners for hardwood floors. Hardwood can be damaged by harsh cleaning agents or ineffective cleaning procedures. An expert-recommended soft microfiber mop or cloth should be used to brush dirt 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 saturating the floor with water, use a barely damp mop to clean it. Furthermore, excessive direct sunlight can cause the color of wood surfaces to fade. To prevent overexposure, filter sunlight with draperies, blinds, or window films.

Regular Cleaning and Preventative Measures

Working with your tenants to maintain the hardwood flooring in your rental property is one of the best ways to preserve its pristine appearance. Giving your tenant advice on how to properly care for and clean the hardwood floors should be one of your first actions. By instructing them on correct maintenance, you can increase the lifespan and aesthetic appeal of the hardwood while also avoiding damage.

Ask tenants to put rugs or mats down in the entrances and other high-traffic areas to prevent dirt and grit from being tracked into the hardwood floors. Consider using felt cushions or furniture coasters under the legs of furniture to prevent scratching or denting the surface when rearranging or moving items.

Periodic Maintenance

Even with excellent 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. You probably won’t need to completely refinish the floor if that’s all that there is, though. Typically, a screening, which roughens the current finish’s surface, and a new application of a finish are sufficient to restore a deteriorating 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. Refinishing a floor requires time, professional assistance, and specialized equipment.

Taking care of hardwood floors does not have to be difficult, but it does require additional planning and encouragement to enlist your tenant’s assistance. However, by sustaining positive tenant relations, they are more likely to assist you in maintaining the best possible condition for your priceless hardwood floor.

Eliminate the stress and inconvenience of managing your rental properties. At Real Property Management Wasatch, we handle the lease paperwork, renter relations, professional vendors, and everything else! Contact us or call us at 801-889-1517 or 435-244-3394 and talk to a professional Salt Lake City property manager today.

 

Originally Published on November 29, 2019

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