Practical Ways to Prevent Water Damage on Wood Floors
by Jonathan Meyer

Description: Tips for maintaining and cleaning wood floors, as well as ways to prevent costly water damage to your wood floor.
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One of the best ways to create a touch of elegance and beauty in a home is to install wood floors, which either can be real hardwood or laminated products. The only problem with wood floors is the potential for damage. Scratch and friction from human traffic and movement of furniture and appliances can damage the sheer finish of these flooring materials.

The greatest danger, though, lies with water damage. Damage can easily occur even with standard activities associated with floors like mopping with water or using a liquid floor cleaner. Water can seep through the floor planks and cause damage starting from the sides or from below. Prolonged exposure to water or moisture can cause it to buckle, warp or peel off.

Preliminary Considerations in Cleaning and Maintaining Wood Floors

Despite every care that a homeowner practices with respect to their wooden floors, water damage can always occur. A simple spill of coffee or juice, moisture collected from a humid indoor air, or even water seepages inside during a raging storm can result to water damage.

If water damage is encountered on your floors, the first course of action is to assess and consider the situation first. Determine the degree of damage so the proper remedial work can be done. If the wood floor shows sign of deformation or buckling, you may have no choice but to make a replacement. If there are no physical alterations and the floor only exhibit minor water damage, practical steps can be done to remedy the situation.

Simple Cleaning Methods for Wood Floors

While a homeowner should do everything to prevent damage to wood floors, certain situations are unavoidable resulting to water damage. If you do encounter water damage, follow these practical tips to help you restore your wood floors back to pristine condition.

* Try to avoid water spills as much as possible. If you do encounter spills, remove the water immediately by using absorbent cloth or paper towels.

* Remove white spots or stains by using toothpaste or cigarette ashes mixed with mineral oil. Apply the materials using a soft cloth then gently buff the affected area until the stain disappears.

* For hard-to-remove stains, you may have to remove the finish altogether. Remove the damaged finish with sandpaper or steel wool pad. Use a mixture of 1-cup Oxalic acid and hot water and apply to the water damaged area until it is removed. Repeat if necessary.

* Restore damage finish after repair. First, determine what type of finish your wood floor has. These can be wood stain, polyurethane, or wax finish. Apply the appropriate finish material and use fine sandpaper in between layers.

Preventing Water Damage on Wood Floors

Water damage can be very complicated to rectify, so it would be best to perform the following pro-active measures to prevent damage from occurring.

* Place rugs in front of doors leading to the room with wood floors. If there were water-dependent appliances on the floor like a refrigerator, it would be best to put a rug in front.

* Seal wood floors with water-resistant coating. This can be painted onto the wood to prevent absorption of water. Sealant can be applied to wood planks before they are installed. Re-apply waterproofing every 12 to 18 months.

* Wax wood floors using a waterproof brand. Use a paste wax and apply it evenly across the floor. Wax should be applied at least once a year. Do not apply wax if your floor has a urethane finish. Know your floors finished material first.

* For special engineered floors, ask the manufacturer’s recommendation for cleaning and maintenance.

These simple tips can help you preserve wood floors and avoid damage. There are still other valuable tips available, which you can use but the important thing is to act as early as possible.

More about preventing water damage. Jonathan Meyer is an editorial staff member of RestorationSOS.com, a leading restoration services provider for water removal and fire damages. To learn more about water damage, visit http://www.restorationsos.com/ or call 1-877-767-2407

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