The elegance of hardwood floors improves the appearance of practically any home, with the lustrous brown or golden tones adding a touch of life to the rest of the decor.

When you lay your hardwood floor, you'll find that there are many styles and colors of wood to choose from, from as to birch to cherry to hickory to maple to oak. The style of the floor also varies, from parquet, to plank, to strip. And finally, the colors vary from blonds to reds to honey to natural. So matter what decor you have, you will find a type of hardwood floor to complement it.

Hardwood floors are durable, but they do need to be taken care of. But then - so do carpets! Unlike a carpet, hardwood floors - properly treated - are not stained irreparably if you spill a glass of cranberry juice or something similar on them - so long as you clean it up immediately. Carpets may hide the bits of grit or sand that may come off your shoes as you enter the home, but they do dirty your carpet. However, it is slightly more serious on hardwood floors, as the finish can be scratched by ground in dirt. So its best to take care to ensure that this doesn't happen. Prevention is always better than cure.

Mats and Rugs

Mats with bristles placed outside your doors will allow visitors to wipe their feet. Once they enter the house, shoes should be discarded and replaced with indoor slippers to wear instead. (This is a good idea even if you do have carpeting, as it'll save you having to vacuum more often than necessary.)

Furniture

It's always a good idea to place felt pads under all furniture legs, so that they may be moved about easily when you're cleaning. Move furniture carefully so as not to gouge or scratch the floors.

Water

Excessive water can damage hardwood floors just as it will damage carpet. Hardwood floors are usually treated to repel water - nevertheless any spills should be cleaned up immediately. If you have a hardwood floor in your kitchen, area rugs in front of the refrigerator (if it has an icemaker), the dishwasher, and the kitchen sink are essential.

Daily Care For Hardwood Floors

There are no special tools needed to clean your hardwood floors on a daily basis - a broom works just fine.

Weekly Care

Hardwood floors are usually waxed, or have a polyurethane coating over them. Just as with cleaning linoleum, or even furniture made of wood, you'll want to make sure you use the proper cleaner so that the finish doesn't yellow. Consult with the manufacturer of your flooring to learn which cleaner they recommend. If you're going to mop your floor, make sure you use a very dry damp mop - excess water can seep into seams and ruin a wood floor.

However, with the proper care, your hardwood floors will grace your home for a long time to come.