Today's popular hardwood floors are a great change from the wall to wall carpeting that was in style for so many years. A lot of people choose hardwood floors because they are so beautiful, but many homeowners today recognize that hardwood floors are just easier to take care of with just some dusting and an occasional application of wax.

If a coating of wax is applied periodically, the wood will remain well protected, since the wax seals and preserves it. It also gives it a beautiful, shining, clean look. Applying wax to hardwood floors, as well as to other flooring such as linoleum will ensure that it stays beautiful and always looks good in your decor. Wax creates a barrier to moisture, and therefore it protects hardwood floors from water and moisture damage. An added benefit of waxing your hardwood floors is that small nicks, scratches and ridges that occur with normal wear will be blended in and less noticeable. And, of course, there is nothing like the look of a beautiful, shiny wood floor.

Floor wax works to protect the wood floor by reducing the abrasion to it. The slipperiness of a waxed floor will allow dust, dirt and grit to slide over it, instead of being ground into it.

There are three main kinds of floor waxes: water based, polymer and solvent based. There is a concern about about how healthy it is to have one's family exposed to the chemicals contained in floor wax. Since many floor waxes have traditionally been made with a formaldehyde base, there is cause for concern. But many floor wax companies recognize the concern of families and businesses as well, and offer environmentally safe floor wax.

These concerns, as well as busy the busy schedules of today's homeowners have made the so called " no-wax" floors more and more popular. This is really a misnomer, because even if these types of floor don't need as much care as others, they will last longer and look better with regular care and a light coat of wax from time to time. Remember, the wax protects the flooring from scratches and other abrasions, so not coating it will lead it to be quickly worn down.

Even though wax protects our floors and makes them look lovely, there is a downside. Wax builds up over time and can leave a finish that is unattractive and yellowish. To properly care for your wood floors, you should periodically strip wood floors of the wax. Wax stripping products contain harsh chemicals, so be sure you follow instructions carefully and protect yourself and your family from any exposure.