3 Tips for Maintaining Your Hardwood Floors This Summer

3 Tips for Maintaining Your Hardwood Floors This Summer

With summer just around the corner, the warm, humid weather is vastly approaching. And chances are you’re going to start seeing some changes in your hardwood floor. Extreme heat and humidity that comes with the summer months can cause your hardwood floors to lighten, cup, and buckle. Here are some tips to keep your floor looking its best:

1. Protect Your Floors from Sunlight & UV

Just like too much exposure to the sun can damage your skin, too much sunlight can also ruin your hardwood floors. Over time, sunlight can fade and discolor your floors, and even cause warping in severe cases. Fortunately, there are a few simple and effective ways to avoid fading or bleaching from overexposure to heat and sunlight:

Close the Blinds

If you can, try to close your blinds, shades, or draperies during the daytime. And if you don’t already have window coverings installed, it’s in your best interest to invest in some – your hardwood floors will thank you! There are a variety of window treatments on the market specifically designed to protect your home from harmful UV rays.

Window Tinting

UV resistant tinted windows will also do the trick. This option is especially worth your while if you are installing new windows, but you can also have UV tinting applied to your existing windows.

2. Regulate Indoor Humidity Levels

Depending on where you reside, the summer months can bring high levels of humidity that can wreak havoc on your hardwood floors. Because hardwood flooring is a natural product that responds to different humidity variations, the hardwood may expand or contract from the moisture.

You can measure the humidity in your home by using a Humidistat or a Hygrometer, an instrument that measures the moisture content in the atmosphere. Another way to prevent humidity from ruining your floors in the summertime is to make sure that your air conditioner is working properly or purchasing a dehumidifier for your home.


3. Proper Floor Maintenance

From kids being out of school for the summer to hosting family barbecues at your house, practicing proper floor maintenance is very important in the summer because of the high amounts of traffic. Vacuuming is preferable to sweeping because it allows the dirt and dust to be pulled between the floorboards. For best results, use a vacuum with a bare floor attachment so that no damage is done to your hardwood and vacuum weekly to ensure your flooring gets the proper care it needs.

​FloorQuest has been providing outstanding customer service and products for over 10 years. Contact us today, or visit one of our four Wisconsin locations.