Maintenance Plan
Protect Your Hardwood Floors for Years to Come
Hardwood floors are a long-term investment, and with the right care, they can remain beautiful for decades. Our maintenance plan outlines simple, effective ways to protect your floors from daily wear while preserving their natural beauty and finish.
Use Rugs and Mats in High-Traffic Areas
Rugs and mats are one of the easiest ways to protect hardwood floors from dirt, grit, and excessive wear. Place them in high-traffic areas such as hallways, entryways, and near exterior doors. Using mats both inside and outside main entrances helps reduce the amount of dirt tracked onto your floors.
Avoid rubber-backed mats, as they can trap moisture and cause damage to the finish.
Remove Shoes Indoors
Shoes—especially high heels, cleats, and hard-soled footwear—can easily scratch and dent hardwood floors. Even soft-soled shoes can grind dirt into the surface over time. The best solution is to remove shoes when entering your home. Offering guests soft slippers is a great way to keep floors protected while remaining welcoming.
Protect Floors from Furniture
Furniture movement is a common cause of surface scratches. Using E-Z Glides or fabric furniture pads helps protect your floors from damage. Choose pads based on how often furniture is moved and replace them as needed.
Avoid plastic or metal wheels on furniture, as they can quickly scratch and mar hardwood surfaces.
Keep Pet Claws Trimmed
Pets and hardwood floors can coexist beautifully with proper care. Keeping your pet’s nails trimmed and well-maintained helps minimize scratching. Always use caution when trimming claws, or have them professionally groomed to ensure your pet’s safety.
Follow a Regular Cleaning Schedule
A clean floor is a protected floor. Establishing a consistent cleaning routine helps prevent dirt buildup and long-term damage.
Recommended Cleaning Schedule:
Daily: Sweep or dust-mop using a Bona Microfiber Floor Mop Dusting Head
Weekly: Vacuum or damp mop using a Bona Microfiber Floor Mop Cleaning Head and Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
Monthly: Clean using a Bona Concentrate Cleaner and water solution
Yearly: Professional deep cleaning by Gorsegner Brothers
Every 3–5 Years: Professional clean and re-coat by Gorsegner Brothers (depending on wear)
With preventative maintenance and consistent care, keeping your floors scratch-free becomes simple and manageable as part of your regular routine.
The Best Way to Clean Hardwood Floors
Follow these tips to safely and effectively clean your hardwood floors:
Always sweep or dust-mop first to remove dirt and debris
Use Bona Professional Cleaner for routine cleaning and maintenance
Apply cleaner using a light spray mist—never soak the floor
Clean with a microfiber mop to avoid excess moisture
Avoid traditional wet mops that can leave standing water
Products to Avoid
Do NOT use the following products on your hardwood floors:
Murphy’s Oil Soap
Bona Wood Floor Refresher
Bona Hardwood Floor Polish
Quick Shine Hardwood Floor Luster
Weiman Hardwood Polish & Restorer
These products can leave residue, dull the finish, or cause long-term damage.
Use Rugs and Mats to Protect High Traffic Areas
Avoiding surface scratches from hardwood floors won’t be an issue with the right protection. Rugs and mats are great ways to protect your floors while offering an extra bit of style. Use a mat or rug wherever your floors get the most traffic. Be sure to use mats inside and outside main entrances to eliminate as much dirt as possible from getting on your floors. Avoid rubber-backed mats since they can lock in moisture and damage floors.Take Off Your Shoes
Shoes with hard heels or points can be very dangerous for floors. High heels and sports shoes do not evenly distribute weight, making scratches on hardwood floors a very real risk. Even shoes with soft bottoms can still track and grind dirt into your floors. The best remedy is to remove shoes altogether, offering your guests soft slippers to use when in your home.Protect Your Floors from Furniture
E-Z glides or Fabric pads are excellent ways to guard your floors from surface scratches on hardwood floors due to furniture. Plan your selection of pads according to how often the furniture is moved. Avoid plastic wheeled furniture since they can easily scratch and mar floors.Trim Your Pet’s Claws
While nails and claws are a source for scratches on hardwood floors, you don’t have to choose between having an exquisite floor and having a pet. Make sure pet nails are properly groomed and maintained. Use caution and care when trimming pet claws because improper techniques can harm your pets.Plan and Follow a Cleaning Schedule
A clean floor is a protected floor. Knowing how often to clean your floors will further aid in preventing major damage. Here’s a quick schedule to follow for keeping your floors in their best condition:- Daily Schedule — Sweep using Bona Microfiber Floor Mop Dusting Head
- Weekly Schedule — Vacuum/Mop using Bona Microfiber Floor Mop Cleaning Head and Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
- Monthly Schedule — Bona Concentrate Cleaner and water solution
- Yearly Schedule — Deep Cleaning by Gorsegner Brothers
- Every 3-5 Years — Clean and Re-Coat by Gorsegner Brothers (depending on wear and tear)
The Best Way to Clean Hardwood Floors
When it’s time to clean your floors, here are some hardwood floor cleaning tips to remember:- Prep your floor for cleaning by sweeping or dust-mopping to get rid of large particles of dirt and debris.
- We recommend Bona Professional Cleaner be used for cleaning + maintaining your wood floors
- Use a fine spray mist to clean your floor in sections. Avoid putting too much liquid on your floors.
- Use a microfiber mop to clean. Traditional mops can work, but they can leave excess water on your floors
PLEASE DO NOT USE THESE PRODUCTS ON YOUR WOOD FLOORS:
- Murphy’s Oil Soap
- Bona Wood Floor Refresher
- Bona Hardwood Floor Polish
- Quick Shine Hardwood Floor Luster
- Weiman Hardwood Polish & Restorer
