A hardwood floor can increase the beauty and longevity of a single-family rental home. But if your rental property has hardwood floors, there are some additional things you need to do to make sure they are kept in good condition. Having regular maintenance is one of these tasks. Tenants can sometimes be very hard on hardwood, scratching and gouging floors either by accident or through negligence. Because of this, it is very important that both you and your tenant know how to maintain your property’s hardwood floors and know how to take care of it properly.
One of the best ways to make sure that your California rental property stays functional and aesthetically pleasing is to have proper hardwood floor maintenance. And this is the reason why it is necessary to know the right way to care for a hardwood floor. For example, virtually all hardwood floors have been coated with surface finishes to help protect the wood from liquid spills, scratches, and other types of damage. This means that keeping this finish intact is the best way to ensure the long life of your floor.
Hardwood can also be damaged by using harsh cleaning products or the wrong cleaning technique. This is something to keep in mind. This is the reason why professionals highly recommend using a soft microfiber mop or cloth to sweep dirt and dust off the floor. Even vacuum cleaners can scratch up a hardwood floor, and if you use regular mops, you may be using too much water— which is also bad for a hardwood floor. Also, when there are liquid spills, you can’t waste time, so you need to clean it up right away and make sure the floor is thoroughly dry.
There are many things you, as a property owner, can do. But the best way to ensure that your rental property’s hardwood flooring is kept looking great is to work with your tenants in caring for it. One of the first things you ought to do is to make sure your tenants know about proper hardwood floor maintenance and cleaning. So, do arrange a time and place for you to teach them these things. When you teach them the correct way to care for the floor, you can extend the life and beauty of the hardwood and prevent damage at the same time.
An additional way to maintain your property’s hardwood floor is to ask your tenants to place rugs in high-traffic areas. This will gather the dirt and lessen the amount of cleaning required. Finally, it would be really helpful if your tenant uses the right cleaning products. You could make sure this happens by giving them the name of the one recommended for use on your floor, or maybe even require that they only use approved cleaning products that are listed in your lease. This can help augment the importance of proper hardwood floor maintenance.
Even when cared for properly, hardwood floors still need some additional attention every few years or between tenants. After some time, wear and tear can fade a floor’s finish and accumulate scratches or other blemishes. But if that’s the only problem you have then you don’t really have to refinish the floor. In most cases, all a faded hardwood floor needs is a screening (which roughens up the surface of the existing finish) and a new application of a finish.
That being said, if your hardwood has become seriously damaged, warped, or has deep scratches or other problems, repairing and refinishing the floor may be your only option. Refinishing a floor is a long, labor-intensive task that requires specialized equipment. You can do all of these things yourself, but most California property owners feel that hiring a professional is well worth the cost. A flooring contractor can point out what specific flooring you have and also what the best process is to restore it. Different kinds of wood require different techniques and engineered or wood laminate simply won’t tolerate heavy refinishing as solid hardwood does. In such instances, any restoration work is best left to a professional.
Taking care of hardwood floors doesn’t need to be difficult, all you need to do is to take time to do some extra planning and to enlist the help of your tenant. The key is to maintain good tenant relations. Good relations makes it more likely for them to help you keep your valuable hardwood floor in the best possible condition.
Take the headache and hassle out of managing your rental properties. At Real Property Management Gold, we handle the lease paperwork, renter relations, professional vendors and everything else! If you want to talk to a professional California property manager today, don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at 301-392-2172.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
