To a single-family rental home, a hardwood floor can add beauty and value. However, if your rental home has hardwood floors, you must take particular care to maintain their condition. Regular maintenance is essential. On hardwood floors, renters can be exceedingly rough, accidentally scratching and gouging them out of ignorance.
Proper hardwood floor maintenance is one of the most effective ways to preserve the functionality and aesthetic allure of the hardwood floors in your Leonardtown rental property. However, it is essential to know how to maintain a hardwood floor effectively. The majority of hardwood floors, for instance, have surface coatings that help shield the wood from liquid spills, scratches, and other types of harm. Maintaining this condition is the most effective way to extend the life of your floor.
Avoid Harsh Chemicals
Never use strong or abrasive cleansers on hardwood floors, as they could harm the finish or strip off the protective varnish. Utilize pH-neutral or specially formulated cleaners that are safe for wood surfaces and pH-neutral for hardwood floors. Hardwood can be damaged by harsh cleaning agents or ineffective cleaning procedures. Use a gentle microfiber mop or towel to sweep dirt and dust off the floor, as advised by the professionals. Normal mops use too much water, which also has the potential to damage a hardwood floor, and vacuum cleaners can scratch the surface.
Avoid Excessive Moisture or Sunlight
It’s crucial to prevent substantial water or liquid spills on hardwood floors since moisture can quickly destroy them. Remove any spills immediately to prevent them from damaging the wood. Clean the floor using a slightly moist mop as opposed to saturating it in water. Furthermore, excessive direct sunlight can cause the color of wood surfaces to fade. To prevent overexposure, use draperies, blinds, or window films to block sunlight.
Regular Cleaning and Preventative Measures
While a landlord has numerous alternatives, one of the best ways to keep a rental property looking immaculate is to work with your tenants to preserve the hardwood flooring. One of your first tasks should be to give your tenant instructions on how to take care of and clean the hardwood flooring. By instructing them in proper maintenance, you can extend the durability and attractiveness of the hardwood while preventing damage.
Suggest to tenants that they place mats or rugs in entryways and high-traffic areas to prevent grime and grit from being tracked onto a hardwood flooring. To prevent denting or scratching surfaces when moving or rearranging furniture, think about placing felt pads or furniture coasters under the legs.
Periodic Maintenance
Even with regular maintenance, hardwood floors require additional care every few years or between tenants. The finish of a floor may deteriorate and gather scratches or other faults with continued use. Nevertheless, if that’s all that’s wrong, it’s likely you won’t need to refinish the floor extensively. The majority of the time, a screening, which roughens the surface of the existing finish, and a new application of finish are sufficient to restore a fading hardwood floor. Repairing and refinishing may be your only option if your hardwood floor has become severely damaged, warped, has deep scratches, or has other problems. It takes time to refinish a floor, and professional help and specialized tools are needed.
Hardwood floor maintenance doesn’t have to be tough, but it does require some extra preparation and encouragement to get your tenant involved. They are more likely to assist you in maintaining the best possible condition for your priceless hardwood floor, so long as you maintain strong tenant relations.
Make managing your rental properties less stressful and time-consuming. At Real Property Management Gold, we handle the lease paperwork, renter relations, professional vendors, and everything else! Contact us or call us at 301-392-2172 and talk to a professional Leonardtown property manager today.
Originally Published on November 29, 2019
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