Taking care of your hardwood floor isn't a hard thing to do, but it's also not always noticeable how dirty your hardwood floor is until you actually clean it.  So here are some tips on keeping your hardwood floor clean and how to clean it.

1) Put mats at doorways.
Placing walk mats, similar to a Welcome mat you'd put at your front door, helps collect dirt off of shoes and prevents it from getting all over the floor. Not only will dirt particles make your floor dirty, but it can also potentially cause damage to your floor by scratching it or staining it. Remember that mats get dirty too, though! So be sure to shake them out every once in a while.

2) Don't wear shoes indoors.
One effective way to prevent the floors from getting dirty is to not walk on floors with shoes on.  That way, you can ensure that your floors will stay clean for a longer period of time, and then you also won't have to place mats all around the house if that's not your personal aesthetic.

3) Sweep and mop weekly
Every Saturday, my mom would make me sweep the floor and my brother mop up after me.  It was always a chore I didn't want to do, but after moving into a college dorm, I soon realized the benefits of weekly sweeping and mopping.  By doing these things daily (which really isn't even a big deal and doesn't take that long to do), you keep your floor clean as well as the bottom of your feet!

4) Retailer Instructions
Some types of hardwood floors have specific care that are instructed by the retailers.  This type of care is only once in a while, maybe a couple times of year, so it's not something to worry too much about, but it's important to remember if you want your floor to last a long time.  Be sure to ask your hardwood floor retailer about any special care you need to take in cleaning them.

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