Wooden floors render a special kind of beauty to your home. It enhances and adds to the aesthetic sense, apart from blending well with other accessories in your room.

Such a thing of beauty is sensitive to atmospheric changes, and so come monsoon and you have to be really careful because wood tends to absorb moisture, causing it to expand.

You must be pretty familiar with wooden doors that become too stubborn to close properly during the rainy season, aren’t you? The case is similar with wooden floors too. And, that’s not all. When moisture gets too deep into the floors, it could cause stains.

If you want your wooden floors to remain shiny and lovely all through the year, then you’ve got to work a little, and be careful about a few other things. It is not that hard, after all.

Let’s go through the six simple tips that will make the wood in your flooring a thing of classic natural beauty for several more years.

1. Check and Rectify Water Leakage

Water is the biggest nemesis of wooden floors. It’s indeed a troublesome job to restore the beauty of wooden floors affected by water spillages. Hence, ensure that there is no sort of water leakage in any part of your house.

(a) Cracks in the terrace floors could lead to water leakage causing it to pool around in your rooms. So, ensure that water drains from the terrace completely.

(b) It is important to do roof maintenance from time to time to prevent such incidents from happening. You would need an expert to go through possible leakage areas in your terrace.

(c) The attached bathrooms in your bedrooms (if you have wooden flooring there) must have no plumbing issues.

(d) Your electrical appliances must be in perfect working order (for example, your refrigerator, air conditioner, washing machine). Malfunctions in them could cause water pooling on the floor.

(e) Perform safety checks before the onset of monsoon.

2. Keep out Rain Debris

Wooden floors and wet footwear just don’t match. It is important to remove raincoats, umbrellas and dripping clothing before entering the room fitted with wooden flooring. If your entryway is also fitted with wooden flooring, then place a super absorbent mat over it so that people can wipe their feet well, and a coat hanger nearby so that they can keep the raincoats and umbrellas out to dry. The longer the mat, the better it is, because people can rub off the dirt and mud as they keep walking in.

3. Use Super Absorbent Mats

Carpets and rugs are not very good for wood floors as they could cause stubborn stains. Instead, go for mats that are super absorbent and fitted with solid, non-slip rubber backings. Such mats have fibers that can capture moisture to a great extent.

If you have too many people coming in on a rainy day, make sure the super absorbent mat remains dry, and remove it immediately if it gets soaked through because that could also cause stain. Make sure you get the right type of non-slipping grip for the mats. Some people tend to use carpet tapes, which is not advisable, because they leave a sticky residue on floors.

4. Wipe out Water Spillage

If there is a water/mud puddle or liquid spillage, then wipe it up quickly with a dry cloth/mop. You can wipe with a damp cloth or a microfiber cloth if you wish, but it shouldn’t be drippy wet, and it’s certainly not a good idea during the rainy season.

You can use cleaners, but make sure they are not too harsh for the wood. Ideally, you can use cleaners recommended by hardwood flooring companies because they know what’s best for their floorings.

If you are looking for a good product to clean and mop your hardwood floors, then Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner and Bona Hardwood Mop would be good options.  The mop is durable and of premier-variety, while the cleaner comes in two easy-to-use quantities. Cleaning your floor with this mop and cleaner make it safe, durable and with no residue or streaks.  

5. Ensure Proper Ventilation

People have the general idea that you must keep all the windows and doors closed during the monsoon. Wooden floors need fresh air.

You can keep the windows closed while it rains heavily, but as soon as it lets up, you must open them all to let the moisture and dampness escape. If there is water spillage in your floors caused by heavy rains and winds, dry it up immediately and let the water evaporate.

In case, the rains bring in a lot of mud and dirt, you must clean up the mess immediately and remove all traces of contaminants between the boards and the corners.

6. Reinforce Sealants Periodically

In order to cease worrying about what kind of havoc rain can do to your wooden flooring, make sure you keep it protected by enhancing the wax sealants. Reinforcing polyurethane sealants (either oil or water based) once in every few years can keep it sealed and protected from the onslaught of rains every year.

These moisture cure sealants have amazing adhesion properties and acts as a permanent elastic on your floors. Your hardwood flooring company can help you choose one that’s suitable for your home, depending on the climate.

Conclusion

True, rain is not good for your flooring, but so is harsh sunlight. If your floor gets direct sunlight, then make sure it doesn’t affect the life of the wood. It is also advisable to use furniture pads under your furniture to ensure the floor remains protected when you rearrange the furniture in your rooms. Routine care and maintenance is important to keep your hardwood floors look as good as new.  Follow the tips mentioned above to ensure your wooden floors retain their charm and beauty in the rainy season.