From our friends at FlorStor.com

With the proper care, your floors will stay beautiful for many years to come. Common sense and some preventative steps can lengthen the life of your floors. A regular cleaning routine will simplify your floor care. Good preventative maintenance lengthens the time between major renovations, such as re-waxing, re-coating and refinishing. Everyday dust and dirt are your floor's worst enemy. It is essential to dust, mop, vacuum or sweep regularly.

So, how do you keep your floors as beautiful as the day they were installed or refinished? Follow these easy steps and always use the manufacturers' recommended cleaning product.

• WOOD AND WATER DON'T MIX!!! Excessive amounts of water can cause your wood floor to swell and cup. Use a slightly damp mop (we suggest the Sh-Mop) to clean your hardwood surfaces.
• Vacuum beater bars can cause damage to your floor's surface. If possible, turn off the beater bar, or use the hose or wand attachment with a soft upholstery nozzle for your hardwood or polished stone surface.
• Never use household dust treatments or furniture polish on hardwood or highly polished floors These may cause your floor to become slick or dull the finish.
• Under NO circumstances, should your laminate floors ever be sanded. Remember, the laminate floor is only a photograph applied to a high-pressure laminate backing. Avoid using harsh abrasive cleaners, waxes, polishes, urethane or lacquer on your laminate floor.
• Never place potted plants directly in contact with your flooring, even if they are placed in waterproof saucers. Condensation can develop under these saucers and damage your flooring. To avoid this, place your plants on trivets or stands so that air can circulate underneath.
• Dog and cat nails can scratch and dent your floor's surface. Keep nails trimmed regularly. Immediately clean up pet urine, as it will damage the floors' finish if left to dry.
• Never use acidic cleaners or household products -- such as vinegar -- on polished surfaces like marble, as these will damage the stone's surface.
• Use dirt-trapping walk-off mats at all exterior doors to prevent dirt and sand (which can act like sandpaper) from entering the building. Vacuum, sweep or dust mop as needed to remove dirt and grit prior to cleaning your floors.
• Use area rugs on high-traffic pathways and pivot areas such as the ends of steps and near doorways. All rugs should allow floors to breathe. Avoid rubber-backed or non-ventilated rugs.
• Wipe up food or other spills immediately, using the manufacturers' recommended cleaner and a soft cloth. Use a vacuum or broom for dry spills and abrasives.
• Keep high heels in good repair. Heels that have worn down or lost the protective cap, exposing the steel support rod, will dent and pit wood, fracture ceramic tiles or stone and perforate vinyl. A person in stiletto heels, weighing 125 lbs. exerts approx. 2,000 lbs. of pressure per square inch.
• Certain chemicals in wood and natural stone oxidize in strong light causing the floor to change color. To avoid an uneven appearance, move area rugs occasionally and drape or shade large sun-facing windows.
• Always put Flor Stor felt protective pads on the legs of your furniture. They allow the furniture to be moved easily without scratching or denting your floor's finish and can also provide a sound-deadening barrier. Replace your felt pads when they become worn as dirt and grit can become embedded in them.

In conclusion:

There are many types of finishes on hard surface floors today. Sometimes, different finishes are used in different rooms, so the type of care required may vary. It is important to know how your floors were finished so that you can apply the proper floor care product. Your builder, Realtor or flooring installer/finisher should be able to tell you what type of finish is on your floors.

In choosing the proper product, you must first determine if your floor has a urethane, acrylic or wax finish. The care for a wax floor finish is very different from that of a urethane finish. Therefore, it cannot be emphasized enough that you know what type of finish is on your floor!