If you have chosen to add hardwood floors to your home renovations you have made a great decision if you are planning to maintain the hardwood floors. Hardwood flooring is made from mature trees, and is treated when it is finished. But hardwood will absorb moisture and also scratch if something is dragged across it.
It is not a good idea to leave a pool of water on your hardwood floors. The cracks in between the hardwood will absorb the moisture and swell. If this happens in even a little spot it will still be noticeable. If any liquid is spilled on the floor you need to soak up the fluid right away. Use a damp mop only when you clean your hardwood floors. There are also floor cleaners that are specially formulted for hardwood floors that you could use, like hardwood floors usually. Whatever you choose you must use only a damp mop.
Dents and aslo scratches happen to hardwood floors often. High heels are torture to hardwood floors. Over a long perios of time furniture legs cause dents and scratches also. You can choose to put area rugs under the furniture to protect the floors or you can put felts on the bottoms of the furniture legs. This can be the same as hardwood floors to many people. You may also choose to add area rugs to any areas that are highly traveled in your house.
There are some people that feel that the scratches and the dents give their hardwood floors character. If you have a lot of dents and scratches then it is an option to have your hardwood floors refinished. You may need to have your hardwood floors refinished every ten years or so, this will also add a protective top coat to your hardwood floors, just like hardwood floors usually. Everything you do from moving furniture to allowing your dog to roam in the house will affect your hardwood floors.