Your floors are sealed with a Swedish Finish (acid base). Please use the following suggestions for when caring for your floors.

1. Pick up dust and loose debris with a dust mop or fine bristled brush on your floor regularly. This will keep the sand and grit off of your floor that may cause premature wear. Throw rugs that are cleaned on a regular basis are recommended in front of your kitchen sink and at each outside door.

2. Vacuum once or twice a week to remove dirt and sand. Use a soft brush attachment to minimize scratching.

3. Wipe up food and other spills immediately using a dampened (not soaking wet) mop or paper towel, then dry thoroughly.

4. Your hardwood floors should never be waxed. Do not use oils or waxes, or cleaners that have these properties, on your floors. If wax or other treatments are applied, recoating may not be possible.

5. Know what products were used to finish and clean your wood floor. Keep track of the dates (month/year) that the floor was installed, finished, refinished and/or repaired. Alpine Hardwood is the company that installed and finished your hardwood floors. When moving, leave the above information in the home for the next homeowner.

Preventive Maintenance is important for the longevity of your hardwood floor.

• Place walk off mats in entry ways and near sink areas to minimize the amount of dirt and water that comes in contact with your floor.

• Check your chair legs and other pieces of furniture and attach felt floor protectors to all furniture that will come in contact with your wood floor.

• Avoid wearing shoes if possible. Otherwise keep high heel shoes in good repair. Heels that have lost their protective cap can cause little indentations in any floor surface, even concrete!

• Direct sun can discolor your hardwood floor. Close curtains and blinds or add sheer drapes to protect from the sun's intense UV rays.

• Never drag furniture or other objects across a wood floor. Instead, clean the floor thoroughly to remove dust and grit, then use "gliding" furniture pads underneath the piece to aid sliding it across the floor.

• Keep pet claws trimmed.

• Do not over-water plants. Soil, fertilizers, and plant foods may have chemicals in them that could damage your hardwood finish.

• Soft rubber (shoe soles, toy wheels, etc.) will leave marks on the floor. Most of these marks can be rubbed out, but should be avoided if possible.

• Do not use wax, oil soap such as Murfy's Oil, pledge or other household cleaners.

• Never wet-mop a wood floor. Water and wood do not mix well together. Use recommended flooring cleaner.

• If they must be worn keep high heels in good repairs. An unprotected tip will dent any hardwood floor.

• Using a humidifier or dehumidifier in conjunction with a furnace or air conditioning system to maintain relative humidity in the home at 35-50% will maintain the moisture in the wood and minimize cracks between the boards.

• Put felt or fabric-faced glides under the legs of furniture to prevent scuffing and scratching.

• Kitchen floors experience the most traffic in a home. Place an area rug in front of the kitchen sink and stove. Shake out or vacuum the rugs frequently.

• Finally, urethane finishes eventually will show wear patterns from surface scratching. When high traffic area begin to look dull it is time to recoat or restore the finish. Call our company for free evaluation of condition of your floor.