When you have a hardwood floor in your single-family rental home, the level of its beauty and durability is instantly increased. But if your rental property has hardwood floors, then you’ll need to incorporate a few more items into your maintenance routine to make sure the condition of your floors doesn’t degrade. Regular maintenance is one of these tasks. Sometimes, tenants aren’t careful around hardwood floors, scratching and gouging them either by accident or through negligence. Consequently, it is crucial that both you and your tenant know what to do to take care and maintain your property’s hardwood floors.
One of the best ways to make sure that your Suwanee rental property stays functional and aesthetically pleasing is to have proper hardwood floor maintenance. And to that end, it is very important to know the right way to care for a hardwood floor. For example, almost all hardwood floors have surface finishes that were placed there to protect the wood from liquid spills, scratches, and other types of damage. This means that keeping this finish intact is the best way to ensure the long life of your floor.
Hardwood can also be damaged by using harsh cleaning products or the wrong cleaning technique. This is another thing to account for. This is why the professionals use a soft microfiber mop or cloth to sweep dirt and dust off the floor. Even vacuum cleaners can scratch up a hardwood floor, and if you use regular mops, you may be using too much water— which is also bad for a hardwood floor. Also, when liquid spills on the floor, you need to clean it up immediately and make sure the floor is thoroughly dry.
There are quite a number of things that you, as a property owner, can do to ensure that your rental property’s hardwood flooring looks great. But the best and most effective thing you can do is to work with your tenants in caring for the home. One of the things you can begin with is teaching your tenants about proper hardwood floor maintenance and cleaning. When you help them learn the right way to clean the floor, you can extend the life and beauty of the hardwood and prevent damage at the same time.
An additional way to maintain your property’s hardwood floor is to ask your tenants to place rugs in high-traffic areas. This will gather the dirt and lessen the amount of cleaning required. Finally, it would be really helpful if your tenant uses the right cleaning products. You could make sure this happens by giving them the name of the one recommended for use on your floor, or maybe even require that they only use approved cleaning products that are listed in your lease. This can help bolster the importance of proper hardwood floor maintenance.
Even when cared for properly, hardwood floors still need some additional attention every few years or between tenants. After a while, wear and tear can fade a floor’s finish and accumulate scratches or other blemishes. But if that’s the only problem you have then you don’t really have to refinish the floor. In most cases, all a faded hardwood floor needs is a screening (which roughens up the surface of the existing finish) and a new application of a finish.
Although, if your hardwood has become seriously damaged, warped, or has deep scratches or other problems, repairing and refinishing the floor may be your only option. Refinishing a floor is a long, labor-intensive task that requires specialized equipment. Now, you can spend your time and money doing it yourself, but Suwanee property owners feel that hiring a professional is well worth the cost. A flooring contractor can point out what kind of flooring you have installed, and they can also tell you the best process for you to restore it. Different kinds of wood require different techniques and engineered or wood laminate simply won’t tolerate heavy refinishing as solid hardwood does. In such circumstances, any restoration work is best left to a professional.
Taking care of hardwood floors doesn’t have to be difficult; if you spend some time planning and enlist the help of your tenant, it would be so much easier. The crucial part of this solution is actually maintaining good tenant relations. The better the relationship, the greater the likelihood that your tenant would help you keep your valuable hardwood floor in the best possible condition.
Take the headache and hassle out of managing your rental properties. At Real Property Management Executives Greater Atlanta, we handle the lease paperwork, renter relations, professional vendors and everything else! To talk to a professional Suwanee property manager today, please contact us online or give us a ring at 678-504-8580.
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