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2023 PARADE OF HOMES - WWW.NWAPARADEOFHOMES.COM 12 SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2023 - NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE How to maintain hardwood floors Hardwood floors have long been sought aer by home buyers. In its 2019 "Remodeling Impact Report," the National Association of Realtors® revealed that new wood flooring was the fourth most popular project to attract buyers. Of course, hardwood floors aren't just for buyers. Homeowners who already have hardwood floors know just how impressive these floors can be, especially when they're well maintained. Maintaining wood floors is not necessarily as straightforward as it may seem, and homeowners may benefit from a tutorial on how too keep the floors under their feet looking good. To polish or not to polish? Polishing floors is an inexpensive way to keep them looking good. But the home improvement experts at BobVila.com note that not all floors can be polished, and determining which ones can depends on the fin - ish. Floors with waterproof barriers such as urethane will benefit from routine polishing. However, floors with penetrating finishes like tung oil will need to be waxed rather than polished. What finish is on the floor? e Hardwood Distributor's Association recom - mends a simple way for homeowners to determine which type of finish is on their hardwood floors. Homeowners are advised to rub a finger across the floor. If no smudge appears, then the floor is surface sealed. If a smudge is created, then the floor has been treated with a penetrating seal. e HDA also notes that recently installed wood floors are likely surface sealed. How oen should floors be polished or waxed? Wood flooring professionals recommend polishing floors that can be polished once every few months. Waxing wood floors does not need to be done as fre - quently, and most can benefit from a fresh coat of wax every 12 to 18 months. What can I do on a daily basis? Some simple tricks and daily maintenance can help wood floors maintain their impressive look. • Utilize floor mats. e HDA notes that floor mats near entryways can reduce the time it takes to clean hardwood floors and reduce the wear and tear they endure. For example, tiny particles like dirt can scratch the floor and contribute to the kind of minor damage that adds up to significant scarring over time. Floor mats near entryways ensures that most of that dirt never makes it to the wood floors. • Vacuum without a beater bar. Some vacuums con - tain beater bars, which are designed to pick up human 479-751-4043 Monday through Friday 7-5 13421 Puppy Creek Rd, Ste 6 • Springdale W W W . T O W N Z E N T I L E . C O M HIGH QUALITY. BEAUTIFUL SELECTION. UNMATCHED SERVICE. www.windowworldoftheozarks.com/ We Offer The Most Energy Efficient Products! windowworldoftheozarks.com The Ozks' Exti Remodel Entry Entry Entry Entry DOORS DOORS Entry DOORS Entry VINYL VINYL Siding Siding Siding GARAGE GARAGE GARAGE GARAGE GARAGE GARAGE Doors Doors Doors Doors Doors Doors Replacement Replacement Replacement Replacement Replacement Replacement Replacement Replacement Replacement Replacement Replacement Replacement Win Win Win Win Win Win Replacement Win Replacement Replacement Replacement Win Replacement Win Replacement Win Replacement Replacement Replacement Win Replacement dows dows dows dows dows dows Replacement dows Replacement Replacement Replacement dows Replacement dows Replacement dows Replacement Replacement Replacement dows Replacement NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW Construction Construction Construction Construction Construction Construction Construction Construction Construction NEW NEW NEW Construction NEW NEW NEW Windows Construction Construction Construction Win Win Win Win Win Win Win dows dows dows dows dows dows dows Ce See O Newly Expanded Sh•r•m at 5725 N. Thompson St. 479-725-2450 in Springdale Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Window and Patio Door Retailers For J.D. Power 2022 award information, visit jdpower.com/award