– Take off the shoes in the house. People do it for carpeted floors. Personally, I don’t need an excuse to take my shoes off; happy to wear slippers or socks. The slipperiness of a polished timber / laminate floor is the only disadvantage I see, but slippers solve this easily.
– Put a mat at all the entranceways. If people don’t remove the shoes they can at lease remove the dirt from the shoes. No disadvantages here. If the mat is there people often use it automatically. It’s easy to make it part of the decor.
– Use floor protectors under the legs of furniture. Essential if you are to prevent scuff marks. Protectors are available in a variety of colours, so it’s easy to find styles that match or blend in with the décor. Some are transparent so they are hardly noticeable. Old socks or towels will temporarily suffice till you can buy some proper protectors.
– There are many types of modern mops that all have different advantages in cleaning floors. Micro fibre mops pick up dirt quickly, before it has a chance to scratch anything. Dual-sided varieties are even better as one side can be used wet while the other side is used to dry; this make for effective and rapid cleaning.
– If you have pets find a mop that builds a static charge; this gets rid of pet hair rapidly.
– If you do find scuff marks they should be removed as quickly as possible. Try pencil erasers (always white), Mr.Clean magic erasers, or a clean tennis ball (possible on the end of a broom handle). If the scuff marks resists this try baking soda with water to make a scrubbing paste, toothpaste or a degreased like WD-40. Be careful with degreasers as they can be too harsh for some surfaces. Use sparingly and test on an inconspicuous surface.
– If you have small paint marks on a floor you will need a more abrasive cleaner. Try the nylon scrubber used for pots and pans, followed by a very small amount of denatured alcohol or mineral turps. Serious spills may require the floor to be refinished and resealed.
