We have been discussing exchanging our carpeting in the downstairs (you can see it in my avatar) with hard wood. The only thing that would remain in the entry and kitchen which is a multi-beige tumbled tile. Matches very well with the carpet. Now, as you can see the color of my wood throughout the house is a warm medium pecan color. I’ve been reading about seeing all the dust with hardwoods and what a pain in the year that is to constantly clean up…and just look at.
I know the lighter the wood the better, but I can’t go blond wood.
So, for those of you who have hardwoods…what’s the honest to goodness truth about the dust, and having to clean. Would you do it again? do you have to mop up alot. I’m not sure I really want to be doing that, but I’m tired of the stains from carpeting and the “older” look.
Mine is lighter and so the dust (or scratches) does not show up as much. They are due for a refinish and the flooring people are trying to talk me into darker…no thanks. I believe the new trend towards dark wood floors will be short lived as everyone gets tired of looking at dust. Remember the white carpet trend 10-15 years ago? What a disaster for families with kids.
I have hardwood throughout both upstairs and downstairs, and two very furry and sheddy dogs. My once-every-other-week cleaning lady does a great job when she comes, and in-between times, if it seems to need it, I run my “Mint” sweeper throughout the downstairs. (I think Mint might have been bought out by Rumba.) To me, the thing that’s more annoying than the dog fur is the dirt and grit that comes in on our shoes and on the dogs. It’s that stuff that makes the hardwood floors go crummy, so I like to sweep it up when I see it.
But to me, it’s not at all a big deal, just part of maintenance.
Engineered oak staple-down on the ground floor installed by a previous owner, and engineered maple floating floor upstairs installed when we moved in. With a broom or a swiffer once in a while, all the dust is taken care of. Love the hard floor!
The dust is there on the carpet, whether you can see it or not!
I have never had anything but wood floors, and I don’t find dust to be an issue. You just run a dust mop around and it’s gone. Something you can do while talking on the phone, since a dust mop is blessedly silent, unlike the vacuum cleaner.
Natural oak flooring. No pets. Shoeless house. No problem with dust showing. Cleaned every 2 weeks by housekeeper and occasionally in between by us with a swiffer or vacuum (mainly in the kitchen because I am a messy cook).
Light honey colored maple hardwoods in the kitchen. 3 cats. No problems with dust, dirt etc. I use Bona spray and a microfiber strip mop to clean it weekly, and in between I dust it with a regular microfiber mop.
We have 90 year old hardwoods in all rooms except the kitchen and the sun porch. The hardwood is a white oak, medium color wood. The sun porch is a new darker wood look. We also have a corgi/beagle who sheds like the dickens.
I would do hard wood floors everywhere in a heartbeat. Remember, that dust/grime is there on carpet too -you just can’t see it! And it STAYS there on the carpet and padding underneath.
Buy a dust swiffer thingy and a large box of the dry cloths from Costco. Once or twice a week get some exercise steps in by pushing that dry Swiffer around the wood floors - picks it all right up!
The only places that gather noticable dust/dog hair are corners, nooks and furniture legs. Otherwise, unless the light hits it right, I don’t usually notice.
“I would do hard wood floors everywhere in a heartbeat. Remember, that dust/grime is there on carpet too -you just can’t see it! And it STAYS there on the carpet and padding underneath.”
Oh yes. Vacuuming picks up surface dirt, but what goes into the padding, stays in there.
I do pay attention to the grit that comes in on dogs paws and I just sweep and use my dustbuster to pick it up.
I would never have carpet. I had two of my area rugs cleaned yesterday when the guy came t clean my living room sofa. The dirt that comes out of them is gross. I do them every year. My oriental will get sent out for cleaning at the end of the summer.
What abasket said. Vintage floors, white oak, medium color, but in our case two aussies that shed like crazy. We swiffer once or twice a week, depending on whether it is shedding season or not. Hardwood is wonderful.
Well, you guys are convincing me. I think that the lighter we could go, I’d be happier though. I think we need an updated look and I’m sick of the runner we have to lay down between the kitchen and hallway that leads to the garage (right throught the the FR). That is our way in and out and it just gets filthy because of use. And I just don’t like the look of a runner because it’s not “straight”. The two door frames are off on either side of the room. Grr.
Hardwood lover here also. No problem with dust. I do have central vac also and do the floors a couple times a week. It is so easy with central vac and a very long hose.
You may not need to do the floors twice a week. Once a week or even less in some rooms might be plenty. Depends on pets, open windows, traffic, etc. The same things that determine how often you have to vacuum.
We have hardwood and lots of dog activity, we sweep daily and mop/bona periodically. I agree with the others, that dirt would be sitting in the carpet! I don’t really notice dust on the floors because we sweep up doggy detritus often and I have a very dusty house, I am amazed how quickly things get dusty, I can dust in the morning & then when the afternoon light hits the tables, they look like they should be in a haunted house. Don’t even get me started on the cobwebs! I have never had a house that so constantly must be monitored for cobwebs! And yet, I don’t notice dust on the wood floor.
