Well, howdy there! Let’s chew the fat about them floors, you know, the ones you put down in your house. We ain’t talkin’ ‘bout no dirt floors neither. We’re talkin’ fancy-like, the kind that shines…sometimes. I heard tell they call ‘em laminate and somethin’ somethin’ wood floors. Don’t ask me what all that means, but I reckon I can tell ya how to keep ‘em from lookin’ like a hog pen.

First off, laminate floors, them’s the ones that look like wood but ain’t really wood, you get me? They’re kinda shiny and slick. Now, don’t go sloshin’ water all over ‘em like you’re washin’ down the porch. That ain’t gonna do nothin’ but make ‘em swell up like a toad in a rainstorm. You gotta be gentle-like.

• Wipe up spills right quick. Don’t let ‘em sit there and soak in. A little bit of water ain’t gonna hurt none, but a whole puddle? That’s trouble. Use a rag, you know, a cloth, not too wet, just damp.
• Sweep ‘em regular. Get all that dirt and dust outta there. Sand and grit, that’s what scratches ‘em up. You don’t want no scratchy floors, do ya? Makes ‘em look like somethin’ the cat dragged in.
• Mop ‘em every now and then, but not too often. And don’t use no harsh cleaners. Just a little bit of somethin’ mild, like what you’d use on your dishes, but not too much soap, ya hear. Too much soap makes ‘em sticky.

Now, about them solid wood floors, them’s the real deal, the kind that’s made from trees and whatnot. They’re purdy, but they take a bit more carin’ for. Specially if you got them basketball court floors. I seen them in the big city gymnasiums on the TV. Fancy folks runnin’ and jumpin’ on them expensive lookin’ floors. They need lookin’ after too.

If you got a basketball solid assembly wooden floor, that’s a whole ‘nother story. Them fellas runnin’ and jumpin’ all over the place, they sweat and they dribble, and that makes a mess. So you gotta clean them often.

Maintenance is the key word here, y’all. You can’t just slap them boards down and forget about ’em. You gotta keep an eye on them. If you mop the floors with water all the time, they lose their shine. They get dull and dingy. You don’t want that. So, what do you do?

• Get yourself the right stuff. Don’t go usin’ just any old cleaner. Go to the store and ask for somethin’ made for wood floors. They got special stuff for them basketball floors too. The folks at the store, they’ll know what you need.
• Keep ‘em dry. Water is the enemy of wood floors. If you spill somethin’, wipe it up right away. And don’t go moppin’ them with a soppin’ wet mop. Just a damp cloth will do.
• Buff ‘em up. Every now and then, you gotta give them floors a good buffin’. That’ll bring back the shine and make ‘em look all new again. You can rent a buffer from the store, or you can hire someone to do it for you if you ain’t up to it.
• For basketball wood flooring, remember, those floors take a beating. You need to clean them regularly, probably more than your regular floors. And you might need to get them professionally cleaned and maintained every now and then. It’s worth the money to keep them in good shape. Safety first, you don’t want them players slippin’ and slidin’ all over the place. That ain’t safe.

So there you have it, a few tips on how to keep your floors lookin’ good. It ain’t rocket science, you know. Just a little bit of common sense and elbow grease. And remember, whether it’s laminate flooring or solid wood, waterproof or not, keepin’ them clean and dry is the most important thing. You take care of your floors, and they’ll take care of you…by not lookin’ like a pigsty, that is.

And don’t forget, cleaning and maintaining laminate flooring is different from cleaning and maintaining solid wood floors. They each have their own ways of being cleaned and you don’t want to mess that up. If you are not sure you can always ask someone who knows, like them folks down at the hardware store. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, that’s what they are there for. They are much obliged to help you out.