Steve Odgren, owner of Heartland Hardwoods in Eau Claire, offers up this advice:

1) be careful when installing, to avoid damp sub flooring from construction process

2) let wood acclimate to the humidity of the current house

3) be careful where you choose to lay the hardwood floors, as entryways are hard because of grit on shoes, full bathrooms are hard because of moisture from your tub and shower use

4) Cleaning your hardwood floors should be done with a damp, not wet mop. Odgren says have just enough moisture to get the dirt off, but pools of water are hard on the floors

5) he recommends using a special floor cleaner designed to eliminate residue. He says some floor cleaners can leave a residue behind that will hurt the finish

6) he recommends buffing and finishing the floor every 5 to 8 years to maintain the nice finish, if you have deep scratches, you'll have to get your floor refinished completely

7) Odgren recommends closing the blinds in your home if the sunlight shines on your floors for long periods of time. the UV rays will also damage your floor's finish

8) if you want to have your floors looking like new, he says a sanding and refinish job will bring back its original shine.