You probably have hardwood floors in your home, or know someone who does. But you may not know that your hardwood floors may be getting destroyed by seemingly harmless home decor items and activities.

No rugs or entry mat– Hardwood floors without any coverings — e.g., rugs — will be worse for the wear. Rugs and doormats protect hardwood floors from dirt, grime, and potential scratches in high traffic areas. A good entry mat is the first line of defense against dirt, gravel, and other outdoor elements that can mar a wood floor.

Using the wrong vacuum attachments-Vacuum attachments can gouge wood floors. To avoid this, use the correct vacuum attachment. If you only have an upright model, be sure to turn off the rotating brush to keep the bristles from scratching your floors.

Wearing shoes-One of the most important — and easiest — ways to take better care of hardwood floors is to stop wearing shoes in the house. Take shoes off at the door. This simple act goes a long way to eliminating virtually all of the tracked-in dirt that can wreak havoc on a wood floor’s finish.

Wearing high heels-Walking on wood with high heels can do similar damage to taking a tiny hammer to wood floors. The force from the heel itself can put dents in hardwood floors. Avoid wearing shoes, but especially high heels on hardwood floors.

Not cleaning up messes-You may find yourself “crying over spilt milk” as the saying goes if you don’t clean up spills on hardwood floors. Leaving liquids on hardwood floors can cause the finish to dull. Immediately wipe up any spills with a soft cloth and make sure the wood is completely dry.

Mopping-Moisture can penetrate the wood’s fibers causing boards to swell, cup, warp, and separate. Don’t mop or use any sort of water to clean hardwood floors. The best strategy is to clean the floor with a mop that’s hardly damp.

Using the wrong cleanser-When washing hardwood floors, the wrong cleaning supplies can be damaging. To know the correct cleaning supplies to use, one must first determine if the flooring is covered with polyurethane or wax. Once you have the answer, either buy wax for wax-coated floors, or use Bona hardwood cleaner to clean polyurethane-coated floors.