Replacing a floor can be expensive and unnecessary. If a floor is well cared for, it can hold up, depending on the material, for more than a lifetime. Less expensive floors can also stay in shape longer if they are taken care of. The trick with any floor is to keep it clean. Dirt and grit are the agents of destruction; they act like sandpaper to degrade surface finishes or to saw through carpet fibers. So the first steps are to place floor mats at every exterior door of the home and to ask people entering to remove their shoes. Provide an attractive place to sit and remove shoes when possible, as well as shoe storage.

Vacuum all carpets using the type of vacuum cleaner recommended for your rug. Some rug manufacturers suggest specific types of cleaning to keep their products in good shape. (Some Berber type rugs develop a fuzzy look if a beater bar type vacuum is used.) If you don’t know what kind of carpet is installed, try to obtain a small sample from a closet corner, and visit a floor supplier in your area to have it identified. If your rug is an antique surface rug, contact a local rug dealer to inquire how to clean the regular surface dirt from the rug in between sending it out for cleaning and repair.