Solid oak flooring..advice and tips please!

[CPtart]

My DH is just in the process of laying solid oak flooring in two lounges and a dining room. Would be very grateful for any tips and advice on best ways to clean and protect it in the presence of two young boys to keep it looking gorgeous!
Many thanks.

It depends really what your floor is finished (sealed) with. If it has been prefinished then the people you bought it from should be able to recommend the best products to use. Oiled floors should NEVER be cleaned with harsh detergents or stuff like fairy liquid which will strip the oil off. If you are unsure of the finish, plain warm water is best, not too hot and wring your mop/cloth out really well.

The simplest tip for looking after your floor is to sweep it regularly with a soft brush (like the cheapo kind you can get from BandM etc.) little bits of grit trodden in on people's shoes can scratch the surface. Try to get your boys into the habit of taking off their shoes when they come in (it never worked with mine though!)

An entrance mat is a great help and also felt pads under furniture will prevent the floor from scratching, they are relatively cheap and really worth buying. These are the people I bought my oak floor for my living room and hall from www.britishhardwoods.co.uk/ they are oak flooring specialists and they really gave me great advice on upkeep etc. and I buy all my cleaning products from them.