Whether you have carpet, wood, tile or some other kind of flooring, you'll want to make it last as long as possible and look beautiful while functioning as the foundation of your living space.

Here are nine things to avoid doing to your floors.

Using just anything to clean

Whether you have wood, tile or carpet, it's crucial to use the proper cleaning solution. Find out what is recommended by your store or manufacturer for the type of floor and finish you have. And when you mop your wood floor (using the right product), be careful to use a minimal amount of water, The Huffington Post says.

"Make sure whatever your day to day or short-term maintenance is, you're doing it in accordance with the product you have," the website states.

Bringing the outside in

Be sure to lay out the welcome mat at every entrance to your house. You can even consider leaving your shoes (and visitors') at the door. Hardwood will be particularly damaged by tracked-in dirt because it's like sandpaper rubbing against your floors, The Huffington Post says.

Forgetting to vacuum

If you have carpet, be sure to vacuum twice a week to prevent dirt from settling into it, especially when it is new, according to smartercarpets.com. Use a little muscle occasionally, too.

"It's also a good idea to move your furniture when vacuuming to prevent dust building up and setting into the carpet," the website states.

Getting into a rut

Moving furniture around periodically won't just keep your inner redecorator happy, but it will also ensure that permanent imprints won't mark your carpet, as smartercarpets.com says. If you're not interested in completely reordering the room, just move your couch, chairs, beds or tables a few inches.

Neglecting your pet's nails

Dog nails can make all kinds of noise on your wood floor, but more importantly, they can scratch it and ruin the finish. Carpets aren't immune from Rover's nails, either: they can snag. Take the time to give your pets a manicure on a regular basis.

Waiting to take care of a spill

The longer you wait to clean it up, the worse damage it will do to your carpet or your wood. This is particularly true for those pet accidents: urine will stain carpet and destroy the finish of the wood. Marthastewart.com has some recommendations for spot cleaning, including blotting instead of rubbing, treating with a mild solution, then rinsing by misting with water and blotting again.

Putting furniture on a hard floor unprotected

Casters on furniture will cause "isolated wear areas" on a wood floor, arboritec.com says, and the weight of unprotected furniture will slowly damage the finish as well. Add protective pads under the legs of all furniture that sits on your floor.

Forgetting to refinish

No matter how careful you are with your wood floor, it will eventually show wear and scratches. "When you begin to see dull traffic areas, it is time to consider re-coating your floors," arboritec.com says. "Re-coating is a one day process, and costs much less than sanding/refinishing. You should plan on re-coating hardwood floors every three to five years depending on traffic patterns and wear."

Ignoring the pros

For carpet, hiring a professional cleaner periodically will do wonders to extend the life and the beauty of your floor.

Go to the pros for help when you want to choose a new floor, whether it's carpet, hardwood, tile, laminate, granite or marble. Giant Carpet One has been in business for more than 30 years and has a large selection at the very best prices.

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