One of the nice things about a polyurethane finish is that, when it becomes scratched and dull, you can usually have it re-coated without sanding the entire floor first.

To care for a polyurethane-coated floor, use a micro-fiber mop, cleaner, and floor refresher. If you want to get all of these in one fell swoop, check out the kit shown at right. It offers all of these.

Whether or not this is a possibility with your floor depends on a couple of factors: the existing finish must be polyurethane and it cannot have a buildup of wax or other chemicals, because these will cause the floor to reject the new finish.

You can determine whether your floor qualifies by making a patch test on a small section of flooring (about 4 inches square).

Though you can do this in an inconspicuous place, such as a closet, it's better to test along a wall near windows, where cleaners may have collected on the floor.

Why we like it: • Includes long-handle micro-fiber mop, floor cleaner, dusting pad, and refresher for polyurethane finishes

1) Thoroughly clean a small section of flooring using a wood floor cleaner.

2) With fine (120-grit) sandpaper, lightly sand the area, working in line with the wood grain. Wipe away the dust thoroughly.

3) Apply polyurethane floor finish to the patch test area and wait 24 hours.

4) Check the finish. It should be smooth, not rippled or an orange-shell texture. Using a coin, scratch the surface with moderate pressure; it shouldn't flake or peel away. If the surface isn't smooth or flakes with this moderate scratching, you'll have to have the floor completely sanded and refinished.