cleaning hardwood floors

By Erwan Go

Cleaning Hardwood Floors is the key to keep your hardwood floors look best. You can keep your floors looking new for many years and will last a lifetime with proper maintenance and care.

The type of finish will determine the way to clean a hardwood floor. Pre finish floors usually used surface finish and are mostly polyurethane that have a glossy appearance and easy to maintain and to care with just simple mop, sweep and vacuum.

Penetrating seals like waxes and oils commonly have a matte or satin finish. With applying a fresh coat from waxes you only have to do it once or twice a year. But this type of hardwood floor should not be damp mopped because the water will penetrate the wood. You can sweep on a daily basis for heavy traffic area, and do weekly for vacuum and mop. Use a broom with fine, exploded ends to trap dust and grit effectively when sweeping.

Place door mats at each entrance to minimize the amount of dirt brought inside. Please do not vacuum your hardwood floor regularly to remove dirt as this will dull and scratch your hardwood surface. A light weight vacuum cleaner with a soft brush on the head is recommended for Cleaning Hardwood Floors because it doesn’t scratch the floor. After that, follow with a micro fibred dust mop to trap fine dust particles. Then use a damp mop with a pH neutral cleaner which specifically formulated for wood floor to remove grime and dust.

Mop in the direction of the wood grain and wring the mop out completely and when the water gets dirty, you should replace with a fresh one. When it’s done, do it over with clean water to rinse. And DO NOT use straight ammonia, abrasive or liquid detergents cleaners as they can strip or dull the finish and discolor the wood.

For waxed floor using a damp mop is prohibit, just sweep and vacuum regularly. If you drop any food or spills liquid, you have to wipe up immediately with a damp cloth then dry with a clean towel.

One of the worst enemies from floors is water or other liquids as it can damage the finish and seep in between the fiberboard causing warping. Placing mats on areas where water may be splashed like in kitchen should be considered.

Take preventative steps to protect your hardwood floor as they are easily scratched and gouged such as you have to be careful when moving your furniture and use felt pads under furniture legs and feet. Before walking on the floor you have to remove your shoes first to prevent scuff and heel marks. To keep your floor free from dirt and grit that can scratch the surface you can do regular vacuuming. Using closing blind or drapes can protect your floor from UV which caused faded but some discoloration may be unavoidable, with rotating your furniture and rugs will eliminate this process.

Vinegar is cheap, environment friendly solution to keep your wood floor looking good and very excellent for cutting grease, removing odors, most stains, mildew and wax building and also neutralize stains. By mixing ½ cup of vinegar with one gallon of warm water then just dip a cotton cloth into the solution and wring thoroughly. Just work on one small area at a time and immediately buffing dry with a clean cloth.

Article you might be interested in reading: Bruce Wood Flooring, Mohawk Flooring, Garage Floor Covering and Oak Flooring

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