Most people don’t realize what a huge difference cleaning wood flooring can make in your home. In addition to keeping the floors looking great, regularly cleaning and refinishing them is good for their longevity.
Understanding how you can best clean your wooden floor is essential in taking care of it. While wooden floors are popular today, they require particular care and maintenance on your part. Since these floors are porous, dirt is absorbed into the surface.
Although professional carpet and flooring cleaners can chip in with all those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies where dirt is likely to hide, the most incredible cleaning solutions usually come from a little DIY work.
With some tips from industry experts and our own experience cleaning floors for years, we’ve compiled a list of the top cleaning tips for wooden floors that will make maintaining them simpler than ever.
Here is a list of do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when cleaning your hardwood floor:
Sweep Everyday
Sweeping is an effective way to remove dirt and dust from the surface of your wood floor, helping it resist everyday wear and tear. To get seriously clean floors, sweep at least once a day. For even more shine and protection, consider using a soft broom or dust mop instead.
When sweeping, start at the top of the floor and sweep through to the bottom. Bend down and lightly tap your broom with your hand a few inches ahead of the broom as you sweep. This will make it easier for dust and dirt to release from your wooden floor.
Clean At Least Once a Week
Wooden floors add a certain warmth to the rooms they decorate. But cleaning a wooden floor can sometimes feel like a daunting task. The trick is to clean your floor at least once a week, and taking one extra step for the special tile areas will go a long way in ensuring its beauty for years to come.
Make it a point to clean at least once a week. While daily dusting and vacuuming are great, you will want to get into the habit of really cleaning your hardwood floors at least once a week. This is important because most dirt, sand, and grit will find its way into your home through the doorway.
Wipe Up Spills
When it comes to cleaning your hardwood or laminate floors, spills are the enemy. Never let liquids soak into the wood. Soaking liquids can cause irreversible damage to your floor.
Picking up spills as soon as they happen–and before they’ve had a chance to soak into the wood–will ensure that no damage is done. Use a clean, sponge or cloth for absorbing liquids and blotting the spill until it is dried.
Take Off Outdoor Footwear
Be sure to take off outdoor footwear at the door before entering your home. Even if you’re only planning on spending an hour inside, standing around in the dusty soil from your shoes will still leave marks over time. Stone and gravel from shoes not only can be tracked onto wood floors, but also residue from salt used to melt ice can damage the floor finish.
This is a very easy tip that will help you to keep your wooden floors dirty and spot free. As a general rule every adult should take off his shoes when he enters the house. Shoes can be left at the door or stored in a cupboard or the area right outside the door where there are hooks for shoes.
Use Doormats
Wood floors are beautiful natural materials that complement a wide variety of home decors, but when it comes to daily maintenance, you will need to clean the floors on a regular basis. Doormats are great at collecting dirt and dust and can be used as an alternative to sweep or vacuum.
Be sure to have at least one outside and another inside door mat. This will help to avoid water, dirt, sand, etc. from being tracked into your home.
Use doormats with a thick, flat design to minimize the amount of dirt and water that gets tracked into your home. The more pressure that comes in contact with the wood, the greater chance you have for permanent damage.
Protect Your Floor From Scratching or Marking
The best way to protect your wooden floor from damage is to take precautions and ensure that you don’t scratch or mark it. Avoid walking around in slippers on a wet floor or using sharp or metal toed shoes. When putting down furniture, make sure all the legs are resting on the floor rather than digging into the wood. It’s best not to drag items such as bags over the floor, and if you need to move furniture, make sure to use a soft pad.
Keeping pets and children off your wood floors can also help to prevent scratches and damage from nail marks.
Never Use a Steam Mop
Steam mops are a convenient modern invention. Unfortunately, they are highly ineffective at cleaning wood floors, and can actually damage the wood in the long run.
Steam mops are notorious for leaving behind dried white streaks on your hardwood flooring. They can also damage the finish of your floor. Go over the entire floor with a dry vac or microfiber cloth. Use a homemade solution of 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water and apply it to the floor with a soft cloth.
Wipe up with a clean, damp cloth and allow it to dry completely before walking on the floor. Remember to use caution when cleaning your floor because some cleaners can cause damage to some types of wood floors.
Lift and Carry Heavy Items
Today, wooden floors are created from wood that’s been properly treated and finished to protect against dents and scratches. One cause of damage to wood floors over time is when a heavy object is dropped onto them.
Never drag furniture over the wooden floor. This will scratch the surface very easily. So, instead of dragging the furniture, lift it from one spot to another. Always place loose items on a table or a shelf instead of on the wooden floor. This will prevent you from hitting your
Do Not Use Furniture Polish
With hardwood flooring continuing to grow in popularity, homeowners are increasingly finding themselves faced with the task of caring for this type of flooring. With the many choices available on the market, it can be confusing when it comes to what type of product is best used to care for your new floor. For one thing, avoid using furniture polish on your floors.
Furniture polish contains waxes, which may cause a buildup over time. Wax is non-absorbent, so it may not dry as easily as oil does. It would be best to avoid using furniture polish on your wood floors at all.
Be Careful What Products You Use in Cleaning
Have you noticed that your wooden floors are having some damage such as dark spots under the carpet or discoloration on the finished surface, when the floor is not very dirty? The cause of these problems might be the products you use to clean your wooden floors.
Use caution when choosing a product to clean your hardwood floors. Low-pile carpets actually protect the finish on wood floors, and can prevent high-traffic areas from becoming scratched. If you use the wrong products, solvents or chemicals can seep into the wood and stain it.
So, when purchasing new flooring, it is important to know what products to be careful of when cleaning. Certain products will cause harm to your flooring.
Conclusion
A floor is a big investment. It’s also likely the piece of real estate that receives the most wear and tear. Whether it’s kids running around, pets scampering about or a dinner party getting underway, everyday life can cause marked distress to even the finest wood floors. They’re prone to gouges, scratches, stains and dullness from constant footfall.
Take care of it and it will take care of you for years to come, which is why you need to learn as much as you can about the proper way to keep your floors clean. One of the most important factors in keeping floors from becoming damaged is how often they are cleaned.
Regular, thorough cleaning can greatly increase the lifespan of your floors, so whatever cleaning method you prefer, make sure to follow these tips when working with your wood flooring.
