When coming to the subject of cleaning hardwood floors, there are a few tips if followed would give your wood floors long lasting life. The following are the eight quick tips that you can follow.
1. Sweep, daily sweeping the floor using thin bristle brush remove the dust or grime attached on the surface. This can leave the floor dust free.
2. Vacuum, flooring cleaning using vacuum cleaner once a while is best to keep more hygiene. Dry/wet steamer can be used based on the wood type. A cleaning solution can be used along just to get the polished effect.
3. Keep in mind that water is an enemy for wood, so wipe off any spill or mess immediately preventing rotting of wood. You can clean using a wet mop and after that dry it thoroughly for restoring the wooden surface.
4. Use dry mop whenever possible for cleaning up the floor, as if there are any holes or spots using wet mops can seep through and cause damage.
5. Carpet runners and rug runners can be used to clean up the carpets or rugs and maintain it dust free throughout and avoid dust to seep into the wooden openings.
6. Installing floor mats or delicate carpets along the floor can protect the surface from scratches and damages.
7. Do not drag off furniture as it can badly affect the wooden surface leaving scratches and peeling off.
8. If the flooring requires periodic waxing and buffing, do follow the companys recommendation.
It is recommended to set aside three schedules: daily cleaning, quarterly care and preventive measures.
Daily cleaning
It is important to know that everyday certain amount of dirt and grit is brought into the home by the shoes. The floor will accumulate more dirt for larger families. Most of the dirt is deposited at the entrance of the main door and in the kitchen.
It is best to sweep the floor with a soft broom to get rid of the dirt and sand. If the sand is not cleaned away it will scratch the floors and eventually dull the surface finish as well. Do this on a daily basis or on alternate days. For better results a hardwood floor vacuum cleaner could be used. However be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions and use the appropriate bristles or accessories.
One of the biggest enemies of hardwood floor is water. If water or liquids (coffee or other beverages) are present and not wiped off immediately, they will seeps through the floors and cause warping.
Quarterly cleaning
However daily cleaning will not remove any grease build up over the months. So once every three months a deep cleaning using the correct chemical cleaner solution is therefore recommended. As always, be sure to read the labels of the chosen cleaner products and follow the prescribed instructions too. Cleaning with regular detergents or vinegar solution is NOT advisable because these solutions will strip and dull the surface finishing of the wood floors if used for a long time.
A word of caution here is some hardwood floors are now finished with polyurethane which give them a shiny and glossy look. In this case you might need to buff the floors with wax. Here the same rule applies: follow the manufacturers recommendations.
Preventive measures
In order to protect the hardwood floors from major damage, prevention is important:
– Never drag heavy furniture or objects on the hardwood floors.
– Use protective felt pads under the legs of table or chair to prevent scratching
– Avoid wearing high heels or heavy shoes or spiked shoes on the hardwood floors as they will damage the floor permanently
– Place carpet runners, floor mats or rug on high traffic areas such as main entrance or in the kitchen
– Always remove spills as quickly as possible
With the above tips and regular cleaning schedule and using the appropriate cleaner solutions (according to manufacturers instructions) will protect your hardwood floor investment in years to come.