Hardwood floors add warmth and give a unique look to your home. They need appropriate care to maintain their shine. Frequent foot traffic and spills can cause dirt and grime buildup on hardwood floors and this will make them look dull and dingy. You need to keep the floors clean for aesthetics as well as for your health and safety. In this article, you can find out some important tips to keep your hardwood floor in the best condition.
Regular Cleaning
To keep the finish of a hardwood floor bright and clean, the floor should be swept, vacuumed or dust-mopped daily and damp-mopped weekly. Sweep or vacuum daily to remove grit and crumbs that could cause scratches on the floor, dust-mopping daily will stop dust bunnies from accumulating on the hardwood floor and damp-mopping weekly will take care of any messes and keep the floor free of dirt and grit.
Professional Cleaning
If your wooden floors have lost their lustre, then the best way to bring back the shine is with the help of professional hardwood cleaners. They will help you extend the life of your flooring and help you save money. But, if you are too late, then refinishing the hardwood floor will be the only option.
Cleaning Solution
Hardwood floors are mostly sealed with cured polyurethane or polyacrylic urethane, so you need to choose a cleaning solution that will not damage the sealant. Don’t use harsh chemicals like ammonia, chlorine bleach, pine oil or undulated vinegar. Choose a commercial cleaner made especially for sealed hardwood floors.
A homemade wooden floor cleaning solution is also a great option. You can make an inexpensive and efficient cleaning solution using half a cup of distilled white vinegar and a gallon of warm water. For a pleasant smell, you can add your favourite essential oil.
Tackle Messes as They Occur
Clean and clear any dry mess or wet spills as immediately as possible. They can leave difficult-to-remove stains if you let the spill sit for a long time on the hardwood floor. Clean the spill with a paper towel or cloth and then wipe the floor with a slightly damp cloth. Make sure all the wiping on the hardwood floor happens in the direction of the wood grain to prevent streaking.
Laminate
Laminated floors will make maintenance easy and cost-effective. Such flooring is very easy to keep clean. Spills and marks can be easily wiped away with a microfibre cloth and it is easy to sweep and vacuum. But wet mopping needs to be avoided to prevent underlayers to warp.
Prevent Scratches
Scratches will make the wooden floors look dull and cause sudden wearing out. This can be prevented by placing felt pads on the bottom of chairs and table legs, do not place houseplant pots directly on the floor, do not drag heavy furniture, reducing the amount of dirt and grit brought into the home and keep your pet’s toenails trimmed.
