When you clean a hardwood floor, it is always important to determine its finish. If you have surface-sealed wood floors, the kind used in most homes nowadays, then your floor is sealed either with polyacrylic, urethane, or polyurethane. You’re also lucky to have the type of wood flooring that is quite easy to clean and maintain. However, if your hardwood floor is treated with oil finish or with penetrating seal, then expect to spend more time and effort to clean and maintain a floor that friends and acquaintances may envy. Always make sure to ask your professional finisher for information before instituting steps in cleaning your hardwood floor.
Know What to Use
After determining the finish of your hardwood floors, it’s time to start the cleaning process. When doing this for the first time, be sure to solicit the advice of a professional floor finisher on what cleaning agent to use. When the recommended solution for cleaning hardwood floors is unavailable, use a small amount of mild soap mixed with water. Avoid applying oil or wax to the surface of hardwood floors, as the former makes the floor slippery and the latter creates problems when it is time to recoat your floor. The use of proper tools is also important. Never use abrasive materials in cleaning, so as to avoid ruining the beauty of your floor.
Tricks of the Trade
Different kinds of stains on hardwood floors require different methods of removal. For beverages, it is always advisable to remove the spills as soon as possible. To properly remove grease or chewing gums, try applying ice to harden the stain and gently remove it from the wood. Cloth dipped in warm water is used for ink stains, while cloth dipped in cold water is used to remove stains left by blood. Afterwards, follow up the process with a cloth dampened with the cleaning solution recommended by professionals. Keep in mind, however, that hardwood floors, no matter how carefully cleaned and maintained, may need to be recoated and refinished after several years of use and would require the services of a professional.
Extra Tips and Techniques
Apart from application of cleaning solution on a regular basis, hardwood floors in high-traffic areas of the house should also be swept or vacuumed as often as possible. Use a broom with slightly frayed ends so as not to make any scratch. Cleaning hardwood floors should also be done with a slightly damp rag, never a wet one. It pays to remember that water makes more damage than good on wood, as it causes the wood flooring to contract and expand. Extra water may also seep through the lower layers of your flooring, causing damage. Buffing can be done with a clean, dry rag.