Hardwood floor cleaning and maintenance
Solid hardwood floors are very durable and can last a long time with proper cleaning and maintenance, but often many are not sure what that proper cleaning and maintenance are. When the wood floors are maintained and cleaned regularly they are very easy to care for. Keeping them in tip top shape is what gives them the longevity that everyone loves about hardwood floors. Following a simple clean and maintenance plan along with preventing damage will allow you to love the floors that you selected for many years to come.
Cleaning of the hardwood floors is something that gets lots of questions, so we at Hardwood Floors Plus decided to approach this subject too. The answer to the question is like most floors. The cleaner the better, the reason being. The more grit, dust, and grim track on to the hardwood, the more that it gets ground onto the floor. This layer almost works like the sandpaper on the pads that were used to sand down the floor when they were finishing it. So over time if you do not regularly sweep and vacuum your wood floors it will wear down the top finish and it will lose the shine that it once had. Often it is recommended to use a vacuum cleaner that features a canister holding system with a soft head bristle wand that you go over the floor with.
Even if you are sweeping and vacuuming your wood floors regularly they will still wear, but not as fast. When they do wear, like any other surface that is walked on it does not wear evenly. This is to be expected with this type of flooring. What you want to try and prevent is a pattern of uneven wear that actually gets down to the wood level of the flooring. Wood floors are covered with several coats of a clear top that added either at the factory on prefinished wood boards or added after the floor has been installed on unfinished boards. The clear coat is rather thick and protects the wood. After a time this finishes gets wore and you will start to notice small areas where the floor is not so shiny anymore. What is so wonderful about a wood floor is the spots can be refinished. Each of the areas can be sanded down and the clear coat can be reapplied where it is needed. This is a typical maintenance routine that needs to be established when you own these types of floors. Completing small repair areas during the life span it expended until a complete refinish needs to occur.
Maintenance of hardwood floors also covers the preventive care routine as well. Preventing damage to the hardwood in the first place is one of the because maintenance plans that you can have in place. Often furniture that moves around on these types of floors is one of the biggest offenders of creating damage to the surface of the wood. To prevent this from occurring any furniture placed on a hardwood floor should have floor protectors placed on any surface that will touch the flooring. These pads are able to protect the floor to prevent this type of damage in the first place. So, always make sure to install those little floor protective pads on everything in the room.
To clean a floor surface is it common for a steam mop or a wet mop to be used, but on a hardwood floor, these are to NEVER be used. Even the smallest amount of wetness can cause damage to the flooring. The best way to actually clean the hardwood floor is to get down and wash the floor by hand. To clean the floor using a very squeezed out damp sponge that is soft. This is the best and most effective way to clean the hardwood and keep it looking beautiful as the day it was installed. If you are not able to do it this way, there are dry push mops and a spray cleaner that is designed just for these types of floors. They can be used, but used with caution.
While everyone does have there own theory on what is best for a hardwood floor that their Grandma used to do, but overtime those methods will wear down the clear coat causing more damage than good. Those old time cleaners or furniture polishes are not good for hardwood floors. They are designed for other places in the home and not the floor. It is best to stay away from those cleaners all together when cleaning the surface of the hardwood on your floors.
The maintenance and cleaning of the hardwood floors, along with preventive maintenance plans will allow you to get the best life out of the hardwood floors.
Cleaning of the hardwood floors is something that gets lots of questions, so we at Hardwood Floors Plus decided to approach this subject too. The answer to the question is like most floors. The cleaner the better, the reason being. The more grit, dust, and grim track on to the hardwood, the more that it gets ground onto the floor. This layer almost works like the sandpaper on the pads that were used to sand down the floor when they were finishing it. So over time if you do not regularly sweep and vacuum your wood floors it will wear down the top finish and it will lose the shine that it once had. Often it is recommended to use a vacuum cleaner that features a canister holding system with a soft head bristle wand that you go over the floor with.
Even if you are sweeping and vacuuming your wood floors regularly they will still wear, but not as fast. When they do wear, like any other surface that is walked on it does not wear evenly. This is to be expected with this type of flooring. What you want to try and prevent is a pattern of uneven wear that actually gets down to the wood level of the flooring. Wood floors are covered with several coats of a clear top that added either at the factory on prefinished wood boards or added after the floor has been installed on unfinished boards. The clear coat is rather thick and protects the wood. After a time this finishes gets wore and you will start to notice small areas where the floor is not so shiny anymore. What is so wonderful about a wood floor is the spots can be refinished. Each of the areas can be sanded down and the clear coat can be reapplied where it is needed. This is a typical maintenance routine that needs to be established when you own these types of floors. Completing small repair areas during the life span it expended until a complete refinish needs to occur.
Maintenance of hardwood floors also covers the preventive care routine as well. Preventing damage to the hardwood in the first place is one of the because maintenance plans that you can have in place. Often furniture that moves around on these types of floors is one of the biggest offenders of creating damage to the surface of the wood. To prevent this from occurring any furniture placed on a hardwood floor should have floor protectors placed on any surface that will touch the flooring. These pads are able to protect the floor to prevent this type of damage in the first place. So, always make sure to install those little floor protective pads on everything in the room.
To clean a floor surface is it common for a steam mop or a wet mop to be used, but on a hardwood floor, these are to NEVER be used. Even the smallest amount of wetness can cause damage to the flooring. The best way to actually clean the hardwood floor is to get down and wash the floor by hand. To clean the floor using a very squeezed out damp sponge that is soft. This is the best and most effective way to clean the hardwood and keep it looking beautiful as the day it was installed. If you are not able to do it this way, there are dry push mops and a spray cleaner that is designed just for these types of floors. They can be used, but used with caution.
While everyone does have there own theory on what is best for a hardwood floor that their Grandma used to do, but overtime those methods will wear down the clear coat causing more damage than good. Those old time cleaners or furniture polishes are not good for hardwood floors. They are designed for other places in the home and not the floor. It is best to stay away from those cleaners all together when cleaning the surface of the hardwood on your floors.
The maintenance and cleaning of the hardwood floors, along with preventive maintenance plans will allow you to get the best life out of the hardwood floors.