How To Clean Hardwood Floors
Learning how to properly clean hardwood floors is one of the most important steps you can take to safeguard your investment. When you take good care of your hardwood floors, they will last a very long time indeed.
You’ll learn all you need to know about cleaning wood floors by following this instruction. It will also provide you with advice on how to keep them in good condition.
Sweep and Vacuum to Clean Hardwood Floors
The processes for cleaning wood floors are the same whether the wood is oak, pine, bamboo, or another kind of wood. It is recommended to check with the manufacturer to determine whether your floor type requires any special instructions.
The first step in learning how to clean hardwood floors is to start with the basics. First, remove any dust or debris that may damage or dull the surface of the wood. Cleaning hardwood floors with a broom and a vacuum is effective no matter what kind of wood floor you have.
- Cleaning on a daily basis using a brush or a floor mop designed specifically for hardwood floors is recommended. Dust and dirt may be removed from the floor using a microfiber dust mop that has been pre-treated with a dusting chemical. These microfiber mops will help avoid scratches on the surface of the floor.
- To keep your hardwood floor looking its best, vacuum it once a week. Use the “hard floor” option on your vacuum to deactivate the brush roll and elevate the vacuum to function only on suction. This will also help to minimize minor scratches caused by the brush roller.
One more tip – the most effective method for cleaning hardwood floors is to create a routine cleaning schedule and stick to it! The frequency of cleaning may be determined by how often the areas are utilized on a daily basis. It is suggested that heavy traffic areas be cleaned at least once or twice every week.
Mop to clean Hardwood Floors
Another alternative is to clean your hardwood floors using a flat mop and hardwood floor cleaner, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Liquid Cleaner: Before cleaning hardwood floors with a liquid cleaner, drain as much water as possible from the mop to avoid leaving standing water on the floor, which might damage the wood. This is especially important for prefinished hardwood flooring.
- Spray-and-Mop: You can also use a product that combines a mop and a spray cleaner into a single unit. Simply refill the cleaning solution as needed and wash the mop pads after each use.
- Disposable Wet Pads: You can also use disposable wet pads designed for use on hardwood surfaces with pre-applied cleaning solutions. This would be an excellent choice for cleaning smaller areas or for those looking to save time.
- Steam Mop: Steam moping is not recommended for hardwood floors unless you are using a steam mop that is designed specifically for cleaning wood floors. It’s possible that steam will dull the shine and speed up the wood’s deterioration.
- When mopping your hardwood floors, avoid using a DIY wood floor cleaner that contains vinegar or harsh detergents since it may damage the finish of your flooring.
It’s critical to dry your floors promptly after cleaning them with any liquid solution. You can turn on the ceiling fan or use a microfiber towel to help speed up the drying process.
Rejuvenate Your hardwood Floors
When it comes to hardwood floors, knowing how to properly care for them means taking care of occasional scratches and dullness that may appear on the surface. The following are some quick remedies to consider:
- Consider using liquid scratch concealers if you have noticeable scratches. Choosing a concealer that is the closest match to the color of the finishing on your hardwood floor is similar to how people pick face makeup concealers. If possible, test it on extra scraps of matching finish beforehand, since these are permanent seals that will not come off even if the surface is cleaned.
- If your hardwood floor just need a little boost to restore the gloss, apply wood floor polish to quickly restore the shine and protect your floor from harm and help to fill tiny scratches.
- If you’re working with heavily worn floors, use floor wax to revive and thoroughly clean the surface. Remember to apply floor wax in the direction of the grain of the wood.
- If your floor is real hardwood, carefully sand it before applying a new finish to restore the wood’s natural beauty.
For wooden floors, don’t go excessive with the waxing. If your hardwood floor seems dull, try buffing it instead of sanding it.
Recap: how to Maintain Your hardwood Floors
Regular cleaning is the best approach to preserve clean and good-looking hardwood floors. We all wish there was a magic wand to preserve hardwood floors without weekly cleaning, but there isn’t. Here is a recap!
- Once a day, sweep, dust, or dry mop the floor.
- Vacuum once a week, using “hard floor” option.
- Regularly clean high-traffic areas by wiping them down with a damp mop twice a month.
- Use the hardwood floor cleaning solution recommended by the manufacturer once a month.
- Apply a fresh coat of finish every three to five years.
- Sand and polish the surface every ten years.
Protecting Hardwood Floors from daily wear and tear
- Put a doormat at each entry of your house so everyone may clean their feet. Floor mats should capture stones and other small material that might damage wood.
- High-traffic areas might get scratches from daily wear and tear. Rugs can protect floors from these daily activities in heavily used areas.
- Immediately mop up a spill on your floor. Keep the area clean and dry to prevent stains.
Properly maintaining your hardwood floors is an important part of keeping your house in good condition. If you utilize floor mats and rugs in high-traffic areas, you may cut down on the time you spent cleaning and maintaining your floors. Regardless, as a general rule, you should sweep every day, vacuum once a week, and mop once a week or every other week.
