How to clean wood floors

You love your beautiful hardwood floors, how they shine and how they make your home feel cosy and warm. How do you then keep that shine and prevent them from dulling and scratching? Keeping your wood floors gleaming and gorgeous is easy with the right care.

Regular maintenance

Sweep and vacuum Dust, dirt, and grimy particles are like sandpaper against your wood floors. Keeping them dirt free is the first step. Sweep the floors daily with a high quality broom. Vacuum twice a week to get in between the boards. Do not use a beater bar on the vacuum for it will scratch the wood.

Mopping

Water is an enemy to wood. Too much water can warp boards. When mopping always use a damp mop not a soaking one. 1. Fill a bucket with warm water and cleaning solution. 2. Dip mop in and then wring out completely. The mop should be damp, with no water dripping from it. 3. Mop in the direction of the wood grain, always moving in one direction. 4. When done, empty and refill the bucket with fresh clean water. Do not be afraid to get down on your hands and knees to remove stains with a soft cloth dipped in your cleaning solution.

Alternative mopping method

If you are worried about using water when cleaning floors, you can use this alternative mopping method. 1. Using spray-on floor cleaners, spray a terry cloth dust mop with a cleaner made for wood. 2. Dust mop the floor in the direction of the grain, just as if you were using a damp mop. Never use a product for polishing wood to clean. That will just create a build-up on the floor, causing it to look dull without cleaning the dirt and grime off.

Care tips

The better you take care of your hard wood floors, the longer they will keep their beautiful gloss and shine. Floor mats
Use floor mats to keep your hard wood floor free from dust and dirt. Place one at each doorway and encourage everyone to wipe their feet before entering the home.
Floor cleaners Do not use harsh or abrasive cleaners on the floor. They scratch and may leave a residue, dulling the floor. Do not use oil soap or ammonia cleaners, they dull the finish and may affect the ability to recoat the floor later. Do use a professional hardwood floor cleaner. They are designed to clean deep and be gentle to the floor at the same time.