Asking yourself
‘how can I clean wood floors like a pro?’
read on to find out how….
Regular wood floor cleaning is the key factor in maintaining your wood floors in their best condition. You will cut the time it takes to clean your hardwood floor down to nearly nothing as long as you employ smart maintenance.
Wood floor basic care
– Sweep/ dust the floor with a mop treated with a bit of dusting agent. This will help to pick up the dust, pet hair and dirt on the floor.
– Vacuum once or twice each week with a vacuum that has a floor brush attachment or an electric broom.
– DO NOT at any point use a vacuum that is equipped with a beater bar, this will only scratch and damage your floor finish.
If you simply want to do some light dusting you can choose to use the readily available disposal electrostatic cloth. Use them on both sides before throwing them out.[space height=”15″]
Wood floor deep cleaning
When you have a serious build up of dirt, grime and oil this cannot be removed by a simple weekly dusting or cleaning. You need to
– Purchase a wood cleaning product suited to the type of wood and finish that you have, and then dilute the product according to the attached instructions.
– Soak a mop or sponge in the solution then wring it to be as dry as possible- but so it is still damp.
– Wipe the floor and be careful not to leave any standing water on the surface, this will damage your floor.
– Rinse and repeat as necessary, then allow to air dry.
– If you have ceiling fans or ACs in the area you can turn them on to speed up the dry time.
Removing marks
Occasionally, your floor boards might get scratched and this will take away from the shine and finish. However, before you go about trying to remove them, you must carefully consider the kind of finish that your floor has. If the stain or mark is on the surface, chances are you have a hard finish, likely urethane. If the stain has made it through to the wood, it means your finish is a very soft one.
– Wipe the surface of with a soft, clean and damp cloth if the finish is a hard finish. Never use harsh chemicals that can cause permanent damage to the surface of your floor.
For soft oil finishes:
– If you have pet stains or dark pots, gently rub with a No.000 steel wool and later floor wax. If you find the stain is resistant then you can use bleach and vinegar, allow it to soak into the floor for 45 minutes to an hour then rinse and wipe with a damp cloth.
– If you have heel and claw marks, use steel wool and then floor wax.
– If the stains are oil based then use a small cloth and some non-abrasive dishwasher or detergent to break down the grease then wipe it away with a damp cloth. Let the spot dry and then if you need to, smooth it over with very fine sandpaper.
– If you have white stains or water marks, employ the steel wood and wax method.
After you clean your floor or remove a stain or mark, ALWAYS wax and buff it to return the shine.
To save yourself some work, ensure you have door mats and spaces allotted to leaving dirty shoes before entering the house.