TIPS FOR MAINTAINING YOUR HARDWOOD FLOORS
Hardwood floors don’t come cheap. But they are a worthwhile investment that significantly boosts a property’s value. After spending money on costly hardwood warm floors ensure you’ll always take time to maintain them well. The key to keeping your hardwood warm floors looking as good as new is to clean them well. It doesn’t matter whether you have engineered wood, oak, bamboo or maple on your floor, they all need proper care to maintain their beauty. We’ll show you how to keep different types of hardwood floors with floor heating systems and other finishes clean and shiny all through.
DETERMINE THE TYPE OF HARDWOOD FLOOR FINISH
Is your hardwood floor finished with wax, polyurethane or varnish? Did you invest in floor heating on your hardwood? You can tell by running your hands over the wood. If you can fell the texture of the grain, it shows that the floor has a penetrating finish which is usually covered with a layer of wax. You can place a few drops of water on the wood surface to see if it soaks. If it doesn’t soak, it means the finish is intact and doesn’t need additional application. However, if the water absorbed and you notice a dark spot on the floor, it means the finish has worn away and needs refinishing. You can use a coin to scratch off an inconspicuous corner of the floor surface to tell whether it has varnish. The floor will flake off if it has been finished with varnish or shellac.
AVOID MESSING YOUR HARDWOOD FLOORS
To protect your hardwood heated floors from damage, there are a few things you can do and significantly reduce dirt, wear and tear hence spend less time and effort on cleaning.
- Avoid walking on the hardwood floors with high heels, sport shoes and cleats
- Never use cleaning products that are designed for tile or vinyl floors
- Avoid cleaning products that have self-polishing acrylic waxes
- Do not clean the hardwood floors with a wet mop
- Avoid over waxing the hardwood floors in an effort to revive their luster
- Have a professional to clean the hardwood floor and polish it once in a while
HOW TO CLEAN HARDWOOD FLOORS
Most hardwood floors installed today have been finished with polyurethane and need to be vacuumed, swept and dust-mopped on a regular basis. Vacuuming can be done once daily, just make sure the attachment is ideal for wood floors and you turn off any rotating brushes or beater bars that can be rough on your wood floor. Vacuuming is ideal because it helps to eliminate the dust and dirt particles that can scratch and cause the hardwood floor to become dull.
Sweeping should be done with a broom that has synthetic fiber ends. When damp-mopping your hardwood floors, make sure you use a pH neutral cleaning agent with water. Choose cleaning solutions that are specifically designed for hardwood floors. If you have a small surface area to clean, damp a cloth with water and scrub the wood floor using your hand. Always avoid washing the surface with a cloth or mop that is dripping with water.
