So you've finally installed that classy hardwood flooring-congratulations!
But you want to keep it spotless and you need to know how to maintain it.
Here are 4 invaluable tips on how to keep that floor looking great for many years:
But you want to keep it spotless and you need to know how to maintain it.
Here are 4 invaluable tips on how to keep that floor looking great for many years:
- We've all heard that old saying that 'prevention is better than cure'. So don't let something messy happen and you won't have clean it up. Keep floor mats on either side of doors. This will help in keeping outdoor elements like mud, snow and grime off your hardwood surfaces. Let children play on rugs so that their toys don't scratch the floor. To avoid marks you can also use floor protectors under the supports of heavy furniture.
- Regularly dust mop the floor with a micro fiber mop. This will remove materials such as pet hair, dust and dirt that may otherwise scratch the surface. Use a stick vacuum to suck up the pile. You'll also want to check out Best Vacuum For Hardwood Floors – Your Complete Guide from Homestadna for more information on how to properly choose a vacuum for your wood floor.
- More intensive cleaning can be done less frequently,say once a year during spring/winter. This deeper cleaning is needed to remove the dirt build up over time that every day dust mopping misses.Soak a sponge or mop in water or a good wood cleaning agent and wring it dry till it's only moist. Mop in the direction of the wood grain and then repeat. Rinse off with small amounts of clear water and then dry and polish.
- Removing stains from your hardwood floors can be a little more challenging since this will depend on the flooring's finish. There are broadly two types of finishes-hard and soft oiled. Stains on hard finished floors usually remain on the surface and can be removed with a soft fabric.
- Stains and spots on soft oil finished wood: Use steel wool and a floor cleaner to erase the mark. If still visible wash the spots down with vinegar for a couple of minutes and dry.
- Heel marks: Rub hard with fine steel wool and a floor cleaner. Dry and polish.
- Cigarette burns: Use steel wool with soap and water and re wax.
- Alcohol spot: Treat with liquid wax, silver polish, boiled linseed oil or cloth lightly dampened in ammonia and then re wax.
- Oil and Grease stains: Wash with a high lye content soap. If this does not work, place two strips of cotton soaked in hydrogen peroxide and ammonia respectively and place them on top of each other on the stain. Keep repeating till the stain goes.
- Animal and diaper stains: If the spots are fairly new, they can be treated with the same method as for other stains. If not then you will have to change the stained strips and go for a sand and then finish.
- Ink Stains: Treat with the same method as for other stains.
- Mold or Mildew: The usual cause of mold and mildew is moist, non- circulating air so you should immediately ventilate the room. Then clean up the mold with a floor cleaner using soft steel wool.