What You Should Know At Hardwood Floors Cleaning

Hardwood floors,

as pretty as they may look, take a lot of effort to clean up, contrary to what most people might believe.

As years pass by,

the material will need some thorough maintenance if you want to keep it looking as beautiful as it once was.

Thankfully,

there are some interesting and effective tricks that can keep your hardwood floor impeccable over the years.

In this article,

we will be talking about what you should know when cleaning this type of floor so that

you can maintain it looking as pretty as possible.

Cleaning Hardwood Floors

1.   Frequent sweeping keeps your hardwood floor clean

This step is part of the floor-cleaning 101 manuals as it is the very first thing that comes to everybody’s mind when it comes to cleaning a hardwood floor.

However,

there are some important things that you should know first because sweeping is not as easy as it seems especially in the case of hardwood floors:

• Don’t use a regular broom as it will only move dirt particles and dust around the room and you won’t do much cleaning.
• Use a microfiber mop instead because it is a lot more effective and will not spread those particles around. Sweep the floor daily or every other day to keep it squeaky clean.

2.   Vacuuming is very important

You should also vacuum your hardwood floor every week if you don’t want grit and dust to wear through your wood floor.

If you vacuum the right way,

then you will maintain its appearance and protect its finish.

However,

always use a special vacuum cleaner accessory that is soft, like a brush with soft bristles.

Popular accessories that like rotating brushes or a beater bar will only ruin your floor by scratching it.

Also, if you don’t feel like vacuuming at a certain moment, you can use a dust mop.

It’s not that efficient but it will do its job nicely.

Related: Anti Air Pollution Mask

3.   Use the right floor cleaning products!

It may seem like a no-brainer to sweep, mop, and vacuum your hardwood floor.

However,

a lot of people make the mistake of using floor cleaning products that are not specially-created for hardwood.

They buy whatever they find and hope for the best.

It smells nice so why not?

Well,

this is not the right path to take if you want to maintain your hardwood floors intact.

Most such products have certain chemicals in them that can damage the wood.

The best thing that you can do is to buy a floor cleaner that’s specially made for your surface and clean the floor with a damp mop.

You could also check out this list of the best hardwood floor cleaners first and decide on a product for you.

Don’t use a wet mop as water can seriously damage hardwood floors!

Even with a damp mop, get rid of any excess water immediately with a dry towel!

Another danger of hardwood floors which not many people think about is rain.

Water penetrates the wood and stains it, ruining its appearance.

So,

check out a weather app and close the windows when rain is expected.

Also,

put some trays under the plants you have in pots,

so no water leaks out onto your floor.

4.   Clean any spills immediately!

Reacting to spills almost instantly lowers the chances of a ruined hardwood floor.

The idea is to avoid having any liquid sitting on the wood for too long before you clean it up.

After cleaning the spill,

get a hardwood floor cleaner and apply it with a soft cloth to the problem area.

Invest in a touch-up marker or filler in the same color as your floor and hide any small but visible scratches.

Your flooring manufacturer will know what kind of filler to recommend so that it matches your floor perfectly.

Want to learn even more interesting tricks on how to clean your hardwood floor?

Check out this guide to cleaning hardwood floors.

5.   Consider floor pads to prevent scratches

One of the very best things that you can do to protect your hardwood floor would be to buy some floor felt pads to put under the furniture.

This will protect the floor from any eventual marks left by furniture legs.

Moreover,

when you are moving pieces of furniture around, make sure to lift them and not drag them across the floor.

This is the equivalent of murder for your precious hardwood.

6.   Be careful with waxes and restorers!

The wax finish of a floor can always be rejuvenated with more wax.

However,

wax doesn’t work on a number of other floors finishes like

• polyurethane
• varnish
• shellac

If you do this,

your hardwood floor will become way too slippery and even dangerous for the people walking on it.

Source

You don’t want to set traps all around your house, don’t you?

The best thing that you can do is to invest in a floor restorer that’s precisely made for your type of finish.

If you are not sure about what to buy,

get a general-purpose restorer and try it on a small area where it won’t look bad if it is damaging.

7.   Get a longer-than-usual doormat

If you want to maintain the pristine appearance of your hardwood floor,

then you should invest in some longer-than-usual doormats, for both the inside and outside of your house.

Yes,

you can vacuum, sweep, and remove any dirt on the floor,

but people will inevitably come in and ruin all that work.

This is why longer doormats are a must.

8.   Protect the hardwood floor in your house!

Increased or fluctuating humidity levels can seriously damage your hardwood floor over the years.

To prevent this,

you need to keep a stable humidity level in your house.

This means somewhere between 35% and 55%.

You can do this by using a dehumidifier or an air conditioner when it is hot outside and a humidifier when it is dry outside.

Sun exposure can also damage the appearance of your beloved hardwood floor by fading its natural color.

You can avoid this by using some special window coverings that can block the damaging UV radiation.

If you still cannot succeed in preventing this,

try moving the furniture and rugs around and regularly change their places.

This way you will obtain an even fading of your floor.

9.   Put rugs where there is more traffic!

A hardwood finish can also be destroyed in time on certain areas when people walk over those areas many times a day.

What can you do to prevent this? Invest in lots of throw rugs.

This way, the floor won’t be affected unless the rugs have a backing.

Make sure that the ones you buy do not have any. Rubber or vinyl backings usually trap humidity which is horrible for the floor as it can become stained.

10. A no-wax hardwood floor cleaner works the best against spots

A no-wax hardwood floor cleaner should be your number one ally when it comes to getting rid of the spots that remain after spilling things on the floor.

Both liquids and dirt can seriously damage the finish of your hardwood floor,

so be careful!

However,

don’t take it too far and become obsessed with over cleaning certain parts of your house.

Always maintain a balance.

Check out these common cleaning mistakes that are making your home even dirtier.

Cleaning Hardwood Floors with Natural Products

In case you were wondering what else you could use to clean your beautiful hardwood floor at home,

here’s your answer!

There are a lot of natural cleaning methods out there along with a handful of products that you might already have in your pantry.

If you are not a fan of those high-chemical cleansers that you can find in supermarkets,

then these are the ones that you should take a look at.

• Vinegar and water work amazingly well on hardwood floors if you are careful to wipe away this solution as soon as you’re done cleaning with it. Before trying this, take a look at your vinegar’s label and see just how strong the acetic acid is. After learning the acetic acid concentration, then you’ll be able to prepare your natural cleaning product. Add anywhere from half a cup to one full cup of vinegar per gallon of water;
• Look for plant-based, non-toxic formulas when it comes to your floor cleaning products. They may be more difficult to find and a little more expensive but keeping your hardwood floor in perfect shape is definitely worth it. One of the companies that manufacture such cleaning products is Method’s Wood for Good. Those products usually smell very nice and are not tested on animals either;
• Check your pantry for useful products that might help you clean your hardwood floor. Things like essential oils, borax, or black tea will do just fine if mixed with water. However, the same rule applies! Don’t let all that water sit on the hardwood for too long and wipe it away with a clean cloth immediately. You can also apply those solutions using a damp mop that won’t leave too much water behind. Lastly, you should always test the solutions in an area where people won’t see any eventual damage.

Common Mistakes People Make when it Comes to Hardwood Floors

Apart from frequently cleaning your hardwood floor, you should also be careful about maintaining it in perfect condition by not making any of the following mistakes.

Unfortunately,

not enough people do this which is why so many beautiful floors get damaged in a short period of time.

Here is what you should definitely avoid doing:

• You wear shoes in the house; This is probably the most common mistake that people nowadays make. You should always take off your shoes as soon as you enter your home. It may seem like a simple gesture, but it truly goes a long way. By doing this, you will avoid bringing any dirt and moisture into your home and onto your hardwood floor. Dirt can be very abrasive and completely ruin a floor’s finish. It leaves small scratches behind which can seriously affect the appearance of the floor by making it look very dull and old.
• You don’t clean up spills right away; Spilling things on the floor is something that cannot really be avoided. However, if you wait for too long and it begins to dry on the floor, things are going to get ugly. Moreover, the residue will become sticky and will attract even more dust and dirt. After wiping them with an absorbent towel or cloth, follow up with a floor cleaning product. The same goes for any water puddles on the floor. Wipe them immediately with a clean cloth.
• You don’t vacuum too often; you should vacuum your hardwood floor at least once a week because it is the most effective way to get rid of the smallest particles of dirt and dust. However, pay attention to the vacuum cleaner and remove any accessories that might scratch the floor, like brushes with hard bristles.

Bonus: Hardwood Floors Cleaning [Infographic]

Final Thoughts

It seems that cleaning our hardwood floors, as easy as this may sound, is, in fact, a very stressful job.

Hopefully,

our tricks will help you from now on and you won’t have to worry about every little thing ruining your beautiful floor.

By using those tricks,

the floor will remain intact and maintain its appearance for years to come.

With a little bit of care, patience, and determination,

you can protect it from any unwanted accidents or damaging factors.

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