Hardwood floors are popular in commercial buildings, retail properties as well as in residential homes. The life span of these floors will depend on the quality of the wood and will also depend on how well you are able to maintain the floor. Flooring maintenance is really the process of keeping the floor squeaky clean and preventing damage that can degrade the wood or its finish.
Tips For Preventing Damage:
1. Damaging the floor during the cleaning - You will find it helpful to pick up and place out of the way objects that interfere with your cleaning. Damage occurs when items such as furniture are dragged on the surface of the wood, so either place them well away or go around them.
2. Use furniture pads and lots of them – Heavy objects that are allowed to have direct contact with the wood can cause damage after a few months or years. Using furniture pads can reduce this.
3. Protect from the rain and from the sun – Rain is very common across all year round and sunshine when we are lucky… When coming into contact with wood floors, wetness can ruin the finish of the floor by penetrating the wood and staining it. Direct sunlight can degrade the finish and can be avoided by using blinds.
Tips For Cleaning Wooden Floors:
4. Brush the entire surface – Using a domestic broom or a dust mop brush the entire length of the floor. You may also hover the floor, provided you are using a soft extension. This will remove sand, grit and dirt fragments which when coming into contact with pressure (such as from the sole of a shoe) can scratch the floor.
5. Never use water - Wood and water won’t mix well. You should avoid drenching the floor in water (unless it was treated with polyurethane). Instead, use a damp cloth which has been very slightly soaked in warn water and cover the length of the floor. This process should be repeated again for a more comprehensive result.
6. Wood flooring cleaner – Once a month, repeat step four however this time add a mild wood cleaning solution to the warn water. Apply the cleaner to the floor in the direction of the grain and make sure that the room is well ventilated.
If you have a large surface to cover, you should consider hiring a professional domestic cleaning service. There are a few optional steps which are designed to reduce the amount of time it takes you to clean the floor. Here are a few examples:
7. Use doorway rugs – These are designed to trap sand and dirt from accumulating on the floor. Use them in every entrance to the room.
8. Quickly clean spills – Foot tracks and spills can require a lot of effort to remove if left to dry. Clean them as they happen.
9. Use penetrating oil wisely – You may decide to re-coat the floor every two years to rejuvenate its look. When doing so, bear in mind that until the oil has dried up completely dust, sand and grit can easily stick to the floor.