As anyone with hardwood flooring will know, it is a kind of flooring that adds elegance and style to the décor of the overall finish to the room, as well as the house itself. There is no doubt that the flooring adds a beautiful touch to the home, however cleaning it can be a nightmare, thus this article provides you with the top 8 must-know tricks for when you are cleaning your hardwood floors whether it is with a machine such as a hardwood floor cleaner machine or by hand.
Table of Contents
Vacuum your hardwood floor at least once a week
you should dust the floor regularly with a barely damp mop as this will help clear dirt, dust and pet hair that can accumulate on floors and can scratch the flooring, as the grit in dust has a sandpaper-like quality, and if left, can do some real damage.. Then every week or at the latest biweekly will keep up the appearance of the flooring as well as providing protection against the elements that can harm the floor. If available then the attachment with a brush is the best thing to use when performing this task. This van be done with any automatic vacuum or even with a robotic vacuum that can be left to pick up dirt all day.
Be careful of substances like furniture polish or hairspray
it is likely that every household with have at least one of these within them, thus if you use it and you notice that some have got onto the flooring wipe it up immediately with a damp cloth as this can cause a clouding upon the finish of the floor.
Deep cleaning
sometimes basic cleaning is not enough and your floor will require a deeper clean, and for this, you will need a wood cleaner. The best ones to choose are a natural wood cleaning product, and it is important to remember that leaving standing water upon the floor has the potential to harm the floor and that any excess water should be wiped immediately.
Spills and Scuffs
it is important to remember that during the day to day life spills and scuffs happen and so they must be acted upon as soon as they are spotted. With spills, they should be blotted from the floor immediately as if they are left to dry on the floor they can dull the finish. If you notice a scuff, simply put some baking soda upon a damp cloth and rub the scuffed area gently.
Protect the floor from water
water has the power to not only ruin hardwood floors but also to stain them, thus it is important to make sure all water is wiped up thoroughly when cleaning but also that house plants that are resting upon the floor have trays underneath them to prevent leaking and spilling. One of the best ways to do this is with a wood floor spray mop that will allow just enough water on to the floor to enable cleaning and mopping without the damage to the floor.
Use wax and restorers properly
one of the most effective ways to rejuvenate the look of a floor with a wax finish is by continuing to use wax, however when choosing a wax to be mindful of one that contains varnish, shellac or polyurethane as this can make the floor very slippery.
Invest in some rugs
wood flooring can wear very quickly especially in rooms that people spend a lot of time in, and so, by using rugs in those rooms it will reduce the wear on your floor. However, be wary of rugs backed with rubber or vinyl as this can trap humidity and ruin your floor.
Use furniture pads
moving furniture around whether intentionally or not can cause scratches and scuffs upon your flooring, thus by putting pads on our flooring it will protect your hardwood flooring, and make less cleaning for you.
Cleaning hardwood floors can be difficult but it needn’t be complicated with the range of machinery such as the hardwood floor cleaners and spray mops and other products on the market. Also, with these tips you really won’t be able to fail.