Hardwood flooring is no doubt a beautiful addition to any home. However, they have to be cleaned regularly and properly to ensure they stay looking their best. Here are some tips to go about cleaning your hardwood floors, from routine cleaning to deep cleaning.
Routine Cleaning
In high-traffic areas, such as kitchens and dining rooms, you’ll need to sweep or vacuum daily or at least every few days if possible – especially if you have pets that shed. You’ll want to mop your hardwood floors one to two times a week in high-traffic areas, and once a month for less-trafficked areas such as guest rooms and formal rooms. Be sure to never use a vacuum not designed for hardwood floors.
How to Clean Hardwood
Water is wood’s worst enemy, so don’t ever use a soaking wet mop to clean your floors. A damp mop is always a better choice. Proper drying is key as well. It’s never a good idea to let water sit, so work within one small area at a time. A spin mop is a good investment as it will allow your mop to remain dry enough so that it doesn’t saturate the flooring.
Start off by sweeping or dusting the floors to get off any loose dust, dirt, debris, and hair. Make a mixture of four cups warm water and a few drops of dish soap or castile soap. Gently mix, don’t shake. Be sure to mop small sections at a time, then dry with a clean cloth or dry mop.
Allowing your floors to dry while you clean other areas is smart. Use a fan or an air mover if you have one. Plus, you should always clean top to bottom in any given room, meaning the floor should be the last thing you clean. This will ensure you have gotten all the dust and dirt that may have fallen onto the floor from cleaning counters, cupboards, etc.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
Use a floor-cleaning product that is approved and recommended by your flooring installer, or just go with plain soap and water. Some floor cleaners contain ingredients that will void your flooring warranty, as they are too harsh for use on hardwood. Soap and water works just as well as anything that’s sold in stores, and it’s cheaper too.
Mix 1/4 cup of liquid dishwashing soap or Murphy Oil Soap (no, it doesn’t actually contain oil) in a bucket of water and mix with warm water.
Don’t:
Use oils, furniture sprays or waxes. Oil will leave behind a sticky residue, furniture spray will create a slippery surface that can be very dangerous, and wax takes a lot of time to apply plus it makes re-coating tough.
Contact Designer Wood Flooring
To learn more cleaning tips for your hardwood floors or to schedule a consultation about installation, contact us today!
