Tips & Tricks to Keep Your Hardwood Floors Looking Good – ListDen

If you’re reading this, chances are either you’ve hardwood floor in your home or you’re planning to install it soon. First of all, I must appreciate your great choice. Hardwood floors are classic beauty and can add a stunning warm touch to any room. This material is quite durable and with proper care and maintenance, hardwood floors can last for decades. However, homeowners often end up spoiling the beauty of this floor because they don’t know the right way of cleaning hardwood. So, if you’re looking to transform your floors from dull and mucky to glossy clean, here are some pro tips for you. By following these simple tips, you can keep your hardwood floors new and sparkling clean for years to come.

 

Find Out the Finish of Your Hardwood Floors

The way you clean your floor depends on the finish of the hardwood. The easiest to clean hardwood floors are surface-sealed ones. This type of floor is sealed with urethane, polyurethane or polyacrylic which makes them stain- and water-damage resistant. The unfinished floors or lacquers, varnishes, and shellacs finished floors should be treated with liquid or paste wax. Similarly, penetrating seal or oil finish can also be treated with liquid or paste wax.

Regular Cleaning

Probably, you’re already dust mopping or vacuuming your floor every day. If not, make a habit of cleaning the dust regularly, especially the high-traffic areas. Regular cleaning is necessary because our shoes carry dust and fine grit that can work like sandpaper and eventually impacts the finish of your floor. Simply use the brush attachment to vacuum the floor. You may also use microfiber sweepers to remove dust.

Mop Your Hardwood Floor the Right Way

It’s a good practice to mop your hardwood floors once a week. While the less-trafficked areas can be mopped only once a month. However, it’s crucial to know how to mop these floors because water and wood just don’t go well together. This means you should use a damp mop only and not a soaking wet one. To remove the dirt and grime that build up over time, you can use a liquid cleaner. But make sure you use only safe and commercial wood-cleaning product. Some people also prefer using their solution which is a mixture of one part vinegar, some drops of liquid Castile soap, and 10 parts warm water. Remember, you should first test any solution before applying it the floor because vinegar and some other ingredients can dull certain hardwood flooring finishes.

Use Waxes and Restorers Carefully

If you want to turn your dull floors to gleaming ones, use wax. However, before you use any wax or restorer, consider the finish of the floor. Finishes such as shellac, varnish, or polyurethane become extremely slippery if treated with wax. It’s always better to use a general-purpose floor restorer. However, as a matter of caution, always patch test the restorer on an inconspicuous area.

Remove Stains

For most of the homeowners, removing the stains from their hardwood floors is major trouble. If you’re also facing this issue, again first consider the finish of the floor. Whichever finish your floors have, make sure to avoid using sandpaper, steel wool, or harsh chemicals because they can permanently damage the finish. In case of soft oiled finish, stains often penetrate through the wood. Such floors can b cleaned with a vinegar solution or any other safe cleaning agent. Mix 1/2 cup white vinegar to a gallon of lukewarm water for cleaning it. Also, you may treat the spot area by waxing and buffing. Take No. 000 steel wool and floor wax, rub the spot gently and clean with damp cloth.

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