Maintaining your hardwood floor.

Chris Hokansson

Once you have your hardwood floors installed, it’s time to start thinking about keeping them clean. Hardwood floor maintenance is very easy but requires different techniques than other hard-surface floors. With care, you can keep your hardwood floors looking new for many years to come.  

hardwood floor maintenance

The Right Technique

We recommend dusting your floors weekly with a flat, dry microfiber mop designed for hardwood floors. Occasionally you may want to use a solution for deeper cleaning. To do this you can use a solution in a spray bottle, mist a small section of the floor and wipe with a terrycloth or microfiber mop designed for damp cleaning.  

Never use a cleaner that has wax or oils in it, or one that will "restore the shine" to your floor. These almost always contain ingredients that make it nearly impossible to recoat your floors should this ever be necessary. If you have questions about whether or not a cleaner is safe, please contact us. 

You may also use a vacuum cleaner if it has smooth wheels with no sharp edges. If the vacuum cleaner has a beater brush, this must be turned off to avoid burn marks caused by friction. 

Installing a whole-house or a single room humidifier in rooms with hardwood flooring will also help maintain your wood floors. In the winter, when the humidity levels drop, wood can dry out which causes gapping or cracks between the boards. Ideally, the relative humidity in your home should remain between 30-50% at all times. In the summer, humidity can be controlled by running the air conditioning and also a dehumidifier in the basement.

What Not to Do  

Never use furnish polish on your hardwood floors. While it will make the floors shine, it will also create a slick, hazardous surface. In addition, the wax that is in most commercial brands of furniture polish will create an unsightly build-up on your floors.  

Water and wood do not mix, so keep exposure to water at a minimum. We do not recommend mopping your floor with the bucket and mop method often used on other hard surface floors. Water can become trapped within the seams of the floor and inside the wood itself. Over time, this can lead to warping of the wood and water damage to the floors.  

Need supplies to keep your hardwood floor looking new and beautiful? Ralph's Hardwood Floors has a great line of cleaner and supplies needed to help you out. Simply call us at 1-800-354-9902 or visit our showroom and we will make sure you get the right product for the job.

Photo by Michael Bentley. Available under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.

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