How Should I Clean My Hardwood Floors?

Rod Lorenz

It's not difficult to keep finished harwood flooring clean.Hardwood floors are not only beautiful, they’re an investment that needs protecting. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to keep hardwood floors looking gorgeous for many years.

For surface-sealed floors (i.e., those finished with urethane, polyurethane or polyacrylic), simply follow these basic tips.

1. Clean all liquid spills right away.

Today’s surface-sealed finishes protect against liquid spills, which won’t be any problem as long as they’re wiped up as soon as possible with a damp cloth rag, paper towel, etc.—anything that’s not abrasive. You can also use a mop specifically designed for hardwood floors, such as the Glitsa Mop.

If the spill remains too long, it could cause the finish to whiten, but this can easily be cleaned off.

2. Regularly clean up dirt and debris.

To keep potentially harmful dirt and debris off you hardwood floors, all you need to do is sweep or vacuum it up—or use a dust mop with a microfiber pad. If you use a vacuum, make sure it has a soft-bristled brush that doesn’t rotate.

Like liquid spills, dry spills should be cleaned up immediately. Otherwise, vacuum, sweep, or dust mop as needed. High-traffic areas may need cleaning several times a week.

3. Use a manufactured-approved hardwood floor cleaner to mop floors.

We recommend Glitsa Clean, but whichever cleaner you use, a key point to remember is that none of the ingredients should be on the “do-not-use list” of the manufacturer of your floor or finish.

When mopping, prepare the cleaning solution according to the manufacturer directions, or use a pre-prepared solution. Use a damp mop made for hardwood floors rather than a sopping-wet one, and change the cleaning solution when it gets dirty. When done, mop again with clean water to rinse.

Don’t use oil soaps, waxes, abrasive cleaners, or silicone-based products (e.g., furniture polish).

As with vacuuming or sweeping, common sense will tell you how often you need to mop. Generally, however, high-traffic floors can benefit from cleaning once or twice a month, while less trafficked areas can be mopped even less often.

Wait two to three weeks after a floor has been finished to use any cleaning products at all.

4. Don’t use steam cleaners.

You may have seen commercials touting steam cleaners (e.g. steam mops) that are supposedly able to sanitize, deodorize, and clean finished wood floors. However, flooring and finish manufacturers advise against the use of steam cleaners—with good reason.

The reality is that, while these steam cleaners may appear to work great at first, over time they cause finish to peel, whiten, or cloud. The combination of water and heat also causes the wood to swell, which can lead to cupping or crowning of the planks. This is true for engineered flooring, as well as solid plank.

These tips aren’t meant for hardwood floors finished with natural oils or other penetrating seals. However, for hardwood floors that are surface-sealed—as most are—these simple maintenance steps will keep them in excellent shape for years to come.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia, Creative Commons.

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