Many homeowners choose hardwood floors at Village Carpet Shop not just for the look and durability, but also because hardwood floors are simple to clean in comparison to a carpet, tile, and many other surfaces. But maintaining stunning hardwood floors isn’t quite as simple as it may seem - which leaves many homeowners pondering on how best to clean them.
Here are 4 tips from our pros to make sure your hardwood floors end up sparkling clean without damaging them.
Your first line of action is to remove dirt and debris as quickly as possible once they are noticed. The smallest amount of dirt can act like sandpaper, scratching the floor’s surface and make it look dull. Use a dust mop or vacuum to remove dirt, dust, pet hair and other debris that could scratch the floor. Don’t use a vacuum with a beater bar attachment, as it could damage the surface of the floor. Use the floor-brush attachment, make sure to vacuum or sweep regularly. If possible, always go WITH the grain of your hardwood. If you vacuum with a beater bar, use the hard surface setting on your machine, which turns off the beater bar and lowers the vacuum to the floor for better suction power. For periodic deep cleaning, you’ll need to use a liquid cleaner. You can use a commercial wood-cleaning product, however, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Hardwood floors may look water-resistant to spills in comparison with carpet, but certain substances can actually eat away at the top coat of polish on your floor. If left untreated, over time these spills can sink into the wood, making it more difficult to fix. Some common staining elements include milk, mustard, and pet urine. If your pet is not properly house trained, make sure to clean up after any accidents immediately.
A damp mop can also help keep a hardwood floor more clean. Most wood floor installers or manufacturers recommend cleaners that contain isopropyl alcohol, which dries quickly. You can also make your own solution by adding a cup of white vinegar to a gallon of water. This solution will help dissolve grease and grime on the floor without stripping the finish. Also, using steam on hardwood floors is not the way to go. Steam opens the pores in wood and damages the finish, causing irreparable damage to any wood floor.
One of the easiest floors to clean is hardwood floors, but you have to know the right products and the proper way of using these products. Using a cleaner that says “polish or shine,” means you are adding a layer of this polish to the floor and not a protective coating, contrary to what you may think you are doing to the floor.
If vacuuming and mopping don’t restore the shine to your hardwood floors, it could be that the wood floors are damaged to the point that they should be refinished. Refinishing your hardwood floor means that the top layer of the wood has to be sanded down to remove marks and then covered with a sealant. Hardwood floors should be resealed once every 10 years, or every two to five years depending on the amount of traffic your floors endure.
Hardwood floors bring long-lasting beauty to your home. With the proper care, your hardwood floors can last for decades. Village Carpet Shop not only sells and installs hardwood flooring, but have the best cleaning products you can use to keep them looking good as new! Village Carpet Shop is located at 617 Highway 5 North in Mountain Home, Arkansas. 800-951-6919 or 870-425-6919. Stop by or give us a call today!
