A beautiful hardwood floor or staircase deserves to be looked after. In an ideal world, it would stay looking as good as new forever but we know that the reality of daily life means some wear and tear will inevitably occur. So how can you protect your floor so that it is resilient and hard-wearing enough to look great in even the busiest of households? A Wood Idea has put together a cleaning and maintenance guide to help you keep your solid wood flooring or staircase healthy and clean.
Should I mop my hardwood floor?
Any hardwood floor’s worst enemy is too much moisture. Although wood does need some moisture in order to keep it from drying out, this is very minimal and water should be used scarcely when cleaning. Our recommendation is a fortnightly or monthly wash ideally, a flat-head spray mop, however, a very slightly damp mop will also do the trick. Try not to wash more frequently than this as a build-up of moisture can cause visual damage such as marks in the wood and structural damage like lifting or buckling. If spillages occur, make sure to wipe them up quickly with a microfibre cloth and a certified floor cleaning product. Get in contact and speak to one of our experts in-store or over the phone about the products we recommend.
How to clean up dirt/dust from my wooden floor?
Sweeping with a soft-bristled brush is preferred over a hoover when it comes to getting rid of dust or dirt from your solid wood floor. However, we understand the ease of hoovering, especially if you have carpet elsewhere in the home. Therefore, if you are hoovering, remember to make sure the hoover is on a low brush setting to avoid scratching the surface. Some hoovers will have a “carpet” and a “wood” setting programmed in to help. You are the best judge of when your room needs a brush, however, we would recommend at least once a week to prevent your floor from being scratched.
How can I prevent damage to my hardwood floor?
The easiest way to fix damage to your floor is to prevent the damage before it happens. Here are some simple tips to stop the damage from occurring:
- Pets – Make sure your furry friends regularly have their claws clipped so they don’t scratch the floor when running around!
- Consider investing in a dirt trapper mat for entry points such as garden doors. Make sure they have a non-slip rubber base so they stay in place.
- Children – If your children’s playtime is going to get messy, make sure to put a protective mat on the floor and clean up any spillages as soon as they occur.
- Furniture – All heavy furniture should have floor protector stickers or castors underneath in order to stop scratches on wood floor from moving it around.
- Shoe-free zone – Create a “no-shoes rule” for family and guests when they enter your home. Taking shoes off at the front door prevents mud and water from being trailed into the house and onto the hardwood floor. High heel shoes in particular can leave indentations in the wood.
Long term maintenance
A Wood Idea recommends a wax or oil clean every 6 months to keep your floor protected and looking healthy. There are several products we can recommend for this depending on your individual requirements so don’t hesitate to speak to one of our experts either in-store, over the phone or by email. Scratches or small amounts of damage can be fixed in different ways depending on the floor. For example, a scratch on a lacquered floor can be fixed by simply reapplying lacquer to the damaged area. Similarly, with an oiled floor, the damage can be fixed by re-oiling the surface. You should not need to do a surface repair more than every 6 months if the above guidelines are followed. However if you find your floor is more severely damaged, we recommend re-sanding and refinishing the wood. This should only be necessary every 5 years if at all. Any questions you have about maintenance can be answered by our in-store experts, even after installation.
Finally, a hardwood floor can be the most beautiful part of a room if kept in good condition. They can be extremely practical and can last for decades, making them a worthwhile investment. Hopefully, our guide has been helpful to you but if you have any further questions, speak to our experts in-store, on the phone at 0191 414 1300, or by email [email protected].
