Keeping Your Hardwood Floors Clean and Shining

Hardwood floors can create the character of your home, but only if they are properly cleaned and maintained. Many people avoid wood flooring, thinking it's harder to maintain than vinyl or carpet, but this isn't true; wood floors can be much easier to maintain than carpets. Begin with a good finish, and do basic cleaning regularly to keep your floor shining.

Step One: Remove Surface Dirt

Begin cleaning your hardwood floor by removing any loose dirt or debris. Use a soft bristle broom or a vacuum with a hardwood attachment, but avoid beater bars that can damage the finish of your floor. A disposable sweeper pad can also be a good tool. With normal floor wear, you should sweep or vacuum at least twice a week.

Step Two: Use a Cleaning Product

To properly clean your hardwood floor and remove dirt, grease and stains, you must use a cleaning agent designed for the finish on your floor. If you've just refinished your floor, or just had a hardwood floor installed, it's most likely a urethane finish. Use a pH neutral cleaner on urethane: don't use vinegar because while it's a good rinse agent, it won't remove grease or dirt; don't use a high pH cleaner such as soap because it will dull your floor. If your installer or refinisher hasn't recommended a cleaning product, check a cleaning supply retailer (online, try www.cleaningreport.com) to find a pH neutral cleaner.

Apply the wood floor cleaner with a rotating head mop, or put some elbow grease in by spraying a very small amount of diluted cleaner on the floor and rubbing it with a clean rag. Keep a second rag handy to remove any extra moisture; water will destroy the finish of your floor. You can also use a damp mop, but make sure that the mop is damp and not wet. If you have a stubborn stain, spray a small amount of undiluted cleaner on the spot and rub it off with a clean rag.

If your hardwood floor has a wax finish, clean it with a gentle solvent such as an odorless mineral spirit, then reapply paste wax over the cleaned area(s). You may need to buff the floor with a buffer after this. If you don't know the finish of your floor, use the testing methods described at www.wooddoctor.com. You may want to strip and refinish your floor with a longer-lasting urethane finish.

Step Three: Remove Dents and Scratches

If simple buffing with a cleaner doesn't remove all the scratches on your hardwood floor, try filling them in using a small amount of the floor finish and an artist's brush. Dents, too, can be filled with a small amount of finish if they are noticeable.

If the problem is deeper than that, try screening and recoating. Screening abrades the existing finish and is followed by recoating the screened area with the original finish, to extend the life and beauty of your hardwood floor. If the damage is severe, you may need to resort to sanding and refinishing the entire floor.

Step Four: Keep It Clean

To keep your hardwood floor properly cleaned, maintenance is the key. Minimize the dirt you bring in by putting rugs at doorways; dirt and grit act like sandpaper on hardwood. Sunlight will fade the floor, so use shades and curtains. Throw rugs should be used and moved around frequently to allow the floor to fade evenly. Be sure not to use rubber-backed rugs, as these can damage the finish. Use rugs specifically designed for hardwood floors.

It's easier to avoid dents than to remove them; most are caused by shoe heels and furniture legs. Remove your shoes before walking on your wood floor (and keep extra slippers by the door for visitors). If you have pets, keep their nails cut short. Put protectors on furniture and table legs to help keep your hardwood floor clean and unmarked.

Following these relatively simple steps to properly clean your hardwood floors will add years to the finish of your floor and maintain the shine that makes your floor glow like no other flooring can.

Sources:

www.wooddoctor.com

www.wcfa.org/hardwood/care.aspx