Wood Floor Cleaning

In time after having a wood floor fitted, scratches, stains and imperfections are inevitable. Often, this can be seen to add character and charm to your wood flooring. However, if simple care and maintenance techniques are followed, these imperfections can be minimised and your hardwood flooring will serve you for decades as an elegant and quality investment to your home.

Cleaning Hardwood Floors – A Guide

ROUTINE CARE

Some general tips to help you care for your new hardwood floor:

Most vacuums are equipped with a wood floor attachment, this should be used regularly to clean the wood floor of dirt and grit which could scratch and damage the flooring. A microfibre mop can also be used to dry clean.
Your wood flooring should be cleaned regularly with a damp mop and specialist floor cleaner. This should then be dried thoroughly with a clean cloth.
Any spillage should be cleaned up straight away with a damp cloth. Liquids should never be left on your floor as this may cause the boards to warp and split.
Once your floor begins to look dull it may be time to get it refinished. This will restore the original beauty of your floor and will help protect and reseal against moisture which will ultimately extend the lifespan of your floor.
If time has taken its toll and any areas of the product are particularly heavily soiled you can apply a liquid wax cleaner.
Items of furniture should never be dragged across solid flooring as this may cause deep gouging.
Try to avoid any heeled or metal-tipped shoe being worn across the floor as this can easily cause indents and imperfections.

Specialised Hardwood Floor Care

Chewing gum and candle wax can be removed by hardening the spot with ice then gently scrape with a plastic scraper (e.g. credit card).
To remove harsh stains, such as paint, stay away from strong chemicals and abrasives which could damage your floor. Instead, stick to an approved, mild cleaner.
Boards that have been subject to severe damage may need to be replaced. For this, it is advised that you seek professional help.

Tips and Tricks

An entry mat should be used to collect dirt and prevent it from being carried into your home.
Use decorative rugs in high traffic areas of your home to reduce wear.
When cleaning, never soak your floor or use products not appropriate for wood floors as this can damage the flooring and void the warranty.
Floor protectors should be used under furniture to prevent indents and scratches.
Touch up kits are widely available online that can fix small gouges or scratches.
If part of the room is exposed to the sunlight place a mat or rug there to prevent part of the room being a different shade from the rest. If the whole room is exposed you may wish to put a mat down and move it about evenly to help stop the floor from fading.

Cleaning Oil Finish Floors

Unlike a normal lacquered hardwood floors, boards with a natural oil finish will require periodic care and maintenance. The biggest advantage of buying an oiled or brushed oiled product instead of a lacquered finish is the ability to refurbish a scratched or faded section of the floor without having to sand and reseal the entire area to give it an even look and feel.

· As soon as installation is complete treat boards with a Polyx hard wax oil coating. This protects the floor from dirt, water and grit, particularly in high traffic areas and areas liable to water ingress

· Reapply oil in order to keep the product in tip-top condition every 12 to 18 Months.

· If you have particularly stubborn "worn in" stains or scratches you may use you can also use a slightly alkaline special cleaning concentrate called ‘Intensive cleaner’ which will cleanse and decontaminate the surface of oiled and waxed boards.

· If you need a cleaning solution that is part of a regular cleaning schedule, we recommend that you consider using a mild soap such as Osmo Wash and Care. This product will nourish the floor.

Using a Cleaning Solution For Wood Floors – Step by Step Guide

Step 1: Clear all dirt, dust and debris off the surface.

Step 2: Shake the soap solution thoroughly.

Step 3: Follow the guidelines on the bottle and mix the recommended amount of soap solution with the recommended amount of hot water.

Step 4: Fill up a second bucket of hot water to rinse the soap solution off the floor again.

Step 5: Use a mop to clean the floor, when dipping the mop into the bucket make sure that it is only damp and not soaking wet before use. Regularly change the water so that you aren’t cleaning the floor with dirty water.

Step 6: Once this process is complete. Rinse out the mop and using the bucket with just hot water, dampen the mop and go over the floor to clean off all excess soap solution.

How to remove scuff marks off a solid floor

On a floor with a varnished or waxed finished use a proprietary cleaner or if not available a good alternative is baking soda mixed with vinegar.. Spray over the area where the scuffmark is, give it time to soak in, then use a light steel wool pad to rub it over the area. If in the process of this some wax or varnish has come away then it may need refinishing – see above.

Alternative methods

A sock or soft cloth can be used, or some people use a tennis ball which is rubbed over the scuffmark. This idea came from America where the technique has been known to be used to take scuffmarks out of the floors in basketball courts.

Regular waxing of the floor can help prevent scuffs.

Cleaning engineered wood floors in this way will not only keep them look fresh but will extend the lifespan.