How To Clean Your Hardwood Flooring

Whether you are admiring the gorgeous hardwood species already installed in your home or are in the process of selecting hardwood flooring for your next installation, you want that pristine hardwood surface and natural beauty to last for as long as possible! The best way to maintain the elegance of hardwood flooring over time is with a consistent care routine that adheres to proper cleaning steps. Since hardwood floors have material characteristics different from other flooring material types, your planks need cleaning steps specific to genuine wood. Here are a few valuable tips from our Hamernick’s experts for how to clean your hardwood flooring:

Daily Care

The first step for keeping your hardwood planks beautiful is with thoughtful daily care! Everyday debris particles can quickly become abrasive offenders that create noticeable scratches on the wood surface when rubbed against it. Even smaller particles can cause finer scratches on the floor’s surface that become visible with accumulated wear on the floor over time. Therefore, the less time that little bits of dirt and debris spend on your hardwood floor, the better.

The best tool for daily cleaning your hardwood flooring is a microfiber cloth or mop. A broom is also handy and certainly better than not cleaning your wood surface but can push debris across the floor rather than lifting it off the floor. Dust-mopping or sweeping your floor is an excellent daily strategy!

Weekly Care

Following up on daily care with weekly maintenance will help ensure the appeal and investment in your hardwood flooring pays off even longer. Vacuuming or mopping will help with even more cleaning power and accessing hard-to-reach areas. However, there are precautions to think about when using either method with hardwood floors: Make sure no components hit against the floor when using a vacuum cleaner, such as a rotating brush. Also, be aware that plastic wheels can scratch the wood so clean them gently.

Only use a mop or Swiffer on your hardwood floors if your flooring manufacturer has warranted the surface for this step. If you are cleared to use a mop, it is important to use the least amount of water needed to complete the task. Water and moisture can be problematic to authentic wood, so ring out as much water out of the mop as you can. The floor should be able to dry quickly naturally, and you can use a microfiber cloth to dry it if you need to.

Cleaning Products

Avoid using harsh cleaners on your wood floors, and do NOT use cleaners designed for other flooring materials such as vinyl or tile. Products you can try are liquid scratch concealer, wood floor polish, floor wax, and touch-up kits. Be sure to read any related instructions on the products before using them and make sure the product is safe for the type of wood and finish you will clean. As a thoughtful safety measure, try any cleaning products in an inconspicuous area before applying them over more visible sections.