Most wood floors are simple to maintain, provided they are cleaned properly to keep their gloss, and they add warmth and a distinctive look to any house decor. However, constant foot traffic tracks in dirt and filth, accumulating on hardwood floors and making them appear dingy. If you also have pets, dust mites are likely to get more numerous daily.
According to deep cleaning services Dubai, It’s safer and healthier for you if floors are kept clean. A slight layer of dust or filth can make wood floors slick and dangerous for falls. Asthma and other respiratory ailments are brought on by an accumulation of dust and dust mites.
When Should Hardwood Floors Be Cleaned?
Wood floors should be swept, vacuumed, or dust mopped daily to maintain the finish, and it should clean up spills afterward. Depending on how frequently the floors are used, you should undertake a more thorough cleaning once a week or once a month.
Before starting
Your flooring type, solid hardwood, engineered hardwood, or laminate wood-look flooring—should be decided upon before you begin cleaning. Although It has extremely similar looks, laminate requires different maintenance than solid or engineered hardwood. It can use the same cleaning routine on solid and engineered hardwood floors. However, It should never clean laminate with hardwood floor cleaners since the oil and wax in the formulas might dull the finish.
Different Wood and Wood-Like Flooring Styles
• Solid hardwood flooring: This type of flooring is laid in strips or planks and can be left unfinished or stained. Any hardwood (oak, maple, teak, walnut, or ash) cut from a single solid piece of wood is acceptable for the flooring.
• Engineered hardwood flooring: This flooring is made by adhering multiple thin plies of hardwood together. The layers layered to strengthen the floor pieces, with the grains flowing in various orientations. A thin veneer or a thicker hardwood layer that sand and polish over time might serve as the surface layer.
• Laminate flooring with a wood look: There is no hardwood on this flooring. The surface makes up of fiberboard with a photographic picture of wood on it that cover in a thick layer of melamine resin.
Cleaning Equipment for Hardwood Floors
You can utilize a variety of cleaning tools. A broom with soft bristles is the best option for sweeping up dust and crumbs from hardwood floors while avoiding further damage. Nylon or rubber can use to make the bristles. Both bristles charge with static and work to pick up particles. Grab the accumulated dirt with a dustpan or hand vacuum.
Compared to cotton or sponge mops, microfiber mop heads are more effective in attracting dust and are simple to wash and maintain. You can use a vacuum on hardwood floors, but to avoid scratching them, pick one with soft-bristle rollers and a retractable beater bar. Use the upholstery brush attachment to get to the room’s dusty corners.
Solution for Cleaning Hardwood Floors
Most wood floors seal with polyurethane or polyacrylic urethane. Therefore it’s crucial to pick a wood floor cleaning that will leave the sealer streak-free and bright. Never use harsh chemicals like vinegar that will dilute, ammonia, pine oil, or chlorine bleach. Instead, pick a professional solution designed for sealed wood floors. On a wood floor that will polyurethane seal, never use liquid or paste wax.
Solid or engineered hardwood floor cleaning techniques
1. Daily sweep or vacuum
Every day, sweep or vacuum the floor to eliminate the dirt and debris that can scratch the finish. Regularly clean the area rugs’ undersides. It should remove scuff marks as soon as you see them.
2. Deal with messes as they arise
Never let any dry messes or liquid spills that can leave water rings sit on hardwood floors for longer than a few minutes. It is crucial for mud and other dark substances and can leave stains that are difficult to remove.
Give the floor a last “rinse” with a cloth or mop mildly soaked with water after wiping up the spill with a paper towel or cloth. To avoid streaks, wipe against the grain of the wood.
3. Dust Mop Every Week
Dust mop wood floors at least once a week to remove the stray dust particles that seem to appear overnight.
4. Damp Mop During Seasons
It should only be necessary to damp mop with a cleaning agent a few times a year if you have been swiftly cleaning up spills and keeping the floors clear of dirt and dust. Never use a mop that is dripping wet. Too much water can harm every sealant on wood floors, which will also make the flooring buckle.
To prevent spotting, lightly dampen a microfiber mop, sweep the floor while maintaining the wood’s natural grain, and let the floor completely dry before stepping on it. If you are in a region with hard water, use distilled water to damp mop the floor. Hard water’s excessive mineral content can make floor finishes appear drab.
Choose an industrial wood floor cleaner with a spray applicator, or use a mop like Bona with a refillable spray feature. Too much of a good thing can make floors sticky and dirt stickier. Cleaning requires a little mist of one-half teaspoon per two square feet.
How to Clean Laminate Flooring with a Wood Look?
As mentioned by Audit firms in Dubai, Wood-look laminate flooring requires little maintenance. Clean up spills right away, and do regular sweeping or vacuuming. Use a steam mop for thorough cleaning instead of wet mopping, which might warp the underlayers. Steer clear of abrasive cleaners like pine oil and anything that claims to leave a sheen. The laminate will appear dull due to the waxy buildup. To dampen your mop, choose a small dishwashing liquid in warm water.
Ways to Maintain Cleanliness of Floors
It should place a doormat outside and inside the main entrance door. Even though the doormat tends to get dirty quickly, having it all over your house is preferable.
If you clean up spills and messes immediately, they might get better. If you’ve ever shared a home with kids or animals, you know what happens when cereal is dropped from a high chair or dog food is left on the floor; it turns into a crumbly, powdery mess the moment a foot steps on it. After a few hours, juice splatters turn into a sticky nightmare. Your floors will seem worse and take longer to clean when you finally get around to them if you put off these cleaning activities until the next time you wash the floors.
Homemade cleaning solution for wood floors
Diluted vinegar is one of hardwood floors’ most affordable and efficient cleaners. A suitable ratio is 1 gallon of warm water to 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar. You can incorporate a few drops of your favorite essential oil into the cleaning solution to leave a pleasing aroma behind while you clean. As it dries out, the vinegar scent will disappear.
Guidelines for Preventing Wood Floor Scratches
Floors that have scratches look worn out and degrade more quickly. A few safety measures can help prevent scratches.
- Add felt pads to the chair and table legs’ bottoms.
- Avoid setting plant pots on wooden floors directly.
- Never drag large or heavy items across the floor.
- When walking on hardwood floors, avoid wearing stilettos and cleats.
- Use doormats at all entrances, indoors and out, and keep them clean. The frequency of scratches will decrease if the amount of grit carried into the house decreases.
- Maintain clipped and filed pet toenails.
Cleaning Wood Flooring of Stains
You can use hydrogen peroxide from your medicine cabinet or a commercial hardwood spot remover to get rid of an annoying stain like wine from hardwood flooring. The bleaching abilities of hydrogen peroxide make it safe for hardwood floors. Cover the stain for six to eight hours with a clean towel soaked in hydrogen peroxide. The stain ought to go after some time.
When to Contact a Specialist
Schedule a frequent maintenance visit from a local wood flooring professional cleaning business if your floors have lost their sheen or if you need more time or desire to clean them yourself. Professional cleaning can prolong the usefulness of your flooring and delay the need for refinishing for many years. On the other hand, if your wood floors have a lot of dents, scratches, or water damage, you might need to have them refinished. You should get a professional to mend your flooring or even replace it if the wood begins to rot, split, splinter, or become black.
