Hardwood floors have now become a fashion statement and are the easiest flooring types to keep clean if properly handled and kept maintained. Unlike carpeting, hardwood floors require minimum maintenance, take less time and care, and are more durable. Clean makes the house look both beautiful and spacious.
It is suggested to properly sweep off any dirt, pet hairs, or dust from the floors using a soft bristled broom or a vacuum cleaner. For mopping any hardwood floor, mix a half cup of white vinegar with a gallon of warm water. The water should not be too hot and the white vinegar added will make hardwood floor cleaner rather than using water alone. After mopping, properly dry the hardwood floors using a towel or dry mop.
The main thing is to clean up the moisture or any liquid spills immediately, otherwise with the passage of time, the floor’s coat of protection, seals, and waxes will decrease in effectiveness if the moisture or liquid seeps into the wood. For the occasional spills, it is key to get the liquid off the hardwood flooring as quickly as possible and to mop with clear, warm water. In order to finish off the mopping at its best, use floor wax or floor polish to maintain it further.
All floors at times have stains, whether they are hardwood or carpeted. A very fine steel wool can be used to remove the majority of the stains. A little alcohol can also be used to remove stains and finishing off by polishing and buffing. Cleaning depends on the amount of traffic and floor’s usage. An extra precaution required to maintain clean floors is to remove footwear to reduce the heel marks imprinted into the floors. If there are any pets in the house, it is suggested to keep their nails trimmed to prevent their nails from scratching the floor.
Using a dehumidifier in the home also prevents the amount of contraction and expansion of the wood to its minimum. A humidifier keeps the relative humidity level inside the house between 45 and 65 percent.
To get a good shine on the floor requires getting down on your hands and knees. For polishing the floor, mix equal amounts of olive oil and white vinegar in a spray bottle and then apply a thin mist to the floor. Spray in small areas or rub the solution onto the floors. Buffing and refinishing any hardwood floors should always be left to the professionals.
