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This is how to clean hardwood floors

Cleaning your hardwood floor is a lot of work. It’s time-consuming, expensive, and if you’re not careful it can be damaging to the floors themselves. However, with some basic knowledge about how to clean hardwood floors properly (and efficiently), you’ll find that it becomes much easier and enjoyable. 

In this blog post we will go over: 

  • When should I sweep or vacuum my wood flooring?
  • What kind of products should I use to clean wood floors?   
  • How do I avoid scratching my wood floors when cleaning?

A few years ago when I was far from the cleaning business, I wasn’t happy to do the cleaning myself. It was awful and took up so much of my time. I would usually try to do it on the weekends when nobody else was home, but sometimes it just had to get done during the week.

cleaning hardwood floors

It never seemed to stop being such a hassle, until one day I found the most effective way to clean hardwood floors really quickly:

1. Sweep up all the dirt and debris

Before you sweep, make sure to put on a dust mask. Not only will it protect your lungs, but it’ll keep the dirt from getting into your mouth and eyes.

2. Use a damp rag to scrub away any stains or spots

Wash the rag in warm water before use. Make sure nothing is stuck on it that could damage your hardwood floors. Use a scrubbing motion to rub away stains or dirt from the fabric.

3. Mop your floor with warm water and vinegar to buff it dry

Did you know that warm water and vinegar are the best cleaners for your floor? It’s true!

4. For stubborn stains, use baking soda mixed with water on a sponge or cloth

I was in the kitchen trying to get all of my dishes done before I left for work when I noticed a stubborn stain on one of my favorite plates. “No problem,” I thought, quickly grabbing the baking soda jar and mashing some powder onto a sponge, “It’ll be gone in no time.”

After rubbing it across the plate for about five minutes with little progress, it suddenly occurred to me that maybe using water might help dilute and break down the stubbornness. 

Water always helped my mother clean up after dinner when we were kids. So I grabbed another sponge from under the sink and mixed a little water into the baking soda before scrubbing again at this old friend. To my delight, much less elbow grease was

5. To protect your floors from wear and tear, add a coat of oil-based polyurethane finish every few months 

It is surprisingly easy to get your floors oily, so my dad always told me. It’s true that oil is everywhere; cooking oils and petroleum products are just some of the more common sources. 

My friends all know not to bring food onto carpeted areas, but I thought it would be a good idea to warn them about our hardwood floor too. “No food or drink on the hardwood,” I warned as they walked into our house while throwing their shoes at the door like always. “My dad says if you’re really concerned then put a coat of polyurethane finish on every few months.”

6. Put down area rugs in high traffic areas for added protection

A few years ago, the carpet in the living room of my previous home was becoming worn down from all the people that were constantly walking on it and spilling things. It was starting to have a funny smell too, so I decided to put down some area rugs for additional protection. 

One morning my cousin came over and spilled her coffee all over one of them. She apologized profusely as she helped with mopping up everything with paper towels. “Don’t worry about it,” I told her because if anything, this would give me an excuse to finally switch out my old rug for something new! And the best part that my lovely hardwood floor was safe.

Read also: Learn The Facts Before You Hire Someone To Clean Your Air Ducts

clean wood floors

What kind of products should I use for hardwood floor cleaning?   

Wet cleaning of hardwood floors performed with a slightly damp, thoroughly wrung out beforehand cloth.

  1. Soak a soft, absorbent cloth in warm water and squeeze out well.
  2. Wipe the floor with a slightly damp cloth from the outermost wall to the door.
  3. If there are wet spots on the hardwood floor, wipe them off immediately using a dry, clean cloth.
  4. The hardwood floor should be washed as rarely as possible, it is worth replacing washing with dry cleaning using a vacuum cleaner and with further polishing using specialized compounds.

This completes the “wet” phase of cleaning. Further.

If you prefer household chemicals to natural cleaning agents, then it is better to choose caring compositions from the same manufacturer from which your hardwood flooring was purchased. The cleaner should be used in strict accordance with the recommendations for its use, otherwise, there is a risk of irreparably spoiling the hardwood floor. After that, the floor should be wiped dry.

But keep in mind that when using a solution: 1 tablespoon of vinegar or ammonia, diluted in two liters of water, the result will be the same.

Not so long ago, a hardwood floor was laid in residential premises, without applying varnish layers – they simply did not know about it. After washing it, they diligently rubbed it with pieces of felt coated with mastic. So the smallest scratches were removed from the wood, and the floor acquired a shine.

This procedure had to be carried out frequently, it took a long time and required a lot of effort. As a result of the search, we found a way out – the parquet floor was varnished. It became easier to care for the hardwood flooring, but moisture and scratches remained their enemies.

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Detergents for hardwood flooring can be divided into two types:

  • cleansing – designed to remove dirt from the floor and various types of stains;
  • protective and decorative compounds – for processing an already cleaned surface, they mask small defects, improve the quality and appearance of the hardwood flooring.

These products are selected in accordance with the final layer of the hardwood floor covering: varnish or oil.

Manufacturers of varnishes usually produce both cleaning and detergent compositions for varnished flooring. The methods of usage are described in the instructions for each bottle, the principle is general: a small amount of the cleaning agent is mixed with water – in a bucket, in this solution you need to wet a soft cloth and use a special mop to wipe the floor surface.

After the stage of cleaning the hardwood floor, it is treated with special fresheners or reducing agents. A thin layer of this composition will protect the parquet surface, giving it dirt and water-repellent properties. Such processing should be performed approximately once every two months.

There are also specialized compositions of a narrow direction, for example: for a high degree of pollution: indelible marks from a bicycle, rubber soles, etc.

In addition to varnish, hardwood floors are covered with oil, hard parquet wax. With such a coating, the floor looks the most natural, the texture of the wood and the natural pattern is visible. The impregnation fills the pores on the surface well, thereby protecting the wood from external factors. The oily-waxy surface is more stained than the varnished one. Modern cleansing compounds are easy to clean with both common dirt and local problems in the form of stains.

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How to avoid hardwood floor scratches when cleaning?

In order for the hardwood floor to be better preserved and shine with novelty, you should follow the most common rules. Such as:

  • if a wooden floor is laid in a room where visits are frequent, for example, in a hall where furniture moves and moves, it is worth putting a carpet on an open surface. This will help protect the varnish from early and rapid wear;
  • mechanical damage to the hardwood floor is possible from the usual movement of furniture in the room. It is advisable to glue felt pads on the furniture legs;
  • do not walk around the apartment in street shoes, because on the soles we bring dirt and sand from the street that can damage the hardwood floor. Leave outdoor shoes in the hallway, change into house slippers;
  • the appearance of microcracks on the lacquer coating is possible due to the very dry air, in particular, in the summer heat. To avoid this, you need to monitor the humidity level inside the room: so that it does not have either too low or too high values.

Hardwood floor, of course, is a fine, prestigious floor covering. The choice of this material will show your excellent taste. But it is necessary to follow all the recommendations for its installation and further operation, to properly care for it.

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Your hardwood floors are going to be beautiful and clean, but there is a lot of information you’ll need in order to do the job right. We’ve got your back with these simple steps for how to clean hardwood floors so that it stays safe from scratches and dirt. The best part? You can contact White Glove Cleaner in NYC to clean your hardwood floors, this way we guarantee they will be clean, safe, and you will save you time!


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