Why go through the expense of restoring and refinishing a hardwood floor when you can prevent damage in the first place? If you’ve just installed a new hardwood or are thinking of putting one in then this is the ideal time to learn how to clean a hardwood properly to avoid expensive refinishing later. Follow these tips and your floor will stay looking as new as the day you installed it.
How Long Does A Wood Floor For Last?
Apparently a very long time! There are examples of old hardwood floors from around the country that have stayed in great condition for decades and even after more than 100 years of use.
As of an organic material wood floors do have the potential to deteriorate from water and wear but this can be prevented or at least delayed for a very long time. There’s nothing inherent about hardwood floors that says they have to deteriorate; they can remain intact and beautiful for a very long time with proper care. To keep your floor looking good and reduce wear they just need to be properly maintained.
Use The Right Broom For Hardwood Floors
“When sweeping, use only brooms with exploding bristles because they are the most effective in taking out grime and dust”, this advice is ALL OVER the internet but does anyone know what the heck “exploding bristles” are??
Don’t worry too much about “exploding” or “exploded” bristles. Just use a soft bristled brush such as one made with horsehair. Or use one of those wide, flat soft white cotton dry push mops that they use on gym floors and at NBA games.
These dry mops are nice and soft so they don’t harm the finish and they cover a large surface area for faster floor cleaning. And they pick up all types of dirt and sand without using water. They can be shaken out outdoors or the cotton head can be washed with cold water.
Don’t use a straw broom. Although they look great with your decor sitting in the corner by the fireplace, the bristles on these types of brooms are too stiff and will make minute scratches that will slowly remove the finish.
Cleaning Hardwood Floors With Water
Can you clean a hardwood floor with water? Here’s the thing, the floor is not going to fall apart if you use a damp paper towel to clean up a Hawaiian Punch spill every now and then. However, you wouldn’t want to splash buckets of water over a hardwood floor and push it around with a mop like you could with a tile or linoleum floor.
Not only are water a wood a bad idea (think of a toothpick kept in your mouth too long) but usually before the wood gets damaged the shiny coating will get dulled. And if the finish is old and worn then repeated exposure of the wood to water would have a bad effect. Electrician Earnings Once water is allowed to be absorbed into the wood it can cause swelling and warping. Warped and swollen planks not only would need to be replaced but they also could damage the adjacent boards and rupture the baseboard causing additional expensive problems.
So in summary, occasional damp rag or paper towel cleanups Certsure Llp Pocket Guide are OK now and then, but dry cleaning methods are best.
Dirt Accumulates In Gaps In Hardwood Floor
As you’re sweeping keep an eye out for gaps between the planks or around the baseboard where you can see or would expect to see dirt accumulating. Over time not only will the dirt stay in there and be unsanitary, it can also cause pressure over time as more and more dirt gets in there and especially if it gets wet. This can eventually cause the planks to be forced further apart. If you see areas where this is happening consult with a local hardwood floor company to see whether it can be filled.
Routine Wood Floor Inspections
How often should you have your hardwood floors inspected by a professional? First whenever there are signs of wear such as loss of shine or color that indicate the wax or oil or polyurethane finish is coming off. Once the raw wood is exposed it’s not an immediate emergency, but once the raw wood is showing it is vulnerable and if left unprotected it can be stained by spills or absorb water and swell and warp causing bigger problems.
Other than noticeable wear, other natural times to have floors evaluated by a professional might be when remodeling the kitchen or buying, selling or renting the house.
These are but a few life events when you’re likely to be reminded of your wood floor, but it’s helpful if you keep your floor’s care and condition in mind to be sure it stays well taken care of and beautiful for years to come.
