Hardwood floors never fail to create the best asset in every home. With its aesthetic appeal, one of the challenges with it is the FLOOR TILE CLEANING. It is vital to know the kind that works well on your floors with so many different mixtures and methods to manage like the HARDWOOD FLOOR CLEANING. And before doing that, we should do a careful plan and the right tools to make out floor cleaning possible. If you consider FLOOR CLEANING SERVICES in your place, make sure you get the right professional cleaners that can do the best job for your flooring.
Choosing the Appropriate Hardwood Floor Cleaner
Besides checking the FLOOR CLEANING SERVICES COST, another thing to allocate in your budget is the right cleaner for your hardwood floors. Like in other floor types, hardwood floor types have their sensitivity and “weakness,” and it’s crucial to be particular on the cleaner to use to avoid damaging the flooring.
If you are still unsure of the right tools to use for your flooring, you can do the following:
– Talk to your manufacturer and ask for some cleaner recommendations. He can provide options and specific products that can work better for your floors.
– If the manufacturer isn’t available and your flooring isn’t new, choose products specially made for cleaning hardwood floors. Avoid settling for general floor cleaners.
– Never use vinyl or tile floor cleaners because these will never clean your hardwood floors. Worse, it will just damage it.
– If you are uncertain about using harsh chemicals, check for products with certifications that guarantee it is safe to use with children and pets.- Using a homemade solution for cleaning your hardwood floors can be the best option. Just make sure to research further about it as improper tools and methods can harm your flooring too.
Routine Cleaning of Hardwood Floors
It is essential to sweep and vacuum the floors daily if possible in more exposed areas like the dining room and kitchen. If you prefer weekly or bi-weekly vacuuming, choose a vacuum with a floor brush attachment. Never use a beater bar attachment in a vacuum because it can scratch the floor’s finish. Mopping it should be once or twice a week. For less-traffic areas, mopping can be once a month or seasonal. Remember, water is the worst enemy of hardwood floors because it can damage the quality of the wood with too much exposure.
For a quick way to clean it, you can dust mop it using a mop with a microfiber head treated with a dusting agent to quickly pick up the dirt, dust, and pet hair. Before using it, check the manufacturer’s recommendations, especially in using it with any dusting agent. There are microfiber head mops that do not need this agent anymore.
Another way to quickly clean the floors is by using disposable electrostatic cloths to get the job done easier.
A Homemade Solution to Clean Hardwood Floors
If you want to try natural cleaners for your hardwood flooring, you can use one of the best natural homemade solutions you can surely find in your kitchen-the the vinegar. Using ½ cup of white vinegar and a gallon of lukewarm water, mop the hardwood floors carefully to ensure cleaning while avoiding the damage. Before using this, however, conduct a test patch to a small area of the flooring to ensure that is is safe to use for the whole hardwood floor.
How to Remove Stubborn Stains on the Hardwood Floor
If your hardwood floor is soft-oil finished, you can try the following remedies to remove the stubborn stains it has. Once the stain is removed, wax, and buff those spots so that it can still match the flooring’s appearance.
– For dark spots and pet stains, rub the spots with steel wool and floor wax. If the darkness remains, use bleach and vinegar and soak it in the wood for about an hour. Rinse afterward with a damp cloth.
– For heel marks, use fine steel wool and rub it in floor wax.
– For oil-based stains, rub the area using a soft cloth with dish detergent to breakdown the grease. Rinse with clear water. Repeat the application if it is needed. Once the spot is arid, smooth the area using fine sandpaper.
– For watermarks and white stains, rub the stains with steel wool and floor wax. If the stain is more rooted, sand them are lightly and cleanse it with fine stool wool and odorless mineral spirits.
Some Do’s and Don’ts in Cleaning Hardwood Floors
– Do not use oil or furniture sprays because these are never a good idea in cleansing, especially hardwood floors. The oil leaves a residue, while furniture spray results in slippery surfaces, so using these means accidents, injuries, and further damages.
– Do not use other products like pure ammonia, alkaline products, or any abrasive cleaners because it will only create dullness and scratch the floor finish.
Maintaining the Cleanliness of the Hardwood Floors
To prevent more stains and dirt from happening in your hardwood floors, ensure to implement the following:
– Enforce a no-shoe policy. Either place a small bench at the door where they can keep their shoes. Moreover, place a rag or mat inside and outside the entry point of your home.
– If you have pets, put some towels at the door to wipe their paws as they enter the house. You can also purchase a paw-washing bottle to clean their paws easily.- If it is mud season, use a microfiber cloth and all-purpose spray to hand mop and wipe down the small areas on the floor before it spreads out.
For Additional Protection
Aside from the mentioned tips and tools to cleanse your hardwood floors, having additional protection is another way to maintain the best cleanliness and maintenance of the flooring. Floor protectors placed in chair and furniture legs can also protect the flooring from scratches and further damages. Also, window film treatments help prevent the UV damage that can also affect the floor because too much UV can fasten the fading, which creates another damage. Finally, trimming the nails of your pets can also save your flooring from further scratches.
