Hardwood floors add value to any home not just monetarily but also in intrinsic value through woods' beauty and elegance. A stain or damage to your floor can end up making it look like an eroded deck of a pirate ship and no one wants that! Wood floors have been known to last decades, with some lasting up to a century. On average, wood flooring lasts up to 40 years. If you want to keep your floors lasting forever, learning how to clean them the right way will help extend their life for a very long time. Not only does this save you money in the short term but also increases the value of your home in the long term. Not many investments can beat that.
In order to maintain your floor, you will first need several "tools of the trade" before you can begin cleaning. Thankfully, you don't need anything too fancy or over the top in price, just a simple soft-bristled broom, a non-abrasive dust mop, a regular mop, a towel, bleach and your floor installers recommended gentle wood cleaning solution. Not too bad, right? These tools are cheap and they allow you to efficiently and effectively clean your floors. Tools like the non-abrasive dust mop and soft-bristled broom remove dust and other debris from your floor without out scratching it. Many people often overlook the quality of the broom they use thinking any old thing will do. This is a mistake because many brooms actually scrape your floor which not only reduces the aesthetic beauty of it but it also causes micro damage that over time can lead to increased chances rot, warping, deeper scratches, splintering and other undesirable effects.
Next, there are the "tricks of the trade", things that will help you keep your floor in great condition and save you money over both the short term and the long haul. The first trick is understanding the condition of your floor. If your floor is in need of a deep and immediate cleaning, it's important that you don't just get down and dirty right away. Your wood floors are covered by oil and/or wax finishes which act like a layer of skin that is used for protection. If that protection is worn thin putting water on your wood flooring can seriously damage it. So before you begin to mop, make sure that wring your mop out as much as humanely possible before you begin cleaning with it. After you are done mopping it is recommended that you towel dry your floors clean. An easy way to do this is wrap a towel around your dust mop so you can push it around instead of doing it on your hands and knees. Once you have given the floor a good mopping and have dried it, keeping it clean will be easier with the non-abrasive dust mop. If your floors are pretty damaged avoid the mop and just stick to the dust mop until you can the floor refinished.
Next, you should take into consideration what kind of mess you are cleaning up on your floor. Say someone accidentally spills some type of alcohol on your floor during a party, here it is best to clean the spill with a gentle wood cleaner mixed with water and a splash of bleach to help kill any mold or mildew that may have built up in the time between of the spill and the cleaning. Remember that wood flooring must be cleaned with the tender caress you would give a loved one! Abrasive cleaning products and tools will damage your floor so make sure to dilute your cleaning products and to avoid scrubbing at all costs! With other stains like juice or coffee make sure to attack the stain as fast as possible! Using a towel and some water should be enough.
Sadly, not all spills and damages can be cleaned yourself. If you do happen to have a noticeable dark stain or watermark on your wood floor, the only cleaning option may to be buff and refinish your floor or to replace the damaged wood if it comes down to it. If this is where you are it is best to find a professional who will come in and do the work for you on your wood flooring. Though do not be discouraged as this can be done yourself but it requires several tools that can be expensive. If you do decide to bring in a professional make sure to support your local floor installation businesses and take advantage of their quoting services. In the end having a beautiful home you are proud of is worth the work!
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