The Ultimate Guide To Maintaining Hardwood Floors: Importance Of A Cleaner

Just like winter, monsoon is a favorite season for many. The romantic rainfall and the pleasant earthy smell. The spicy pakoras or hot soups to warm you up. Who doesn’t love it? Obviously, from inside. Lol. Like seriously, monsoon is a season of many benefits from increasing groundwater levels to helping farmers grow vegetables.

But, if you have or planning to have a classy and durable hardwood floor. Well, it also brings challenges like damps and molds for you. Most people of standard status prefer hardwood floors for their comfortable touch, warm feeling, long life, and aesthetic appeal. Hardwoods are also eco-friendly. The best thing about a hardwood floor is improved acoustics and sound control.

While hardwoods have so many benefits they tend to damage more if you are unaware and unable to maintain them. Moreover, maintaining a hardwood floor is tough. But, with proper knowledge and the right cleaner taking care of your hardwood is a child’s play. This guide will help you with the insights to maintain a hardwood floor.

Key Takeaways

Harwood’s basic nature

How to take care of your hardwood?

 

Why is hardwood maintenance tough?

Let’s first learn hardwood's basic nature to understand its issues and prevent them beforehand.

Prone to Damage

Hardwood floors are durable but susceptible to damage that ruins their appearance and can even weaken your floors. Some common damages your wooden floor gets are the following.

1. Scratches and Dents: 

• Hardwood floors get easily scratched or dented. It commonly happens while moving heavy furniture, when taking a prep with high heels, or when your pets sharpening their nails.

2. Water Damage: 

• Wood is prone to damage from water. Spills, leaks, or excessive moisture absorption in humid weather can cause warping, swelling, or mold growth on hardwood floors.

3. UV Damage: 

• Hardwood floors are vulnerable to UV damage. Prolonged exposure to sunlight fades the color or creates discoloration on hardwood floors over time.

Maintenance

Hardwood needs constant care and attention. Keep a check on the health of your wooden floor by taking the following actions.

1. Regular Care: 

• Hardwood floors require aftercare. You must conserve a hardwood floor by sweeping and vacuuming. Occasional mopping helps to keep your floor looking its best.

2. Preventive Action: 

• Prevention is always better than cure. You may take protective measures like using furniture pads and putting up carpets, rugs, or mats to prevent damage to your lovely hardwoods.

Sensitive to Humidity

Woods easily catch moisture and get damaged by it. Maintain the perfect moisture balance in your indoors.

1. Expansion and Contraction of hardwoods: 

• Wood naturally expands and contracts to fit in with changes in temperature and humidity levels. If not properly maintained, this leads to gaps or buckling in the wood.

2. Consistent Climate Control for the hardwoods: 

• Humidity levels impact hardwood’s condition severely. It is necessary to prevent damage by maintaining the humidity levels indoors. Use humidifiers and dehumidifiers.

Pets Love Woods

Pet parents are well aware of their nature. Not necessarily you can always control your pets’ behaviors. However, you can take precautions to prevent damage your felines and canines cause.

1. External Damage: 

• Pets like cats and dogs cause scratches, stains, or dents. So if you are a pet parent you must go for more durable wood qualities with better finishes or even with laminated floorings.

2. Allergens and other substances: 

• Although hardwood floors do not trap allergens like a carpet or rug, they get clogged with pet hairs and danders. But the good news is they are visible and can be removed with frequent cleaning.

How to take care of your hardwood?

After reading all the concerns it may seem a daunting task. Trust me, with the right approach, taking care of your hardwood is not that hard.

Regular Maintenance

1. Regular cleaning with a Sweep or Vacuum: 

• Use a soft-bristle broom or a vacuum cleaner with a floor brush attachment.
• Clean daily or in a timely manner to prevent dirt and debris buildup.

2. Take advantage of Mats and Rugs: 

• Place doormats at entryways and preferably at the places that tend to get dirty.
• Use carpets or rugs in high-traffic areas and obviously under the pieces of furniture.

3. Protect from Furniture Scratches: 

• Place felt pads under furniture legs to prevent dents while moving them.
• Although putting pads, preferably try to lift furniture instead of dragging it.

Choosing the Right Cleaner

1. Avoid Harsh Chemicals: 

• Wood needs gentle care. Do not use ammonia, vinegar, or other harsh chemicals. A big no-no for acids and breeches on wooden floors. Choose a gentle cleaner for your hardwoods.

2. pH-Neutral Cleaners: 

• Go for a cleaner that cleans hardwoods effectively and enhances its natural beauty. Opt for a cleaner that balances pH while preventing your floor from getting stains and spots.

3. Water-Based Cleaners: 

• Try to select cleaners that clean effectively without leaving residue. Water-based cleaners are ideal for cleaning your hardwood floors.

Step by Step Cleaning

1. Dry Cleaning: 

• First sweep or vacuum to remove loose dirt and debris.

2. Damp Mopping: 

• Use a damp mop with the right hardwood floor cleaner.
• Try to avoid water for cleaning.

3. Buffing: 

• Gently rub the floor with a dry microfiber cloth after mopping.

4. Spot Cleaning: 

• Wipe off spills immediately or ASAP with a soft cloth and cleaner.
• Avoid abrasive scrubbing. Woods are not made for 

Taking Preventative Measures

1. Shoes Off Policy: 

• Maintain and encourage removing shoes before entering an indoor space to reduce the amount of dirt.

2. Trim Pet Nails: 

• You can’t control your pets. But can keep their nails trimmed to prevent scratches.

3. Sunlight Protection: 

• Put on curtains or blinds to protect your wooden floors from direct sunlight and to prevent discoloration.

Dealing with Stains and Spills

1. Water Spills: 

• Wipe up water spills immediately before your floor soaks up the moisture and causes damage.

2. Food and Drink Stains: 

• Clean your floor immediately. Use a soft cloth paired with an appropriate floor cleaner.

3. Oil and Grease Stains: 

• Use a mild dish soap solution without water to break down oil or grease stains.

Long-Term Care

1. Polishing: 

• Polish floors periodically to maintain their shine. Polishing your floors every few years helps restore their natural appearance and gives basic protection from stains.

2. Humidity Control: 

• Use humidifiers or dehumidifiers to maintain consistent humidity levels. Humidifiers help add moisture to your indoors while dehumidifiers do the exact opposite of that.

Professional Care

1. Professional Cleaning: 

• Schedule professional cleaning and polishing periodically if needed.

2. Repairs: 

• Hire professionals for repairs if the floor sustains significant damage.

Let’s Take A Final Note

To sum it up, a floor is an inanimate partner who takes care of your feet. Remember and take action with dedication for the care it needs. Protect your floors from common damages, maintain regular cleaning to manage their appearance, and ensure they remain a beautiful and lasting feature in your home. With the right approach, hardwood floor care can become manageable and even rewarding with the elegance and warmth they bring to your living space for years.