How to Clean Hardwood Floors
Determine your kind of hardwood finish., Sweep the floor with a soft-bristled broom., Stick to sweeping and mopping each week, only deep cleaning the floor as needed., Immediately wipe up any wet spills on hardwood floors.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine your kind of hardwood finish.
Prefinished floors are the easiest to spot, as every board has beveled (slightly raised) edges.
If the surface isn’t glossy, you have a stained or unfinished floor.
Shiny floors are the most difficult to tell apart.
To test your floor for wax, moisten extra-fine steel wool and rub it on an inconspicuous area; if a light gray smudge appears on the wool, you have a wax finish.
To test whether you have an old or a modern surface seal, place a few drops of water on the most worn area of floor; if it remains beaded after several minutes, you probably have a modern seal, but if it seems to soak or darken the wood, you either have an older seal or a poorly-finished one that needs to be handled gently.
Most new floors are surface-sealed with polyurethane, urethane, or a polyacrylic coating, all of which are water- and stain-resistant and therefore easy to clean.
Older floors that haven’t been refinished usually have a shellac, lacquer, or varnish finish, and while these are technically also “surface-seals,” they aren’t nearly as durable as the more modern finishes; for the purposes of this article, they will, therefore, be placed under the “other” category alongside unfinished and waxed floors.
Although prefinished floors are coated with a durable surface seal, the fact that each board is coated separately (as opposed to pressed up against one another on-site) means that the unsealed cracks between the boards are prone to water damage; for this reason, pre-finished floors also belong in the “other” category.
When in doubt, choose the gentler method; a hardwood floor isn’t something you want to take chances with. -
Step 2: Sweep the floor with a soft-bristled broom.
This will remove large particles like sand or grit that may scratch the floor if caught beneath a mop.
Alternatively, you can vacuum the floor, provided that the bristles are extended to prevent scratching and there is only dust on the floor.
Also use the "bare floor" setting on your vacuum to prevent scratching the floor.
Most vacuums have attached bristles to kick up dust, but these can ruin hardwood floors. , While you should sweep and/or vacuum regularly to keep the floor free of dust and scratching agents, you should only clean your hardwood when it really needs it.
This will prolong the life of your floor.
Hardwood floors are generally easy to keep clean, as there is nothing to trap dirt or dust.
A simple sweep or vacuum should cover most messes. , No matter what your finish, you should never leave moisture to sit around on hardwood floors.
It can damage the seal and the wood permanently if you're not careful.
Wipe it up with a damp cloth, then dry the surface completely. -
Step 3: Stick to sweeping and mopping each week
-
Step 4: only deep cleaning the floor as needed.
-
Step 5: Immediately wipe up any wet spills on hardwood floors.
Detailed Guide
Prefinished floors are the easiest to spot, as every board has beveled (slightly raised) edges.
If the surface isn’t glossy, you have a stained or unfinished floor.
Shiny floors are the most difficult to tell apart.
To test your floor for wax, moisten extra-fine steel wool and rub it on an inconspicuous area; if a light gray smudge appears on the wool, you have a wax finish.
To test whether you have an old or a modern surface seal, place a few drops of water on the most worn area of floor; if it remains beaded after several minutes, you probably have a modern seal, but if it seems to soak or darken the wood, you either have an older seal or a poorly-finished one that needs to be handled gently.
Most new floors are surface-sealed with polyurethane, urethane, or a polyacrylic coating, all of which are water- and stain-resistant and therefore easy to clean.
Older floors that haven’t been refinished usually have a shellac, lacquer, or varnish finish, and while these are technically also “surface-seals,” they aren’t nearly as durable as the more modern finishes; for the purposes of this article, they will, therefore, be placed under the “other” category alongside unfinished and waxed floors.
Although prefinished floors are coated with a durable surface seal, the fact that each board is coated separately (as opposed to pressed up against one another on-site) means that the unsealed cracks between the boards are prone to water damage; for this reason, pre-finished floors also belong in the “other” category.
When in doubt, choose the gentler method; a hardwood floor isn’t something you want to take chances with.
This will remove large particles like sand or grit that may scratch the floor if caught beneath a mop.
Alternatively, you can vacuum the floor, provided that the bristles are extended to prevent scratching and there is only dust on the floor.
Also use the "bare floor" setting on your vacuum to prevent scratching the floor.
Most vacuums have attached bristles to kick up dust, but these can ruin hardwood floors. , While you should sweep and/or vacuum regularly to keep the floor free of dust and scratching agents, you should only clean your hardwood when it really needs it.
This will prolong the life of your floor.
Hardwood floors are generally easy to keep clean, as there is nothing to trap dirt or dust.
A simple sweep or vacuum should cover most messes. , No matter what your finish, you should never leave moisture to sit around on hardwood floors.
It can damage the seal and the wood permanently if you're not careful.
Wipe it up with a damp cloth, then dry the surface completely.
About the Author
Michael Wright
Committed to making pet care accessible and understandable for everyone.
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