After you have your engineered or solid hardwood floor installed, it’s up to you to make sure it has a long and beautiful life. To get the most out of your new floor, you must stay on top of floor care and maintenance right from the start.
In this article, you will learn how to care and maintain your solid and engineered hardwood floors to perfection, protecting your investment and enjoying its beauty and performance in the years to come.
First, it’s good to know that flooring manufacturers have their own specific ideas about maintaining their products, so you will want to follow their recommendations.
Doing so is a reliable strategy for maintaining the wood’s beauty and finish long-term.
The best place to find floor maintenance instructions is on or in the box the new floor came in. You can also find the same information on the manufacturer’s website.
At Panel Town, we offer all the products the manufacturers recommend. We have everything you will need to keep your floor looking pristine today, tomorrow, and long into the future.
How to Keep Your Hardwood Floors Looking New
Here’s four universal tips to help you clean and keep beautiful hardwood floors.
- Never use a steam cleaner or wet mop on hardwood flooring. Moisture is the enemy.
- Use felt pads on all furniture, and place floor protectors beneath any heavy appliances to avoid unnecessary heavy wear in the floor finish.
- Basic cleaning consists mostly of sweeping the floor. This can be done with a soft bristle broom or a vacuum cleaner without the spinning carpet brush. Sweeping the floor can be done as often as necessary and won’t hurt the wood or finish.
- Use a spray hardwood floor cleaner to keep your flooring looking fresh and clean. The most effective generic cleaners approved for hardwood floors are Basic Coatings Squeaky Floor Cleaner and Bona Professional Hardwood Floor Cleaner. Mist one of these cleaners on the floor and wipe it off with a micro-fiber mop or terry-cloth. You can spot clean or mop the entire floor. But don’t overdo it. Overusing cleaning products can leave a temporary haze or build-up.
Maintaining Your Hardwood Floor Finish
You have had your floor for a while now, and you’re starting to notice signs of wear.
When this happens, you have three options to improve the look and performance of your wood floor finish.
- Use a urethane dressing. It’s a simple process you can do yourself to revive the finish and fill in very small surface scratches. Bona sells a product called Refresher and Basic Coatings sells Refinisher, which are both intended for homeowners to apply over a slightly worn urethane finish.
- Hire a contractor to buff and recoat the floor. This will provide a much more durable finish than the urethane dressing; however, it doesn’t always work on all floors.
- Hire a contractor to completely re-sand and coat the floor. This is your best bet if there’s heavy wear, contamination, or other issues.
Summary
To ensure the longevity and luster of your hardwood floors, you need a proactive approach to care and maintenance. Remember to avoid moisture at all costs; say no to steam cleaners and wet mops. Instead, embrace the simplicity of sweeping and periodically using manufacturer-recommended cleaners like Basic Coatings Squeaky Floor Cleaner or Bona Professional Hardwood Floor Cleaner for deeper cleaning.
Protect your floors from furniture and appliance damage with felt pads and floor protectors. When wear becomes evident, consider a urethane dressing for a quick refresh. For more lasting results, look into professional buffing and recoating services.
If the floor exhibits significant wear or problems, such as contamination, you will have to hire a contractor to completely re-sand and coat the floor. By implementing these practices, your floors will not only reflect your care but also uphold their beauty for many years. Remember, only you can prevent ugly floors.
