Timber floors have become more and more popular, and with that growth have come products and recommendations on how to properly clean and preserve them. Additionally, the color and hardness of different timber species, as well as the variations in coatings and floor treatments, affect how they should be maintained and what cleaning agents may be applied. Owners of wood floors are understandably perplexed. However, one thing is certain: regular maintenance is very beneficial to timber floors and will help them last for many years while also maintaining a beautiful finish. Here is our top advice for maintaining wood floors.
Timber Floors Require Ongoing Maintenance
Although wood floors are often simple to maintain, a variety of items, such as sand or grit tracked inside the home on shoes, can damage the finishes. These tiny particles behave much like sandpaper and may cause unattractive scratches. As well as taking off your shoes before entering, mats put inside and outside of outside doors will successfully limit grit from entering your home. Rugs are also particularly helpful for timber floor maintenance in high-traffic areas like the kitchen.
Extremes in humidity, temperature, and exposure to direct sunshine are further natural enemies of a timber floor. Particularly strong sunlight can hasten the tan and darkening processes of some floor finishes as well as lead to gapping and possibly cupping of boards (where the borders of the floorboard are higher than the centers). This process can be slowed down with the use of sun-filtering drapes, shades, patio roofs, and awnings. To further safeguard your timber floor, you should wipe up spills right away, put floor protectors under furniture feet, keep your pet’s nails clipped, and take off your high heels before stepping on the floor.
Use Furniture Pads
Some of the most challenging issues with wood flooring are scratches. While certain blemishes cannot be avoided, others may be easily avoided. Adding furniture pads to the legs of your chairs, couches, tables, and other furnishings is one of the greatest ways to stop them. Consider laminate flooring installation in Sydney if you want to keep your floor from becoming scratched.
Timber Floors Require Regular Cleaning
There are several factors that influence how frequently you should clean your floors, and establishing a regular cleaning schedule can substantially aid in maintaining your wooden floors in immaculate shape. These factors include the quantity and kind of foot activity, the general state of the area outside your home, and the degree of grit present. An antistatic mop may be used to clean wood floors regularly since it is efficient at removing dirt and dust. Constantly walking on a filthy floor can rapidly erode the surface. Timber floors may also be swept or cleaned, but vacuum cleaner brushes need to be routinely maintained to make sure they aren’t frayed.
Additionally, timber floors might benefit from a biweekly to monthly damp cleaning. With a neutral PH wood floor cleaner or a solution suggested by the finish maker, this delivers an efficient thorough clean. Steam cleaning is not advised since it could make finishes peel, become white, or cloud.
Take Care When Using Cleaning Products
It is occasionally possible to remove scuffs and tough stains with a little rubbing and a wood floor cleaner, but it is always advised that you test the cleaner on a small patch of your hardwood floor to make sure it won’t damage the coating. However, because coating characteristics vary greatly across timber floors, you should actually only use cleansers that are advised by your timber floor manufacturer when it comes to general maintenance for timber floors. On hardwood floors, you should generally avoid using bleach, abrasive cleansers, strong detergents, turpentine, kerosene, steel wool, or abrasive cloths.