If you’ve recently had or are looking to have hardwood flooring installed in your home, it is vitally important to know how to correctly clean the flooring from a variety of stains. When cleaned regularly and properly, hardwood flooring can flourish in a home for years and still shine after facing a large amount of wear. Read on to find out how to clean hardwood flooring properly, what products to use, and what techniques work best in keeping the oak flooring pristine for years to come.
Before you begin to clean your hardwood flooring, it is a sensible idea to check whether the floor is sealed with a finish applied to it. If the floor is unsealed, it is important to limit the amount of water used to clean the flooring. You can test this by placing a drop of water on the surface and seeing whether it sits on the surface or is absorbed quickly.
It’s also necessary to clear away any clutter from the floor to make cleaning quicker and easier, removing both small and large items to allow you to clean a larger surface area of the floor. Sofas or tables can always be placed upright or on their side to allow you to gain access beneath them.
Before starting, ensure that it is a good time to clean the hardwood flooring and that there will be no foot traffic or access needed to get in the room. An empty house is usually most effective for cleaning the floor.
Before cleaning your hardwood or oak flooring, remove the loose dust and soil by using a broom, a vacuum cleaner, or (ideally) a microfibre dust mop. This latter device has fibres within the mop which trap the debris and is a device which can also be properly cleaned after use. Then you can create a homemade cleaning mixture to use with the microfibre dust mop. This can be done by pouring four litres of water into a bucket with a cup of white vinegar or half a cup of cleaning vinegar.
Dip and wring the mop into the customized mixture, ensuring that it is damp rather than dripping to avoid applying excess water to the floor. Begin from the furthest corner of the room and mop the entire room, taking regular breaks to rinse and wring the mop to avoid simply spreading the dirt. It can be a good idea to plan a route in advance to avoid leaving footprints on the clean hardwood flooring.
After the floor is fully mopped, allow the oak flooring to completely air-dry before walking on the hardwood again. This process can be sped up by switching on ceiling fans or any sort of circulating fans. This process is simple, doesn’t require expensive cleaning products, and is a much less involved process than cleaning a carpet.
Another important step is to get good-quality hardwood flooring installed in the first place. This is something we know a thing or two about at Just Wood. Based in the South of England, we are hardwood flooring specialists and have been recognised as one of the best providers of hardwood flooring and installation. Get in touch with us today by ringing 01243 827888 or emailing info@justwood.co.uk.