Tips For Cleaning Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors have the virtue of being durable; yet

, you have to give them proper cleaning and maintenance. A common mistake people make is using an improper cleanser, and then they discolor or stain their flooring. Anytime youre trying out a new cleanser on your floor, find some out of the way corner and do a little test to insure it wont harm the wood. With that in mind, here are some tips to follow that will keep your floor looking practically new for many years.

Daily Care

Hardwood floors have several major enemies, theyre called dirt, sand and grit. All of these will dull and scratch your floor, damaging its finish. So, to fight them, use a vacuum regularly, and also clean one to two times a month with a cotton mop. You want the mop damp, but not wet. With the vacuum, be sure it has a soft head attachment; do not use a beater brush on your vacuum! Also, small throw rugs and doormats in high traffic areas and entranceways will catch much of the dirt and dust, and prevent it from getting onto your floor.

Most hardwood floors have some kind of finish: varnish, wax or polyurethane, which are fine. However, liquids of any kind and foods are the enemies of finish; they can damage it, seep between the boards, and make the floor warp. So, if you spill any such thing on the floor, wipe them up as fast as possible using a damp cloth, and then use a clean cloth to dry the spot.

Quarterly Care

No matter how well you mop and vacuum, you need to give the hardwood flooring a really good cleaning every couple months to get rid of dirt and grease that have built up. So, step one, get a cleanser that has a neutral pH and is specific for hardwood flooring.

Do not use under any circumstances and cleanser that is ammonia-based or straight ammonia; this chemical can discolor the wood and dull the finish. Also, do not use a wet mop in conjunction with an abrasive cleaner or liquid soap. In both cases, these cleansers can end up tearing off the woods finish, and this in turn will cause premature deterioration to the floor.

Once of twice a year, buff the floor with a wax finish. You can spot buff more often than that, to remove a scuff mark that someone (or some thing) causes to appear. If your floor has a finish of polyurethane, then you dont have to buff or wax it at all.

Stain Removal

Gum

Step one, pick off the gum with your fingers, getting as much as possible. Next, put some ice in a plastic bag, and put the bag on the gum. Leave it there until the gum freezes. After that, use something thin and flexible (a credit card is perfect) to scrape the frozen gum off. However, razor blades, knives, a screwdriver or any hard implement should not be used; theyll scratch and mar the wood.

by: Sarah Rosefield

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