Did you know that 54% of people looking for homes don’t mind paying extra if the house has hardwood floors? This beautiful type of flooring brings a luxurious feeling to the entire home that’s always desirable.
The problem is when you don’t know how to clean hardwood floors. They require more care than linoleum or carpeting.
To help you maintain a beautiful shine, we’ve collected the best hardwood cleaning tips down below!
Daily Cleaning
Keeping a house clean is never an easy task. Even more so when you add chores on top of work and other hectic responsibilities.
Maintaining a hardwood floor starts with preventative measures. The more often you clean it, the easier it is to clean. It’s a cycle that sounds annoying at first but it’s better than the alternative.
The good news is that a daily floor cleaning doesn’t need to be very thorough every time. A quick sweep is often enough to make a big difference in the longevity of your flooring.
Soft Broom
When it’s time to sweep the floor, you want to select a broom that has soft bristles and doesn’t have too much weight. Anything with harsh bristles leaves behind scratches as you move it across the floor.
Don’t use any type of broom that’s meant for outdoor patios or garages. Instead, find something light and soft for the best effect on the hardwood.
When your broom works well with your hardwood floors, you’ll have no trouble keeping it clean throughout the week.
Find the Right Vacuum
One of the top hardwood floor cleaning tips is to take a close look at your vacuum. Is it the type of machine that has a rotating brush? Does it have too much power?
Certain types of hardwood floors are stronger than others, so you’ll want to check with a professional to see if yours can withstand stronger vacuums.
Overall, you’ll want to go with something that doesn’t rotate on its own since that kind of rotation device whacks into your floors as it cleans. This creates dents and scratches that mar the look of your flooring.
Avoid vacuums that require you to roll them around on the floor to clean. Instead, a standing vacuum with no rotating brushes works wonders.
For even easier cleaning, try using a robot vacuum. This little machine is light enough to never damage your floors as it goes around the room cleaning throughout the day.
Microfiber Mop
When it comes time to do a deeper clean, you’ll need a proper mop for the job. Regular mops won’t work well with your hardwood floors. Plus, many types of mops are too harsh against the hardwood finish.
The best kind of mop for hardwood floors is a microfiber mop. This is the same kind of material used in a lot of cloths meant to clean delicate tech screens and even eyeglasses. This makes it the perfect match for flooring that is vulnerable to scratches.
What’s even better is that microfiber mops don’t hold as much water as traditional mops. This makes it easy to avoid putting too much dangerous water onto your hardwood floors.
Speed Dry
Knowing how to properly clean hardwood means you need to know how it reacts to certain things. Water, for instance, is never good to leave standing on wood of any kind. This includes hardwood flooring.
Any kind of liquid sitting in one spot increases the risk of warping and damaging your hardwood. Whenever there’s a spill, you’ll need to clean it up right away. If you drop an ice cube, pick it up before it melts.
It’s easy to put these things off when you’re busy, but don’t delay. The extra effort is your best defense against preventable damage and expensive repairs!
Gentle Cleaners
You’ll need to pick floor cleaners that don’t have too much acidity within their chemicals.
Try looking for cleaners that are specific to hardwood floors. This way, you’ll know for certain that you’re getting a product that won’t harm your floors.
For a long time, vinegar was often recommended as a great cleaner for hardwood. While it’s a good chemical for most cleaning purposes, it’s too strong for many hardwood floors. When used often enough, it’ll even distort the natural color.
Don’t forget to look for special properties within the cleaners. For example, certain hardwood cleaners help with the drying process and add an extra layer of protection.
Go With the Grain
No matter what you’re doing to your flooring, you want to go with the grain of the wood. This is the natural direction of your floor’s texture. It makes it stronger against scratches.
Even if a scratch happens to show up, when it goes with the grain, it’s far less noticeable.
Going with the grain also prevents streaks. When you go against the grain, it’s easy to see because the unnatural texture shows up more.
Avoid Abrasives
This is such an important part of caring for your hardwood. Finding the right equipment to clean your floors isn’t always easy, but it is an important step you need to take.
When you use the wrong cleaning tools, it’s far too abrasive against the hardwood. You’ll end up damaging it and shorten the lifespan of your flooring.
Remember this idea no matter what kind of cleaning you’re doing. It’s also good to keep this in mind when you move things around for better access to clean the floors.
Things like chairs and tables should always have soft pads on each leg so you’re able to move them without causing any scratches.
Knowing How to Clean Hardwood Prevents Expensive Repairs
When you clean your hardwood floors the wrong way, you introduce more scratches to the finish. As this kind of damage accumulates, your beautiful hardwood flooring starts to look dull.
Make sure you’re employing the right techniques to keep your floors looking their best!
If you’re still nervous, we’re here to help. Our company knows how to clean hardwood without fail. Check out how our services can help you and your home!
