Keep timber floors clean, polished, and looking fresh.
Learn how to clean a solid timber floor with smart cleaning methods that will make caring for timber floors and maintaining their good looks even easier.
Floors take on a lot—from daily traffic to inevitable spills and mishaps. The best way to clean a solid timber floor starts with smart preventive measures, which not only help protect floors, but also cut down on the time you'll spend cleaning.
Place floor mats both outside and inside exterior doors to lessen tracked-in dirt. In snowy or rainy weather, set up a boot removal area to avoid damaging floors with tracked in water. Along with a spot to sit down and a place to store shoes, keep a rag or cleaning cloth tucked away next to the door to quickly clean up errant puddles.
Even when the forecast doesn't call for rain, it's smart to remove shoes when coming indoors so dirt, grime, and germs don't get tracked in all over the house. And when hardwood floors are underfoot, scratch-causing heels and cleats should definitely be checked at the door. Prevent marks on solid timber floors by using floor protectors under furniture and by using rugs in play areas to ensure children's toys don't scratch the floor.
How to Clean your solid timber floor during Your Regular Cleaning Routine
A regular once-over with a broom or dust mop will do wonders for cleaning hardwood floors. How often you have to do this chore depends on the traffic timber floor see.
For a quick clean, dust wood floors with a mop that has been treated with a dusting agent to pick up dust, dirt, and pet hair that might scratch the floor surface.
Options for the best mop for solid timber flooring include those with a microfiber head. This material is designed to trap dust and grime. Follow the mop manufacturer's recommendations for using wood floor polish or dusting sprays—some mops won't require an extra cleaning agent.
When considering how to clean hardwood floors, don't overlook vacuuming. For weekly or bi weekly cleaning, vacuum with a floor-brush attachment. Do not use a vacuum with a beater bar attachment, which can scratch a wood floor's finish. For quick dusting, use disposable electrostatic cloths.
How to Mop Wood Floors (The Right Way)
While the best way to clean hardwood floors starts with preventive measures and routine cleaning, sometimes a deeper clean is in order. Dirt, oil, and grime build up over time and aren't completely removed by a weekly dusting.
For how to deep clean solid timber flooring (consider doing the cleaning in the spring or just before the winter holidays), use a wood floor mop and wood floor cleaning product diluted according to the label instructions. Saturate a sponge or rag mop in the water, then wring it almost dry so it feels only slightly damp to the touch. Damp-mop the floor, being careful to prevent standing water on the floor. Rinse with a clean mop dampened in clean water, but only if the cleaning product requires it. Wipe up excess liquid because standing water can damage wood surfaces. If the weather is humid, operate a ceiling fan or the air-conditioner to speed up drying.
Find the Best Wood Floor Cleaner
Pick a product that is specifically made for cleaning wood floors. Don't use vinyl or tile floor cleaners as these products will damage, rather than clean, wood floors.
Learn more. Talk to one of our French Oak Specialists Today.