You’ll find it easy to clean and maintain a wooden floor if you have one. Maintaining the beauty and elegance of a wooden floor requires keeping it clean and dirt-free. If you let dirt, grit, or stones lay on the surface, hardwood floors can be scratched and dented, but they are pretty resilient. It is a busy area like a living room or hallway, we suggest sweeping them a few times a day.
If properly cleaned to maintain the shine, wooden floors add warmth and a unique look to any home decor style. Nevertheless, frequent foot traffic leads to dirt and grime building up on hardwood floors, making them look dingy, and if you have pets, dust bunnies are likely to multiply every day.
A thin layer of dirt or dust can make wood floors slippery, and this can cause a fall hazard. Dust and dust mites can accumulate, triggering asthma and other respiratory issues.
When Should Hardwood Floors Be Cleaned?
Keep your wood floors clean by sweeping, vacuuming, or dust mopping daily, and cleaning up spills as soon as they occur. Depending on how much you use the floors, you should do a more thorough floor cleaning weekly or monthly. If all this looks difficult to you, you can always consult a wooden flooring and remodeling contractor for some good advice.
Hardwood Floor Cleaning Tools
There are several tools you can use to clean hardwood floors. A soft-bristled broom is ideal for removing crumbs and grit while preventing additional scratches from hardwood floors. Both types of bristles are static-charged and help to grab particles. Use a dustpan or hand vacuum to remove accumulated soil.
It is easier to wash and clean microfiber mop heads than cotton or sponge mop heads, which attract dust better. A vacuum can be used on hardwood floors, but pick one with soft-bristle rollers and a retractable beater bar to prevent scratching. You can reach dusty corners of the room with the upholstery brush attachment.
Regularly vacuum your home
Cleaning hardwood floors can be difficult because of dirt and grime buildup. It’s important to keep debris off the floor, Miller says. Plus, you should clean your floors frequently. But it’s not just that it looks filthy: “If you walk across a piece of debris on the floor, it feels like sandpaper on the bottom of your shoe.” Even pet hair can damage your hardwood floors, so you need to be proactive.
Make sure you sweep every day. If possible, follow it up with a dry mop or dust mop to pick up any remaining dust and dirt. You might even consider using a microfiber cloth or mop. If you can’t sweep your whole house every day, focus on high-traffic areas like entryways and hallways. You can ensure you’re cleaning every room and space consistently and effectively by creating a simple cleaning routine.
Choose the right cleaning product
Different finishes require different treatments, which is why all three experts recommend listening to your flooring manufacturer’s product recommendations when choosing a product for a deeper wash.
However, it is safe to say there are cleaning products to always avoid. “I don’t recommend harsh chemicals for cleaning any hardwood floors,” Sancic says. Chemicals applied to the finish will create hazing. You can remove that cloudy film with a damp microfiber cloth dipped in warm water if you have made this mistake in the past. It really builds up over a period of six months to a year.
Retouch surface scratches
Even though scratching floors hurt, it’s normal. “It’s part of owning a wooden floor,” Brett says. If you want to fix surface scratches yourself, you can use a stain marker from a wood furniture touch-up kit.
Another way to add personality to your space while protecting the floor is with a simple area rug or doormat.
Hardwood Floor Cracks: How to Fix Them
When wood floors are old or poorly installed, cracks can exist between the boards that trap dirt and dust. The cracks can worsen during periods of low humidity when the wood dries out. Removing the dirt and debris that gets trapped can be easy, but it will take some time. You can return to where you left off if you can’t clean the entire room at one time by starting in the far corner and working your way out the door.
The Best Way to Clean Paint Off Hardwood Floors
The easiest way to remove paint splatters and drips from hardwood floors is with elbow grease and the right cleaning products. Water-based paint (acrylic paint) is the easiest, but oil-based paint can also be removed.
