Cleaning My Wood Floors ~ Wood Floor Maintenance & Wood Floor Care Tips

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> Care for ALL Wood Floors

> Specific Finishes

Consumer Expectations:

• Wood floors are NOT impervious to the day to day grit, food, spills, and water

• Preventive maintenance like area rugs, floor protectors (on ALL furniture on your wood floors), and routine maintenance with proper hardwood floor cleaner should always be exercised (improper products can contribute to additional wear, may VOID your warranty, and cause failure when recoating.

Care for ALL Wood Floors   

Do:
Do: Place Protector pads on ALL furniture legs on wood floor
Do: Place walk off mats and area rugs in high traffic areas (make sure they stay dry and are cleaned underneath often)
Do: Perform routine maintenance as recommended by manufacturer, this should include sweeping, vacuuming (with a soft brush attachment) and/or dust mopping to remove dirt and grit. Keep this as a regularly scheduled event, and stick to it. Always perform this process before and after a major event that involves a high volume of traffic on the floor.
Do: Use the proper cleaning pad with the manufacturer recommended cleaning solution. The pad should be slightly damp and well rung out. Make sure ALWAYS to use a clean pad/cloth each time your start the cleaning process. These pads can be washed after excessive buildup.
Do: Keep high heel shoes in good repairs , as well as keeping your pets nails trimmed on a regular bases

Do Not:
Use WET mops
Do Not: Use ammonia
Do Not: Use dust cleaners
Do Not: Track dirt, clean immediately
Do Not: Use other floor cleaning products
Do Not: Wax a urethane  finish- NEVER !

Three simple steps:

1. Vacuum    2. Spray the proper cleaning solution     3. Clean with proper mop

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Specific Types of Finishes            Learn More >  Types of Wood Floor Finishes
 

Acrylic-Impregnated ( 2 types: WITH and WITHOUT urethane coatings)

• Non-urethane: Low speed buffing with proper cleaning products and pad as recommended by manufacturer

• Use proper dust mop treatments

• White products require special procedures, making sure never to use water or petroleum based products

• Screening (light sanding) in addition to above procedures may be required

• Always follow manufacturers recommendations, and if in doubt, check with a local professional wood floor contractor

 Surface Finishes-(includes conversion varnish, moisture-cured urethane, oil-modified polyurethane, and water-based urethane)

• Follow of complete program of proper maintenance procedures (see above)

• Always follow and use manufacturers suggest products and procedures, if product manufacturer is unknown, use  GENERIC HARDWOOD FLOOR CLEANER available at local wood floor retail outlets

• Warranties by most manufacturers are VOIDED if oil soap and products containing wax cleaners are used

• Wipe and clean immediately all spills, and dirt tracking. Stubborn stains should be cleaned with proper cleaning solution as recommended by manufacturer, using a soft dampened cloth. For stubborn stains repeat using wood floor cleaner & soft cloth

• NEVER use a wax or wax based products over surface finishes. 
  NOTE: This can be a VERY DANGEROUS ! 

• If finish losses it's luster, screening (light sanding) and recoating may be necessary . This should be done ONLY by a professional wood floor  contractor (See details below)

 

 

Wax Finish

• Always immediately wipe spills with a soft dry cloth, buffing may be necessary

• White spots from water can be rubbed out with a fine steel wood and a small amount of mineral spirits, re-wax and buff as needed to match

• Buffing areas of heavy traffic will return luster, if not re-waxing may need to occur for that area, with buffing the blend

• Cleaners, and manufacturers conditioners can be used over waxed floors, always paying careful attention to manufactures directions and procedures

• NEVER use a wax finish over surface finishes.  This can be a VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION 

NOTE: Wood floors that have been waxed over and over through the years, may be a serious concern if refinishing (to bare wood). Surface finishes may not and more than most, will NOT adhere properly (a sure sign is prolonged drying time), and/or if it does adhere , failure is almost certain as wear will become excessive early on.

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Recoating  

Fast Facts > Buffing, Recoating, Screening and Resanding a hardwood floor should be performed by an experienced hardwood floor professional. Some Hardwood floors can not be successfully recoated, as those with different light exposure that have caused discoloration under area carpets, or those improperly cleaned with oil soaps, other cleaning solutions, all contaminating the floor which will cause guaranteed failure.

• Worn areas (through the finish and/or stain)  to bare wood can not be recoated to give desired results, refinishing must occur

• Oil soaps, improper cleaning products, and other unknown contaminates can cause assured recoat failure

• Screening (light sanding with proper grit screen/paper) will ensure proper adhesion of the new finish

• Prefinished or factory finished floors can be screened and recoated following manufacturers direction, using the proper/compatible finish.

  Related sites:

Finishing Wood Floors
Installing Wood Floors