The Care and Keeping of Hardwood

When life gets messy, you need floors that are easy to clean. There are many types of wood floors, but they all share the same basic needs: removing grit promptly, frequent cleaning, and recoating or spot-repairing as needed. Whether you purchased new hardwood floors recently or moved into a home with existing hardwood floors, you’ll love how quick and easy it is to care for your hardwood with our recommendations. These tips are for general cleaning & maintenance, but remember to always check the care instructions from the manufacturer first.

ENGINEERED AND SOLID HARDWOOD CLEANING

Clean Spills Immediately

• Use a dry or slightly damp cloth to immediately wipe up anything you spill, avoiding wet or steam mops, which the National Wood Floors Association says will cause more damage over time. 
• Never use wax, polish, abrasive cleaners, scouring agents, or pads. Picking a soft chemical cleaner is key – we recommend Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner! Identify the right cleaning product for your floor and keep floors (mostly) dry when cleaning.
• Different finishes require different treatments- experts suggest adhering to the product recommendations of your finish and flooring manufacturer.

Mopping

• When mopping, use hardwood cleaner and a hardwood cleaner mop with a light mist to clean the floor
• Be mindful about how wet your mop is. You want it to be damp, but not soaking.
  • Too much moisture on hardwood can cause warping, swelling, or even buckling and delamination
• Do not use a wet spray microfiber mop, wet Swiffers, wet mops, or steam cleaners

Sweep, Dust, + Vacuum Regularly

• For everyday cleaning, use a broom to sweep up debris.
• For hard-to-clean spots, use a lightly dampened cloth
• Vacuuming picks up any fine particles that sweeping alone may miss, and the strong suction of a vacuum cleaner is extra useful to pull up dust and debris in cracks and crevices and between planks. Just make sure that you’ve turned on the hard floor setting to avoid scratching!

ENGINEERED AND SOLID HARDWOOD MAINTENANCE

Use Furniture Pads, Rugs, and Mats

• Area rugs are a great way to add personality to your space while also acting as a floor protector.
• Place mats in high traffic and transitional areas from the outside coming in. Tracking dirt/debris across hardwood can cause dents, scratches, and scuffs.

Re-Finishing

• Add a few top coats to your floor to protect the surface and keep it from looking dull every 3-5 years.
• If you have an oiled finish hardwood, applying Linseed or Tung Oil once or twice per year is recommended.
• A complete sanding and refinishing will likely not be required for 20-30 years if no significant accidents occur.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

Wood Hardness

• Check out The Janka Test – the industry standard for hardness

Pet Damage

• If you have dogs, be sure to keep their nails trimmed
• Get in the habit of wiping down your pets’ paws before they come into the house 
• Enjoy the character of a few scrapes and scratches and don’t stress the natural wear

Sun Exposure or Excessive Moisture

• The environment that surrounds your floor is also a big component of their care and durability. Wood reacts dramatically to temperature and humidity, so it’s important to understand these elements too, even if they’re out of your control. 
• Regular window glass only blocks around a quarter of the sun’s UV rays. Watch out for sun damage! Extensive direct sunlight can cause discoloration over time.
• Exceedingly dry conditions induce gapping, cracking, and splitting.

IN CONCLUSION