Having wood floors installed in your home is a major investment. Where it can add beauty and elegance to any room, it can also increase the value as well. But just like carpet and other flooring options, the abuse it will take is inevitable with daily foot traffic, the natural accumulation of dirt, dust, and debris in addition to the fallen debris, and the questionable mysterious substances on the bottom of shoes track on the wood floors, there is a lot of filth that mar your wood floors. Though spills should always wiped up immediately, the spots can still smudge up the wood floor as well. When your wood floors are in need of more than just the daily dust mopping, we at Go Green Restoration would like to suggest a method of cleaning the wood floors.
How Dirt Damages Hardwood Floors
In order to keep your wood floors in optimal condition through its lifespan, promptly tending to spills and removing the daily buildup of particles plays a big part. Wood floors are not moisture friendly and liquids will cause damage if allowed to linger. Also, dirt and other particles are very abrasive and simply walking on the wood floor with a thin layer of dirt will cause friction and lead to scratches, scuffs, and expedite the wear of the finish.
How to Mop Clean Wood Floors
When wood floors need mopping refer to the guide below. An extra tip; conduct the mopping in sections so as you mop a section, you can quickly dry the surface before any moisture can seep between the cracks and repeat for each section of the floor. You will need the items listed below.
– Your preferred method of debris removal: Dust mop, soft bristle broom, or vacuum (either designed for hard surfaces or with a bare floor setting).
– Bucket of warm with few drops of mild liquid dish soap.
– Several dry microfiber cloths.
– Microfiber mop
– Felt furniture pads (optional)
Hardwood Floor Cleaning Tips
1) Remove obstacles. To optimize efficiency, remove the area rugs and as much of the furniture as possible. To avoid any scuff marks and scratches, place furniture pads on the legs of the furniture.
2) Dry mop, sweep, or vacuum. Completely clear of the surface of all forms of dirt and debris, especially in the corners and edges where it tends to accumulate.
3) Mopping the hardwood floor with the grain. With the bucket of warm water the few drops of liquid dishwashing soap, mop the wood floors that are polyurethaned. Washing the floors by hand will ensure efficiency, and you can follow up quicker drying. One hand, wash the floor with microfiber cloth, use a dry in the other to wipe up the moisture. Use a microfiber mop if you prefer to stand, in either application use in smooth strokes to wash the floor with grain of the wood. In the event the wood floor is lacquered or shellacked do not use the soap and water or you can potentially cause the wood floor to buckle and stain. Instead, clean the hardwood and engineered wood floors with a cleaner specifically formulated to get the job done.
4) Buff hardwood floors. Use circular motions with gentle pressure and a dry microfiber cloth to ensure all cleaning residues are adequately removed.
5) Optional wood polish. If you need a little more shine. Generally, simply mopping the floor will restore the dry, but if you additional help, only use an approved wood floor polish to enhance the glow.
Hardwood Floor Cleaning, Refinishing & More in Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Diamond Bar & Agoura Hills, California
When using commercial products, always follow the directions on the label, never use abrasive implements or harsh chemicals, and keep the floors as dry as possible throughout the process. Return the furniture and rugs once the floor is dry. In some cases, the deep cleaning is not enough and the wood floor needs to be refinished. Call the specialists of Go Green Carpet Cleaning & Restoration when the wood floors need the extra service to ensure they are done right.
