Hardwood floors give your room a luxury appearance. However, there is some debate about the best way to clean them. The hardwood floors have different mixtures of materials for the floors. So it is always recommended to try the cleaning solution on an inconspicuous area first. The usual once over cleaning with dust mop or broom can do wonders for cleaning the hardwood floors. The chore also depends on the traffic of your hardwood floors.
Moreover, if you want a quick clean for your wooden floors, you can use a dusting agent. The options that you can use to clean hard floors also include the ones that have microfiber head. This material is really good at trapping the grime and dust. When considering the ways to clean hardwood floors, you should not overlook the vacuuming. Moreover, do not use beater bar attachment as these can scratch your floor. Use the vacuum cleaner with the floor brush attachment for weekly and biweekly cleaning. You are advised to use electrostatic cloth for quick dusting.
The right way to mop hardwood floors
The best way to clean your hardwood floors is to start with preventive measures combined with routine cleaning. However, sometimes you need deep cleaning. Oil, dirt and grime can build up over time, and the weekly dusting is not able to clean them thoroughly. For deep cleaning of the wooden floors, you are advised to use any of the best floor sweepers. Use a wooden floor cleaning product with it.
Also, always remember to dilute the cleaning solution as per instructions on the label of the product. Now take a rag mop or a sponge and saturate it in the water. Wring this till it feels almost dry and slightly damp to the touch. Staying careful damp mop your floor to prevent the standing water on the floor. Now rinse with a clean and dampened mop in clean water. Do this if the cleaning product needs it. Now wipe the excess liquid as it can cause damage to the wooden floor. Moreover, if the weather is humid, then use a ceiling fan or an air conditioner to speed up the drying.
Choosing the best wood floor cleaner
If you are not sure which floor cleaner you should use for cleaning your floor, talk to the manufacturer of the floor. This is quite helpful as they can recommend you a specific cleaner for their floor. However, if the floor is new and you can not communicate with your manufacturer, you should choose a product that is made especially for the wooden floors. Remember to avoid using vinyl or tile floor cleaners as these would harm your floor rather than wooden floors if you are considerate about using the harsh chemicals that use the cleaners that are Greenguard Gold certified. This means that they are safe to use them in homes with pets and kids. Otherwise, you can also use a natural cleaner or homemade cleaning for cleaning your floors.
Removing stains from the hardwood floor
You should consider the finish of your floor before tackling any stains from the hardwood floors. If the stain is present on the top surface, then your floor has a hard finish such as urethane. If the stain has penetrated through the wood, the floor probably has a softer oil finish. It is common in the old house; the surface might not be resealed or refinished. If you have hard finished floors, wipe the stains using a clean and soft cloth. Avoid using steel wool, sandpaper or hard chemicals as they can damage the finish permanently.
There are some of the remedies that you can use and clean the soft oiled and hardwood floors. If required, you can stain the wood at the end, then do waxing and buff the spot to match the rest of the floor.
Pet stains and dark spots
Firstly, take No.000 steel wool and some floor wax. If the spot still looks dark, apply some vinegar or bleach on that area. Let this to soak into the wood for about an hour. Now rinse by using a clean damp cloth.
Removing the heel marks
Take fine steel wool and rub it floor wax by using it. This will help to remove the marks of the heel from your floor.
Removing the oil-based stains
Take a soft cloth and rub the area with dish detergent and break the grease down. Now rinse using clean water. If one application does not work, then repeat the procedure. Try to keep the pets and children out of the room until you are done. Allow the spot to dry and smooth the raised grain using fine sandpaper.
Removing white stains or watermarks
Rub the spot to clean using steel wool and floor wax. If the stain is really deep, sand the area lightly and then clean using fine steel wool and odourless mineral spirits.