As seen in many cottages in the mountainous regions, hardwood floors give a house a warm vibe. While being immaculately stylish with an earthly feel, wooden floors will last for years, thanks to their durability. There are different types of wooden flooring, namely engineered wood or veneer and solid hardwood. The former is a relatively higher-maintenance option than the latter. Unlike solid hardwood, veneer comes with greater structural sturdiness and has a greater tolerance for moisture and temperature changes.
While the choice of material is completely up to you, based on your budget, you must invest in superior quality wearing sealant that is coated and furnished above the wood in order to keep the flooring safe from wear and tear. Polyurethane, urethane, and polyacrylic are the most commonly used stain-proof and water-resistant sealants that make cleaning floors easy.
With that in mind, let us look at ten of the most important maintenance steps for the wooden floor in your home:
How To Maintain Wooden Floor?
01. Avoid and Wipe Water Spills to Maintain Wooden Floor
Water accumulation or soaking is one of the biggest enemies of wooden flooring as the water seeps through the wood and can cause it to rot. Water or any other liquid should be wiped up as soon as possible to stop it from penetrating through the wooden layers and leaving a permanent stain on the surface.
Cupped, split, gapped, swollen or shrunk wooden floors are the result of excessive humidity inside the room and not using proper mops while cleaning any spillage. Avoid using soaked wipers and use semi-damp or dry cloth to wipe the wooden floor.
02. Don’t Drag or Push Heavy Objects Across Wooden Floor
Wooden floors often get scratched or damaged if you drag heavy furniture along the surface. Also, dragging large trolley bags, using a wheeled mechanism to dragging heavy objects like cylinders should be avoided. The less a floor endures rough use, the longer it will serve you with a flawless look. Try to carry heavy objects on shoulders or drag them on a thick carpet spread across the floor to avoid contact and friction.
03. Do Not Walk With Rugged/Wet Footwear
While walking on wooden floors with wet shoes will result in stagnant water, walking with rugged shoes with thick soles or serrated edges will result in imperfections or abrasions on the floor. The top layer of the wooden floor is often damaged due to spiked, wedged, or stiletto heels. You should make it a habit to remove your shoes while entering the room.
If you feel uncomfortable walking bare-foot, wear socks or indoor slippers. This will reduce the risk of dirt, grit or gravel coming in contact with the wooden floor.
04. Use Wooden Floor Cleaner and Microfiber Mop for Cleaning
You should clean up any mark or dust right away to remove the obnoxious marks afterwards with a dry microfiber mop or broom with soft bristles that do not leave any scratches. Instead of steam cleaning, that can damage the finish on the wooden floor, you should use a flat bottomed mop for easy picking of debris and dust.
Always use the industry-guaranteed wooden floor cleaners without any harmful chemicals. Check the ingredients on the label to understand whether it will be safe for your wooden floor.
05. Avoid Vinegar, Ammonia or Abrasive Chemical Cleaner
Instead of using only the detergent mix, you should keep another bucket full of water to rinse the floor. Wax-based cleaners or detergents with harsh chemicals are not recommended for cleaning of wood flooring. Also, using of abrasive materials like steel wool might damage the look of the floor by causing scratches. Excessive vinegar and ammonia are also not recommended as cleaning products due to their acidity and discoloration effects.
06. Dust and Sweep Daily, Vacuum Regularly to Maintain Wooden Floor
Using a vacuum cleaner monthly or bi-monthly will be helpful in keeping the wooden floor clean. You should make sure that the vacuum head is suitable for use on wooden surfaces otherwise scratches will be evident. Dry cleaning daily and mopping at least bi-weekly with a damp cloth is recommended. If the floor dries within a minute after mopping with a damp cloth, you have used the proper amount of moisture. Keep the doors and windows open or use a pedestal fan for quick drying.
07. Refinish Wooden Floor at 3-5 Year Intervals with Suitable Maintenance Products
Wooden floors with oil-finish should be maintained with oil-based maintenance products that simply top up the dull or worn out surface and hardly need refinishing. However, it needs reoiling once in a few years. Varnished floors need retouching a few times a year to maintain the lustre, while refinishing is needed only after 5-10 years according to the traffic. The cost of refinishing a varnished floor varies according to the area and condition of the floor.
The cost can vary depending on the complexity of the work and the overall size of the area you want refurbished.
While oiling a floor, you first need to transfer the furniture to another room, clean the floor, oil the floor and then wait until the oil dries to return the furniture. Lacquered floors need light sanding before adding more lacquer to get a fresh look.
08. Hide Scratches on Wooden Floor with Crayons
If you have pets or have accidentally created a dent or scratches on the floor while moving furniture or some other heavy material, use a crayon that matches the colour of the wooden floor. Carefully colour the entire scratched area and remove the excess colour by polishing it with a wiping cloth. Now, turn the blow dryer on and heat the coloured area consistently without placing the dryer too close to the surface. Buff it off using a soft wiping cloth.
09. Use Rugs and Doormats at Doorways
To ensure that minimal dirt or grime from outside is accumulated on the wooden floor, you should place doormats inside and outside the doorways so that a majority of the impurities are wiped off before entering the room. Doormats can help in drying and cleaning your shoes before you enter. Keep floor rugs inside the room in relatively high-traffic areas to protect a significant surface area from dirt.
10. Use Protective Covers Below Furniture to Maintain Wooden Floor
Using protective furniture pads below the legs of furniture like tables, chairs, sofas, beds, shelves, and stools will help in avoiding any scratches on the wooden floor. Make sure you change the covers once in a few years so that they do not get damaged or fall off. Also, choose malleable plastic ones instead of hard metal ones as those come with patches and can leave scratches.
You should remember that light-coloured floors are more prone to staining and scratches than darker floors and therefore, need more maintenance. Snow and salt in winter, mud, dirt, and rain in the monsoon and spring, leaves and dirt in the fall and salt water and chlorine in the summer are inevitable to enter your home. With proper maintenance, you can reduce the amount of these impurities and help your wooden floor last longer.
Image Courtesy: Image 5(a), Image 5(b), Image 5(c), Image 7, Image 8, Image 10
Author Bio
Sanjukta Ganguly – I am Sanjukta Ganguly from Kolkata. I have 9+ years of experience in content writing. I have written for multiple niches and genres like, health, travel, pregnancy, love and relationship, dating, hosting services, and WordPress, Press Release, Web Designing, Case Study, Thesis, Proof Reading, Academic Writing, etc. I can handle the work of 4000-5000 words daily.