Prefinished Hardwood Care
Hardwoods are a timeless floor covering choice that will look beautiful and hold up for decades. The material is more expensive than most other types of flooring, so it’s crucial that you protect your investment through proper care and maintenance. Prefinished hardwood floors are sanded and finished in the factory with a uniform, odorless coating. The planks are easy to install, durable, and relatively low-maintenance. Check out the prefinished hardwood cleaning and maintenance tips from the experts at Floor Factors.
Maintaining Prefinished Hardwoods
One of the best ways to maintain prefinished hardwoods is to use rugs and mats, especially in high-traffic areas. Placing doormats both inside and outside each entrance will help you and your visitors avoid tracking dirt, debris, water, and mud onto your floors. Outdoor particles can scratch prefinished hardwood flooring, and rainwater and mud can cause moisture damage.
It’s also a good idea to attach felt pads under the legs of your furniture. This will prevent scratching when things shift or get moved around. Some people opt to rearrange their furniture every few years to even out wear-and-tear and color fading. If you have pets, you can prevent them from scratching and tracking dirt onto your floors by keeping their nails trimmed short, bathing them often, and wiping off their paws when they come inside.
How to Clean Hardwood Floors
Prefinished hardwood floors are generally easy to clean. The most important thing is regular sweeping, vacuuming, or dust-mopping. Follow these steps to ensure your floors stay protected and looking their best.
1. For best results, sweep or dry-mop daily (or as often as you can), paying attention to corners, nooks, and crannies. Microfiber mops work best for prefinished hardwood, but if you sweep, just be sure to use a broom with soft bristles to avoid scratching.
2. Vacuum your floors with a vacuum cleaner that does not have a beater bar. A beater bar can scratch the surface of your floors. Vacuuming helps remove dirt and dust that has built up in the corners of the room.
3. Water should never be used to clean your hardwood floors, and wet-mopping should be avoided. Also, to prevent staining and moisture damage, spills should be tended to immediately. Blot spills with a clean cloth until the floor is completely dry. For large spills and substantial dirt buildup, you’ll want to use a hardwood-specific cleaning solution.
4. It’s best to clean your floor once per week with a cleaner specifically made for your flooring. Many flooring manufacturers make cleaning solutions for their products. You can consult the manufacturer’s website for more information, or simply get in touch with our team. We carry myriad cleaning supplies for all flooring types.
The Best Cleaning Products for Prefinished Hardwood Floors
While you shouldn’t mop with water, we do recommend polishing your floors with a wax-free solution from a leading brand, such as Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner. Avoid spraying the solution directly onto your floors. Instead, apply it to a mop head and gently polish the planks. When in doubt, always follow the directions on the bottle. Bleach, ammonia, and oil-based cleaners should not be used with prefinished hardwood floors. When it comes to soft microfiber mops, we are partial to the Bona Premium Spray Mop because it is easy to use, sturdy, and efficient.
Floor Factors is Your Flooring Resource in Portland
The knowledgeable staff at Floor Factors can help you select the best cleaning solutions for your flooring. We have manufacturer-recommended floor cleaners and polishing products available in our Portland showroom.