Are you looking to clean your newly installed wood floors for the first time? Have you recently purchased a home that had wood flooring already installed? If so, then you need to learn about the proper technique for cleaning wood floors.
Doing so can help you keep those floors looking younger for longer. Most people don’t realize that wood floors can be refinished up to 10 times during their lifespan, assuming you clean them properly. Needless to say, proper wood floor maintenance is important.
See below for an in-depth list of the mistakes you should avoid making when cleaning wood floors. This will help you ensure you’re doing it the right way.
1. Not Purchasing High-Quality Cleaning Products
Unfortunately for most wood floors out there, a majority of homeowners mistakenly take the “rub some dirt on it” approach to clean wood floors. In other words: they do the bare minimum if they take the time to clean them at all.
As a result, those homeowners will clean their floors with the wrong products or, even worse, soak the hardwood flooring in water and mop them up.
If you don’t take anything else away from this article, let it be this: don’t ever use a wet mop to clean your wood floors. Too much water will damage the wood and cause it to swell up and warp, or (in severe cases) even cause dry rotting.
Instead, you can simply invest in a high-quality wood floor cleaning kit and have everything you need! This handy cleaning kit includes:
- 750ml Floor Care Spray
- Washable Lint-Free Pad
The directions are simple. First, vacuum your wood floor to get rid of the dust and debris. Then spray the Wood’s Good flooring cleaning spray on the surface, and wipe it down with the applicator pad that comes in the kit. It’s that easy! This solution will give your hardwood flooring the oil and wax coating it needs for everyday wear and tear.
2. Not Noticing the Signs it Needs Cleaning
As we mentioned earlier, a lot of homeowners don’t take the time to clean their hardwood floors. What’s worse, they intentionally shrug off and neglect the obvious signs that it needs to be cleaned.
You need to learn about the telltale signs. Once you know what those are, you can actively correct them and keep your floor in great shape.
First, keep a sharp eye out for dark spots on your wood. These are collections of dust and dirt. Simply use our previously-mentioned wood floor cleaning kit or apply some vinegar for a household remedy. Let it sit for a few minutes, then dab it away with a towel.
Next, watch out for oil spots. These are especially noticeable in the kitchen. You can take a common cloth, dip it in warm water and rub it in a bit of dish soap. Scrub the area a bit, then apply a tiny bit of water and soak it up with a towel.
You don’t need to perform an all-out cleaning session the moment you notice a smudge on the floor, just making a tiny fix here and there, in addition to regular floor cleaning, will make a world of difference.
3. Installing Wood Flooring in an Inappropriate Location
For those of you that are thinking about renovating your floors, we warn you to be a bit more strategic about where you install wood flooring in your house. It’s an incredible amenity to have, but placing it in certain parts of your house is setting yourself up for failure.
Earlier, we mentioned the importance of reducing your hardwood floor’s access to water. Try to avoid installing wood flooring in places with a higher likelihood of coming into contact with water. For example, the bathrooms in your house or the entryway near your front and back door, especially if you have a pool.
We encourage you to consider tile flooring or carpet with a nice carpet underlay in those areas. That way, you’ll be able to regulate your wood floor cleaning a bit more.
4. Not Budgeting for Wood Floor Cleaning
How many times has this happened to you: you go to purchase cleaning supplies or something to add to your home, see the price, and tell yourself that you can’t afford it right now? Sounds familiar, right?
First of all, cleaning supplies are cost-friendly as long as you’re buying from the right online site. Second of all, by taking a little time to create a budget, you can ensure that you always have the cleaning supplies you need.
We have many different wood cleaning options on our site. Be sure to browse around and find the prices, then set a monthly budget. This will hold you accountable for regular bi-monthly cleaning, which takes us to our last common mistake…
5. Not Committing to Regular Floor Cleaning
No matter how good your intentions are, you’ll only see the best results if you commit to regularly cleaning your wood floors. But how often is often enough?
Experts recommend that you clean your wood floors anywhere from four to six times a year. As you might imagine, you should stick to the higher side of that (six) to extend the life of your flooring.
With regular and consistent floor cleaning, you can keep your home looking young and vibrant, as well as develop constructive habits that will become like second nature over the years.
Cleaning Wood Floors: Avoid These Mistakes at All Costs
Now that you have seen an in-depth guide highlighting all of the most common mistakes to avoid when cleaning wood floors, be sure to use it wisely.
Are you considering vinyl flooring in parts of your house? If so, then be sure to use this guide for a step-by-step guide on how to install vinyl flooring.
If you have further questions, please be sure to reach out to us via phone at 020 8037 9300 and we will be happy to assist you further.
