Hardwood is wood obtained from Dicotyledon Angiosperm trees and its application in constructing floors has increased in popularity over the past couple of years. A well-maintained hardwood floor can make your home look beautiful, classy and comfy. For most people, cleaning hardwood floors can be an intimidating task as they have to worry about the right kind of chemical to use, in order to prevent damage to the texture of the wood. In this article, the experts and technicians at Nyc steam cleaning provide a few easy guidelines to help you maintain your hardwood floors.
Why is it Important?
A famous quote goes like this, ‘If you fall, I’ll be there.’ Taking care of floors is just as important as cleaning and maintaining carpets, rugs, curtains, furniture etc. Dust, grime, dander, stains and mold can accumulate over time between the floorboards and give an untidy appearance to the room. The presence of allergens can reduce the air quality within the house and pose a health risk to all the occupants and is unhygienic and unsanitary, especially if you or your family members have the habit of walking barefooted. A thorough cleaning of the hardwood floor will ensure that it remains beautiful and shiny and you won’t have to worry about removing old stubborn stains.
Neglecting hardwood floors will decrease their durability with the passage of time. Dirt, grime and liquids can penetrate the floorboards, making them more susceptible to mold, mildew, scratches, and tearing.
At some point in your life, you may decide to sell your house. It might be that you are moving to a bigger home or that you might be shifting to another city for work purpose. Whatever the reason, a shiny, lustrous, spotless and stain-free floor can enhance your house’s appeal and help sell it at a higher price.
Maintenance Guidelines
Hardwood floors need to be cleaned with a soft-bristled broom or mop to avoid any chance of scratches or abrasions. A wet mop should never be used; otherwise it can dull the finish of the hardwood floor. You can use a vacuum cleaner too but make sure to use one that is designed for hardwood floors. This vacuum usually has special hardwood floor attachments. You can use a number of cleaning agents such as Pine-Sol, White Vinegar and Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner. Mix an appropriate amount of cleaning agent with warm water and dampen your mop or broom and make sure to pick up any rugs, carpets and furniture before you start sweeping. Start cleaning the floor in circular motions of the mop to remove stains and dirt. After you are done, remember to allow the floor to dry completely before putting back rugs, furniture or allowing any traffic.
Spilled your cocktail? Your kid dropped his vanilla ice-cream cone? If so, you need to act promptly and wipe any spills using a dry, soft and linen free cloth. Commence at the edges of the spill and work towards the center. Never allow a spill to remain on hardwood as this can damage the finish and the wood itself.
When walking on hardwood, avoid wearing high-heeled shoes and sport cleats. Instead, wear soft rubber soled shoes. You can even place felt pads under furniture legs to prevent any scratches while moving furniture. Place scatter rugs at the entrances to keep debris, pebbles and small stones out but you need to be aware of the fact that the rubber backs of said rugs can cause discoloration in wooden floors.
Applying floor finishing is important to form a protective layer and to extend the life of the hardwood floor. There are three types of finishes used; never use petroleum or wax-based products.
Wax Finish
This type of finish readily seeps into the wood and eventually hardens to build a protective seal. It is maintained by occasionally applying thin layers of wax. Always use cleaning agents, solvent-based waxes and buffing pastes particularly made for wax finished wood floors.
Surface Finish
It is popularly also known as polyurethanes and urethanes. When applied to the surface of the wooden floor, it becomes permanent and forms a protective layer that is durable, resistant to water, and needs minimal maintenance.
Acrylic Impregnated Finish
This kind of finish is used in high traffic areas such as restaurants, cafes, shopping malls and other commercial venues. It is introduced into the hardwood to create a very hard and an extremely tough floor. Cleaning an acrylic impregnated floor depends on the finish; if the floor has a non urethane-based finish, use a spray buff recommended by the manufacturer and if it is urethane-based, use a generic hardwood cleaner.
No matter how much effort you put in maintaining hardwood floors, there will always be something missing. To get professional assistance in cleaning and maintaining your hardwood floor, feel free to contact NYC steam cleaning. Dial 1-888-245-1199 to get a free quote!
