How To Clean Wood Floors

Many realtors vouch for the fact that homes with wooden floors sell like hot cakes. Concrete flooring may impart the avant-garde look to a house, but it lacks the warmth of traditional wooden floors. It is not only inexpensive, as compared to other types of flooring, but also attributes vintage beauty to a house. Wooden flooring is also easy to maintain, exudes timelessness and never goes out of the style. For people with a bit of traditionalism in them, wooden floors are a kind of staple. This type of flooring is not very fussy and doesn’t need constant attention. However, a little TLC will give them a new look every day. Go through the following tips to know how to clean wood floors and keep them as good as new.

Tips For Cleaning Wooden Floors

Before you start the cleaning process, you need to know the exact finish of the floor. If your floor is surface-sealed, consider yourself lucky. These surfaces are stain and water-resistant, and all you have to do it sweep and mop and you will be done.
If your floor is oiled or penetrating-seal treated one, you will need to take a little extra care. Invest in especially-made floor cleaners or clean them with paste or liquid wax. Regularly mop more-trafficked areas.
If your floor is untreated, you may have to care for it like the oiled ones. At the same time, don’t use more water for mopping lacquered and varnished floors, as they are not very resistant to moisture.
You don’t have to use liquid wax for daily cleaning. For every day cleaning, sweep the floor with a soft bristled broom.
You can also use vacuum cleaner for your floor once a week, however make sure that the attachment you use is soft and you are not dragging it more to minimize scratching.
One more thing, which you have to keep in mind, is that no matter how resistant your floor is; make sure that water doesn’t spill often on it. Mop water with a dry towel as soon as it spills. If you are using a floor cleaner, use a dry damp mop.
Don’t drag furniture and if possible, don’t wear high-heeled shoes while walking on it, as it may scratch the floor and leave it looking maladroit.
Use rugs wherever possible, especially in high traffic areas. Also, use pads under all the heavy furniture.
You can also make your own homemade cleaning product. Add half a cup of white vinegar to half a gallon of water. Now, soak a dry towel in the mixture and wring it several times. Wipe your floor with the damp cloth.
Some manufacturers recommend their own products for cleaning floors. Try to stick to them.
You can also use baking soda for cleaning the scratch marks. Damp a mopping cloth, dip it in baking soda, and wipe the floor with it.
Don’t use ammonia and oil soaps for cleaning wooden floors, as they will affect it adversely and dull the finish and shine.
You can add isopropyl alcohol to white vinegar and water and mop your floor with the solution.
For giving your wooden floor a polished look, all you have to do it to add a little bit of lemon juice to olive oil and apply it on the floor. Polish dry and wipe it completely. Also, make sure that it is done when there is no trafficking at home, as it makes the floor slippery and the chances of falling down increases.
If your home has too much of trafficking then a simple water-vinegar solution may not work well for you. The best cleaning floor cleaner for your laminated floor would be a solution of two cups vinegar, half-cup lemon juice, a little bit of dish soap and two cups of water. Mop your floor with the solution and find your home clean and sparkling.

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