10 top maintenance tips for wooden flooring
Wooden floors are one of the easiest of all floor surfaces to keep clean and looking good. Unlike carpeted floors that show age regardless of care, solid or engineered wooden floors can be kept looking like new with minimum care.
- Regular maintenance requires little more than sweeping with a soft broom or vacuuming with a soft attachment on a daily basis. Walking on a dirty floor is the fastest way to damage a finish – the dirt and grit acts like sandpaper under your feet.
- If you’ve finished your floor with hard wax oil make sure you use the appropriate cleaner at least once a week as this will clean and maintain the finish
- If you’ve finished your floor with a lacquer make sure you use a neutral cleaner that will not leave a soapy or wax residue on the floor. This will make the floor slippery and may inhibit re-coating the floor.
- Use door mats to stop dirt and grit from coming in. Mats should be placed at all exterior doors.
- Keep an eye on areas where excessive wear may occur (doorways, walk-through areas and stairs) and keep these areas well maintained. You could even put a rug in really busy areas.
- Floor protector pads (e.g. soft felt pads) should be attached to the bottom of chair and table legs to prevent scratching the surface of the floor.
- Castors may gouge the floor. The floor should be protected by using protector cups in which the castors sit.(e.g. glide castor grips)
- Stiletto Heels may damage even a hardwood floor. Particularly if the heel tips are metal or worn down.
- Water can also damage your floor, so be careful to mop up any spills immediately. Raise any pot plants onto stands or trivets so that air can circulate under the container and so that water spills can be seen.
- Re-coat your floor with the original finish as often as you need. Every 12-18 months in heavily used areas and dependent on whether you’ve used lacquer or hard wax oil.
Why not have a look at our A&D Designer Floors YouTube channel where you can find lots of information films including one on finishes for wooden floors.