Hardwood Flooring can be Beautiful with Perfect Caring
Hardwood flooring can be an exceedingly beautiful thing if taken care of properly. Wood, unlike other surfaces, requires a little more care and preparation to keep it gleaming and fresh. And it comes in a lot of different flavors. As per Mr. DT, the most common examples are beech, oak, teak, balsa and the expensive mahogany. And, on top of all of that, as per the American Hardwood Information Center, hardwoods are certified eco-friendly.
With the right knowledge, a couple tips, and the right kind of cleaning plan, you can very easily take control of your wooden floors and ensure that you get that beautiful, rich and luscious finish at all times.
Understand Your Cleaning Schedule
Hardwood floors, unlike carpeting, don’t hide dirt and spills. While a little water or some clear broth on a carpet is no big deal, especially if it’s a darker carpet with some looped pile, hardwood floors show dirt and grime just as much as a light tile would. That means, if you’re seeking a floor that is gleaming at all times, you’ll have to invest a little time every single day into sweeping it.
An easy way to sweep up even the most pestilent of dust wads is with a microfiber cloth. As per Real Simple, if you don’t sweep often, even the tiniest of debris will take its toll on your floor. You can either run one over the floor or grab a dust mop to get the job done. A decent sweeping broom will also work although you’ll need a finer tool to get rid of the dust accumulating in the corners.
Then, there’s the weekly clean. Once a week, make time to mop the floors. You may have to go with twice a week if you’re dealing with young children and pets.
Doing Mopping Right
The biggest mistake people make when mopping their floors is that they tend to use dirty water to clean their floors. This isn’t necessarily how it works. Instead of sopping up your mopping water, wringing it out and then slapping the moist mop onto the floor, you can sop up the mopping water, and then drop it onto the floor – water et al – and then wring your mop out, and mop that water up.
Use one swipe, two swipes, or three swipes, and don’t do more than that. Then, lift the mop up and put it back in the water. This is a process you’ll literally rinse and repeat.
However, this is most definitely not what you do with a hardwood floor. Hardwood floors can still be mopped, but only very, very slightly. Use a damp cloth or mop to get the job done, with no dripping. It’s important to do this after you’ve already done some vacuuming, to get rid of any dust or hairs that might not be caught by your dry or cotton mop. Make sure your mop is good quality, too. A mop by a manufacturer like Fuller provides you with a better durability.
Monthly Rituals
Hardwood flooring, unlike most other kinds of flooring, needs to be renewed in a sense. That means getting your floor thoroughly polished, sealed, and buffed. This could take a while, and you’ll need some special equipment, but doing it yourself is definitely an option.
Alternatively, cleaning companies do offer options specifically for hardwood floors, knowing the complexities and nuances to a wooden floor.
With the right knowledge, a couple tips, and the right kind of cleaning plan, you can very easily take control of your wooden floors and ensure that you get that beautiful, rich and luscious finish at all times.
Understand Your Cleaning Schedule
Hardwood floors, unlike carpeting, don’t hide dirt and spills. While a little water or some clear broth on a carpet is no big deal, especially if it’s a darker carpet with some looped pile, hardwood floors show dirt and grime just as much as a light tile would. That means, if you’re seeking a floor that is gleaming at all times, you’ll have to invest a little time every single day into sweeping it.
An easy way to sweep up even the most pestilent of dust wads is with a microfiber cloth. As per Real Simple, if you don’t sweep often, even the tiniest of debris will take its toll on your floor. You can either run one over the floor or grab a dust mop to get the job done. A decent sweeping broom will also work although you’ll need a finer tool to get rid of the dust accumulating in the corners.
Then, there’s the weekly clean. Once a week, make time to mop the floors. You may have to go with twice a week if you’re dealing with young children and pets.
Doing Mopping Right
The biggest mistake people make when mopping their floors is that they tend to use dirty water to clean their floors. This isn’t necessarily how it works. Instead of sopping up your mopping water, wringing it out and then slapping the moist mop onto the floor, you can sop up the mopping water, and then drop it onto the floor – water et al – and then wring your mop out, and mop that water up.
Use one swipe, two swipes, or three swipes, and don’t do more than that. Then, lift the mop up and put it back in the water. This is a process you’ll literally rinse and repeat.
However, this is most definitely not what you do with a hardwood floor. Hardwood floors can still be mopped, but only very, very slightly. Use a damp cloth or mop to get the job done, with no dripping. It’s important to do this after you’ve already done some vacuuming, to get rid of any dust or hairs that might not be caught by your dry or cotton mop. Make sure your mop is good quality, too. A mop by a manufacturer like Fuller provides you with a better durability.
Monthly Rituals
Hardwood flooring, unlike most other kinds of flooring, needs to be renewed in a sense. That means getting your floor thoroughly polished, sealed, and buffed. This could take a while, and you’ll need some special equipment, but doing it yourself is definitely an option.
Alternatively, cleaning companies do offer options specifically for hardwood floors, knowing the complexities and nuances to a wooden floor.