Cleaning Tips for Prefinished Hardwood Flooring
Every person dreams of a perfect home, and does every possible thing to turn that dream into a reality. We carefully monitor every single aspect of our house and choose the best of things to make it look beautiful. One such aspect that comes into consideration while designing a house, is the flooring. One can have a prefinished hardwood flooring to add elegance to the house. It is a flooring with a polyurethane coating. As this coating is applied before the flooring is sold to you, it is called "prefinished". A prefinished hardwood flooring is an investment of a lifetime, and its maintenance is important if we want it to have a long life.
Tips to Clean Prefinished Hardwood Flooring
- A soft broom can be used to swipe out the dirt and debris on the floor. Regular sweeping of the floor will prevent the dirt from getting accumulated for a long time which will be difficult to clean later.
- A light vacuum cleaner can also be used to render the floor dirt-free.
- Use an appropriate floor cleaning solution. The hardwood floor manufacturer can give you the idea about the best suitable cleaner for your floor.
- Water-based cleaners can be used on a well-finished floor which has four coats of water-based finish, or three coats of polyurethane. This type of cleaner is safe and easy to use.
- Use a neutral pH cleaner, instead of a low or high pH floor cleaner. A high pH cleaner easily removes oily stains and grease, while a low pH cleaner is best for cleaning water and mineral deposits. Even though these cleaners are good, their extreme pH results in a dull floor. A neutral pH cleaner is mild and balanced, and removes oily as well as mineral deposits without causing any harm to the hardwood floor.
- A neutral pH cleaner should be used only after the floor finish is cured. It takes around a month for curing a polyurethane coating, while a water-based finish is cured in around 2 weeks.
- When you don't want to use a floor cleaner, damp mopping can be done. Dip the mop in a bucket of water. Wring, to dry it completely and mop the floor.
- Floor refresher is another option to maintain a prefinished hardwood floor. It helps in reviving the dull areas on the floor.
- Steam cleaning is another way to clean your hardwood floor and is one of the best ways of cleaning.
- Pay special attention to corners of the room as these places are easily ignored.
- Kitchen floor should be cleaned frequently to maintain hygiene. Flooring of other rooms can be mopped once a week, but don't avoid swiping your floors with a broom once daily, so that dirt does not accumulate in your house.
- Mix few drops of dishwashing liquid in water. Dip a sponge mop in the mixture, wring it completely and clean the floor. You need to wipe the floor with a damp mop after you finish cleaning with the sponge because dishwashing liquid leaves a film on the flooring, if not damp mopped. It is better to use a proper floor cleaner, rather than a dishwashing liquid as it is not a preferred product.
- To remove hard stains, take a small amount of floor cleaner on a piece of cloth and gently rub on the stain to remove it gradually. Do not be harsh while removing the stain.
- Buy a prefinished hardwood flooring kit containing a mop, a washable mop pad, and a floor cleaner for easy cleaning.
- Never wet mop your hardwood floor as water is a strict no-no for it.
- Never use soap or detergents to clean your prefinished hardwood floor. Instead, invest in a recommended cleaner to avoid any damage.
- Do not use ammonia on the floor.
- Do not wax your polyurethane finished flooring.
- Read the directions of use properly, before using a floor cleaner.
- Always use a floor-specific cleaner.
