With the right maintenance and cleaning measures, the appearance and condition of your hardwood flooring will last for years to come! Of course, apart from the use of safe methods and appropriate cleaning products, consistency is key! Unless your hardwood floor is cleaned regularly and in the right manner, you’re going to end up disappointed with the outcome.
At CleaningBest, we are dedicated to maintaining crucial aspects of a home including one’s precious wooden floor. With that said, we are here to help you understand the best, simplest, and safest way to clean and maintain your hardwood flooring. Read on!
How to Clean Polyurethane Hardwood Floors
It’s rare to find wooden floors that do not have a polyurethane finish because unfinished hardwood is prone to all sorts of damage. Hence, homeowners prefer to play it safe and have their wood flooring sealed and finished. The following cleaning method and cleaning solution used are intended for polyurethane finished hardwood floors.
Step One: Remove Dust and Debris from the Surface
Believe it or not, dullness on hardwood floors is often caused by dust and debris that are allowed to sit on the surface for too long. Typically, daily dusting of your wood flooring is advised to keep it looking clean, as well as to remove debris that may scratch the finish due to heavy foot traffic.
Depending on your personal preference, you can either vacuum your hardwood floor with a soft brush attachment, or sweep it with a broom. For the latter, we recommend an electrostatic broom which is more effective in picking up dust and fine debris as compared to regular straw and twine brooms.
In general, sweeping is more convenient because you can remove dirt and dust from tight spaces without worrying about switching to another attachment head. On the other hand, vacuuming is quicker because you are picking up dirt instantly as opposed to gathering it and then having to pick it up. Regardless of how you choose to remove dust from your hardwood floor, it is important to do this thoroughly daily or every alternate day.
Step Two: Use a Wood-Safe Cleaner
Although there are plenty of commercial wood cleaners to use on hardwood flooring, they can be quite expensive in the long run. As a cheaper alternative and yet, one that will help keep your wooden floor clean and stain-free, consider making the following natural hardwood floor cleaner:
Fill up a bucket with warm water.
Mix in ¼ cup of baking soda.
Add 5-10 drops of scented oil for a pleasant fragrance.
Stir the cleaning solution well to combine the ingredients.
Dip a cotton string mop or a microfibre cloth in the bucket, wring it thoroughly, and mop/wipe the floor clean. Bear in mind that the cleaning tool should be merely damp and not wet as prolonged exposure to moisture can be damaging to both finished and unfinished wooden floors.
Step Three: Dry and Buff the Floor
The annoying part about ‘washing’ hardwood floors is that they often leave water spots/marks on the floor. Of course, this can be prevented by manually drying the floor as opposed to letting it air-dry. This can be done with a dry, lint-free mop or cloth immediately after you have cleaned your hardwood floor with a floor cleaning solution.
To finish off, the professionals at Cleaning Best recommend buffing your wooden floor to restore its lustre and new-looking appearance. You can either do this with a machine or the more feasible way which requires a muslin cloth or microfibre mop, and some diluted white vinegar.
In a bucket, mix 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts water; stir to combine the ingredients properly. Dip and wring the mop/cloth so that it is just damp with the homemade buffing solution; use circular motions to buff the hardwood floor one section at a time.
By the end of CleaningBest’s safe and effective three-step guide to cleaning hardwood floors, you will be left with gleaming results, and a big, satisfied smile on your face!
