The wooden floor gives a beautiful and refined touch to the house or apartment, but above all it provides comfort and a more warm and pleasant environment. This is clear when steps are taken to keep it always clean and looking new.
Although other types of floors seem easier to clean, there are very useful tips that can be applied to wooden floors and that will convince you to keep this type of floor in your home.
In this article you will learn how to clean wooden floors without wearing them down or causing them to lose their natural charm. Check out:
Why clean it?
If you think about it, the floor is one of the places in the house that accumulates the most dirt, since everyone in the house walks on it wearing shoes that have also been walking on the streets. Even if in your home the rule is to take your shoe off the door and put on a slipper or slipper, it is natural that dust and other small particles accumulate.
With that you can understand the importance of cleaning the wooden floor. You sure don’t want to be in a house full of dust, do you? Not to mention other accidents that happen throughout the day, such as dropping beverages on the floor, fat and even food scraps.
Cleaning ensures that the wooden floor gets brighter and maintains its appearance again. At the same time it eliminates dust mites and avoids the dreaded allergies!
How to clean wooden floors: types x shapes
There are different types of wooden floors on the market. Which means that dirt removal is not standard for everyone. Some may require you to wax after heavy cleaning, while others do not even allow the use of water.
Pay attention to the type of wooden flooring in your home and then bet on the following measures:
How to clean natural wood floors (solid, demolition, putter, parquet)
If the wood used in the floor of your home is natural, cleaning allows the use of certain products and even water.
For daily cleaning (or once every two days) bet on a soft-bristled broom or vacuum cleaner. Does anyone in the house have allergies? Finish with a cloth slightly moistened with soap and water or just water. At least once a week it is recommended to wipe the cloth with water and detergent or water and soap.
Who has pets at home can do this cleaning with detergent more times a week. Finally, after wiping the damp cloth, repeat the process with a dry cloth to dry the floor.
Remember that wood cannot stay damp if it doesn’t spoil! So be very careful with this step and the amount of water (or water + soap / detergent) used!
For heavy cleaning it is recommended to follow the entire daily cleaning process, including applying detergent to the floor and finishing with the application of wax. Wait for the determined period and pass the polishing machine to shine. The wax can be liquid or not, bet on the one you think is best.
How to clean wooden floors: carpet and laminate
The cleanliness of the wooden carpet and laminate flooring is a little different from that of natural wood floors. For everyday use bet on a broom with soft bristles or the vacuum cleaner itself. Finish with a dry cloth. This type of floor does not allow water to be used in the cleaning process.
If you notice that the floor is very dirty, you can use a slightly damp cloth for heavy cleaning. That is, nothing to soak it in the bucket. Mix a detergent lid in a solution of five liters of water. Moisten the cloth and wipe the floor. To avoid problems, immediately wipe with a dry cloth.
It is not necessary nor should wax be used, as it stains laminate floors and wooden carpets. To make them shiny, finish with a soft, dry cloth.
Extra tip: In the process of cleaning wooden floors you should always scrub in the direction of the wood, to avoid scratching the floor.
How to clean wooden floors: stains
Floor stains do not always come off when you just wipe with a detergent cloth. To try to eliminate them, it is recommended to rub by hand. If it still doesn’t come out, follow these tips for blemishes:
Juice, wine, soda, coffee
Did you spill any of those drinks on the floor? The recommended thing is always to pay attention and clean up immediately after the accident. But when this is not possible, the tip to remove the stain from the wooden floor is to prepare a mixture of 50% warm water with 50% alcohol.
Dampen a soft cloth and apply to the stain. Rub lightly and then wipe dry to avoid damage to the wood.
Oil or fat
If the stain on the floor was caused by oil or grease, it will be necessary to count on the help of a degreasing product. Apply it directly on the floor and use a sponge or soft cloth to scrub and remove excess product.
Pen ink
Did you notice stains of pen ink? Don’t worry, they are easily removed with the help of alcohol. Wet a cotton swab and rub over the streaks of pen ink.
Nail polish
If you have dropped nail polish on the wooden floor, the very acetone you would use on your nails helps remove dirt. But nothing to spread all over the floor. You should place the product only on the enamel stain.
To avoid damage to the wooden floor, apply the acetone over a cotton or cloth and rub over the enamel splashes or stains.
Care and maintenance of wooden floors
Cleaning the wooden floor is a very important process to ensure greater durability and a comfortable and pleasant environment in your home. In addition, some precautions can help in this task, such as:
1. Place rugs in the common areas of the house
Common and more frequented spaces in the house such as the living room can have rugs, which help to prevent dirt from spreading to the rest of the house. In addition to the entrance door, place a rug next to the sofa, for example.
Thus, dirt accumulates on the carpet that can be cleaned much faster and easily than the wooden floor itself.
2. Take your shoes off at the entrance
This Japanese custom can be very useful in helping to keep the floor clean for longer. After all, one of the easiest ways to get it dirty is with the shoe itself, which you used on the street and then walking inside your house.
The ideal is to separate shoes just for use at home (they can be slippers and slippers) and others for you to wear when leaving home. Just put them on when you leave and remove them from your foot as soon as you get home.
The wooden floor of your house thanks you! And even you, who will notice a good reduction in the amount of dirt around the house!
3. Avoid excessive cleaning products
Cleaning products are great enemies of this type of floor and can cause damage to wood fibers. So much so that you noticed in the tips above that it is recommended to use only a cloth slightly moistened with water and at most water with detergent, leaving the chemicals only for emergencies (the stains in this case).
Silicone-based products are also not recommended, as they can stain the wood. And don’t forget to check if your floor really needs to be waxed before applying the wax.
4. Avoid steel wool
You may have heard that steel wool was the most suitable solution for real wood floors. Well, don’t take that information as a complete truth.
Steel wool can scratch the wood and should be avoided as much as possible. Use it only on stains that you cannot remove in any way. As a final alternative.
5. Place protective felt on the feet of tables and chairs
The feet of tables and chairs should be provided with felt protectors to prevent scratching the floor when they are moved. They also make cleaning easier, as they accumulate less dirt.
6. Don’t drag furniture
If you need to move the furniture, avoid dragging it, as this will scratch the wooden floor. Empty wardrobes and dressers and place a cloth under the furniture, so it is more practical to take it to another place in the house.
Also count on someone else’s help for the smaller furniture, so you can lift it instead of dragging it during a move.
7. Reapply natural varnish
If the floor allows natural varnish to be applied, apply it after some time. This gives the wood a shine and greater liveliness, in addition to protecting it from scratches and moisture.
8. Check the humidity
Always take care of the humidity in the house. Open windows and doors and let the sun in. If the wood gets wet it will expand and the floor will spoil. When cleaning, avoid exaggerating the water and, if necessary, bet on dry cloths.
As you can see, cleaning wooden floors is a task that requires attention and great care with the amount of water used. If you have more tips for cleaning this type of floor, be sure to tell us!
