Natural hardwood floors can add a touch of beauty and elegance to any home – especially in a kitchen. One of the rumoured downsides of wooden flooring is the work involved in cleaning and protecting them, as they’re typically more expensive than other floor coverings and are harder to replace if damaged. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. If sealed and maintained using the right processes, cleaning and protecting your hardwood floor doesn’t have to be a bother.
Follow our tips below for successful cleaning and protecting of hardwood floors:
- Avoid dirt and scratches where you can – An obvious way to protect your floor is to eliminate the things which are most likely to cause damage. You can do this by wiping up spills as soon as they happen, making sure people remove footwear before entering the room and by placing rugs or mats on areas of the floor which experience high volumes of foot traffic. Cleaning them often also removes any dirt or debris which could be worked into the floor.
- Know how your hardwood flooring is sealed – In order to clean and protect your floor correctly, you should be aware of how it was sealed. The type of seal or finish to the floor can determine which cleaning products are best to use, and how often it should be cleaned. A professional floor fitter will be able to tell you exactly what you need to know, such as which cleaning products to use, how much moisture your floor can withstand and more.
- Use the correct products – Again, asking a professional floor fitter for advice on cleaning products is best. Apart from that, make sure that you steer clear of cleaning products which are too alkaline or acidic. These can dull your flooring and eat away at the finish, respectively.
- Finally, you can always refinish your floor. If it’s starting to look a little dull or as though the finish is wearing away, then it’s a good idea to have it re-finished before you find irreparable damage. Contact a professional flooring specialist for more information.
