Learn how to Keep Your Wooden Flooring
According to Miller, you also “don’t want to use anything that says it’s going to polish, or shine, or rejuvenate, or revitalize the wood floor.” Although it may sound promising, these “cleaning solutions” aren’t actually doing your hardwood floors any favors. “That’s basically telling you that you’re laying out something that’s a supplemental product,” Brett explains. “It’s putting something on that surface that’ll make it pretty for a short period of time, but it’s not designed to wear.”
When in doubt, go back to the basics. For a DIY hardwood floor cleaner that won’t require an expensive purchase on Amazon, combine four cups of warm water with a few drops of Murphy Oil Soap. Water and white vinegar is another long-standing homemade cleaning solution, though its effectiveness is debated.
Keep the floors (pretty) dry
Once you’ve found the right wood floor cleaner, use it on the floors with a damp mop. “You don’t want to bring out a wet bucket and start soaking the floors because that’ll cause the wood to swell,” Miller says. For this reason, consider a microfiber mop instead of a cotton mop, as the former requires less water, and it won’t leave you with a dripping wet mop. In fact, according to Bona—a worldwide industry leader in hardwood floor care—microfiber mops use about 20 times less liquid and are the best mops for the job. You’ll also spend significantly less time trying to wring out the mop head, making it a win-win for you and your wood floors.
Brett also advises against using steam and a steam mop. Though it may provide a deep clean for wood floors, it allows vapor to enter small spaces and damage the floors in your living room.
Know the warning signs
Knowing how to clean hardwood floors isn’t the only thing to consider when it comes to immaculate wood flooring. The environment that surrounds your floor is also a big component of their care and durability. Wood reacts dramatically to temperature and humidity, so it’s important to understand these elements too, even if they’re out of your control. Your best line of defense is being aware of red flags. “The nice thing about wood is that it’s a natural product, so it’ll tell you if it’s not happy,” Brett explains.
If there’s too much moisture on, around, or below the wood, it will cup. Eliminate the source of the water, especially any standing water, to stop this from occurring. Exceedingly dry conditions induce gapping, cracking, and splitting. Here, a humidifier should do the trick. “Adding a little moisture to the air will allow your floor to settle back down. It’ll make it happy again,” Brett says.
Touch up surface scratches
Though it hurts when you scratch floors, it’s completely normal. “It’s part of owning a wood floor,” Brett says. If you do want to fix surface scratches, it’s a relatively simple DIY project. Just use a stain marker from a wood furniture touch-up kit.
A simple area rug or doormats could be another way to add personality to your space while also acting as a floor protector.
Recoat before it’s too late
When the floor is starting to wear down, it’s time to step in and recoat. “A recoat doesn’t involve sanding,” Whatley says. “It’s actually applying another coat of finish to the top of the floors to bring back the luster and life of that finish, so you don’t have to go through the sanding process.”
This exercise can prolong a floor’s life for many years by adding a layer of protection each time it’s needed. There are many different floor finishes on the market, and the best choice for refinishing may come down to the needs and specifications of your wood floors. “The beauty of wood floors is that they can be repaired and refinished and recoated,” Miller says. “A lot of normal wear and tear can be taken care of on a wood floor.”
