Hardwood Flooring Maintenance – Reader Question January 19, 2010
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Care and Maintenance, Hardwood / Laminate, Reader Questions , trackback
Reader Question:
“I just moved into my new home with my family and before I start cleaning my new hardwood floors I wanted to see if you could clear up a debate between my mother and me. My mother tells me to clean my hardwood floors with Windex like she does (and has for 40 years) because that will help keep the shine longer. My floors are the newer type where they came already finished right out of the box. I plan to mop them with soap and water like the rest of my floors. Can you tell us which one of us is right? ”
Ashley from Yuma, AZ
Answer:
Ashley,
We are so happy that you asked us this question before you took matters into your own hands! Your mother maybe giving you advice based on the type of hardwood floors she has in her home. Hardwood floors have changed significantly in recent years and with those changes have come more advanced cleaning methods. First, here’s the answer followed by an explanation! You, especially should only clean your hardwood floors with a manufacturer approved cleaner.
Here are just a few of the reasons why:
- Using the wrong type of cleaner can void your warranty
- Cleaning with multiple products can leave a permanent film on your floors
- Your floors have a special protective coating that was carefully applied in the factory. Some chemicals can damage that finish making your floors more susceptible to damage.
- Mopping hardwood floors with soap and water can cause your wood to expand and contract and cause a variety of other unsightly issues (take a stack of paper and soak it with water – that will give you an idea of what water and wood do when they meet!)
Hardwood floors, especially pre-finished hardwood floors are designed to be very little maintenance for you. You should only have to use a liquid to clean your floors when you have a spill or stain. Using a terry cloth head mop with a small amount of cleaner should do the trick. You will also want to be sure that you keep dirt and sand off of your hardwood floors on a regular basis by having walk off mats at every door.
Hope this helps!
Your friends at Big Bob’s
Comments»
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