Cleaning and Care Guide For Your Hardwood Floors

Caring For Your Hardwood Floors

To keep your oil or hard wax oil finished hardwood floors looking like new, it’s important to protect and maintain your investment. Always make sure to use proper tools to clean your floor and the proper chemicals as you can unintentionally damage your floors using the wrong materials.

Remember that this article is meant to be guidelines to cleaning your floor but we recommend you seek advice on maintenance as each floor is uniquely finished. The guidelines listed below are intended for WOCA and Osmo finished wood floors provided by WoodCo. At any time if you have any questions, feel free to give us a call and we are happy to help!

Daily cleaning

When you notice your floors are a little more dusty than usual, take a dust mop or a cloth and clean up any loose dirt or dust. This does not have to be done every day but it keeps your floors looking like new! Depending on the color of your floors, you may need to sweep or dust more frequently. Darker woods require a bit more care as dust shows up more than it would on lighter colored floors.  **Microfiber cloths and mops are not recommended as microfiber is mildly abrasive and will gradually wear down an oil finish. We recommend mopping with a quality cotton yarn twist mop instead.**

Weekly cleaning

Keeping up with your floor’s maintenance will make cleaning easier in the long run. You can do this by scheduling one day of the week to vacuum or mop your floors. Remember that when mopping your floors to minimize the amount of water you use, as water and wood don’t mix. For hardwax oil and oil finished floors, we recommend using WOCA or Osmo Natural Soap (depending on your floor’s finish) with use of a damp mop to properly clean your floors.

When using this method it is recommended that you mix 125 ml of the Natural Soap into 5 liters of lukewarm water – and always work with two buckets: one with the soap mixture and one with just water for rinsing the mop. Be sure not to leave water or product in puddles as this has the possibility of damaging your floors by creating cupping or warping of the wood planks.

Click the links below to view complete maintenance and cleaning recommendations specific to your hardwood floor’s oil finish.

Woca – http://www.wocadirect.com/maintenance/

Osmo – http://www.monocoat.us/floor-care/

Monthly cleaning/polishing

To keep your floor looking like new, polish your floors every few months! Polishing retouches and refreshes your finish which helps to protect the wood.

Yearly deep cleaning

With daily wear and tear that comes naturally from having a wood floor in your home or commercial space, consider giving your floors a deep clean every year or applying a maintenance coat to your wood floor every 3-5 years. We suggest that this be carried out by a specialist finishing contractor to ensure no accidental damage is caused.

Every few decades

To extend the life of your floors, we recommend sanding and refinishing your floors every 7-14 years depending on wear levels. You might find that you can wait longer than this or you might have to sand and refinish sooner than 7 years. It all depends on the environment of the wood and the current care of the floors. If you follow these tips you are sure to extend the life of your wood for as long as possible!

Preventative Care tips

1. To help eliminate fine particles of dirt and dust that can scratch your floor, vacuum and sweep as needed.
2. Never use tape or other adhesives on your floor.
3. Attach proper floor protectors to moveable furniture such as chairs, tables, sofas, etc.
4. Keep pet nails trimmed and filed to minimize scratches and excessive wear.
5. Place floor mats and area rugs near entrances to prevent dirt and other unwanted substances from being tracked onto the flooring.
6. Wipe up spills immediately and avoid leaving excessive water or liquids on the floor for extended periods.
7. Always dry mop after cleaning.
8. Be cautious when moving furniture. Be careful not to drag furniture but rather lift and move it to prevent scratching.
9. Do not use vinyl or tile cleaning products on your hardwood floors as these are not formulated for wood and might cause unintended damage.
10. Don’t over-wax your floors. Wax build-up will dull the finish of your floors.

Remember that these are only suggestions to help you protect and extend the life of your floors, however, not all wood products are the same. Before using any products on your floors you should contact the experts here at WoodCo or a flooring professional to help you find the right routine to care for your hardwood floors. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions, we’d be happy to help you figure out what’s best for you!