Best Way to Deep Clean Wood Floors

You love your hard wood floors, and surface clean them frequently. However, you also need to deep clean them once every two months or so if you want them to look clean and shiny.

Let us look into how to go about deep cleaning your hard wood floor.

Before You Begin

Before you start cleaning, it is best to do some preventive maintenance. Start by placing mats both outside and inside exterior doors to minimize the dirt carried in from outside. If it is snowing or raining, make sure to include a boot-removal area, so that there is no damage from water or de-icers.

You can prevent scratch marks on floors by placing protectors under furniture, and rugs in the children’s play area, so that the toys do not scratch the floor.

Deep Cleaning Your Wood Floor: The Method

1. Begin by thoroughly sweeping the floor. It is best to use a soft bristled broom for this, and ensure that you don’t miss any spot.
2. To remove any left-over dirt, use an attachment that comes with your vacuum cleaner. You can do this for removing dirt from hard to reach nooks and corners. A floor-brush attached to your vacuum cleaner is best for this. Take care not to use one with a beater-bar attachment, because that can damage the floor finish.
3. Next, you will require a concentrated hard wood cleaner. There are many of these available in the market. It keeps your floor clean, and has a pleasant smell which lingers long. Dilute the solution according to the instructions, dip your mop into it, and wring it thoroughly so that the mop is only slightly damp. Mop your wood floor with it, gently, but thoroughly. Make sure that water does not collect anywhere, as this is bad for your floor. In humid weather, operate a ceiling fan or the air conditioner to speed up the drying.
4. Check for stains on the floor, and remove them with the help of a suitable stain remover, sprayed on a piece of cloth.
5. Finish off by waxing and buffing, if your floor is suited for this.

It is best to check with the manufacturer of your wood floor, before you deep clean it. Ensure that you follow their recommendations, or else the warranty will go void. In case your floor has suffered substantial damage, you can give it a new finish after sanding it.

Tips to Remember

To ensure that your hard wood floor lasts long, keep the following tips in mind:

• It is best to vacuum clean your floor frequently. If possible, do it every day; otherwise, do it once in a week. Just make sure you use a hardwood vacuum without any beater brushes.
• If you cannot vacuum it, at least dust it.
• If you do not have a mop handy and are looking for a suitable cloth, then a cloth diaper is best. It is soft, absorbent, and is ideally suited for the purpose.
• It is a common practice to use diluted vinegar instead of a hard wood solution available in the market. However, this can cause your floor to look dull, and is best avoided.

Hard wood floors occupy the pride of place in your home. They can look good and last long, but only if you give them the attention they need, and remember to deep clean them at regular intervals.