When it comes to hardwood floor care, you don’t have to use tons of wood floor cleaners, cleaning solutions, or other homemade cleaning supplies. In fact, homemade hardwood floor cleaners and other non-recommended cleaners can damage the finish or void your floor warranty.
**It’s important that you check with your hardwood manufacturer and the maintenance guidelines to ensure that you are not using cleaners that could cause damages to your floors or void your warranty.
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BASIC HARDWOOD CARE
Use a hard surface vacuum (brushless) or sweep twice a week for the best results. Sweeping or vacuuming hardwood floors will ensure that your space is free and clear of loose debris.
A microfiber mop is another tool that is beneficial for cleaning wood floors. These mops are gentle and effective, and they pick up dust and allergens from crevices and seams.
It’s best to start with these tools and remove loose dirt before moving on to the next steps. High traffic areas like entryways, hallways, and stairs will see more debris, so take extra care when sweeping, vacuuming, or dust mopping these areas of your home.
DO NOT use a wet mop with water or steam at any time. Hardwood is susceptible to warping when exposed to water, which means that damages happen quickly when using any water-based product to clean them.
MAINTAINING HARDWOOD FLOORS
Remove spills promptly using a soft cloth and hardwood floor cleaner or by using another cleaning product(s) recommended by the manufacturer.
DO NOT use any of the following products (or products similar in nature) on hardwood floors:
- AMMONIA-BASED CLEANERS
- ACRYLIC FINISHES
- WAX BASED PRODUCTS
- DETERGENTS
- BLEACH
- POLISHES AND OIL SOAPS
- ABRASIVE CLEANING SOAPS OR ACIDIC MATERIALS
Waxes or cleaners that need to be mixed with water such as oil, soap, or paste wax products; or other household cleaners that contain lemon oil, tung oil, or ammonia as this may damage your floor and result in a loss of warranty. Water can dull the finish and permanently damage the floor.
- Keep pet nails trimmed and paws clean and free of dirt, gravel, grease, oil, and other debris.
- Use interior and exterior doormats at entrances and to keep sand, dirt, grit, grease, and oil off your floors. DO NOT use rubber, foam back, or plastic mats as they may trap moisture and possibly discolor your floor.
- Relative humidity in the area of use must be kept within a normal range. Wood flooring performs best when the interior environment is controlled to stay within a relative humidity range of 30-50 percent and a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
