Routine Care | Waxed Floors | White or Bleached Floors

Hardwood Flooring — Routine Care:

Some basic rules that apply to all types of wood floor finishes:

1. Use dirt-trapping, walk-off mats at all exterior doors to help prevent dirt, grit and sand from getting inside the home. Throw rugs or small sections of carpet just inside the entrances are also helpful. (RUBBER-BACKED MATS WILL CAUSE THE FLOOR TO DISCOLOR IN TIME; COCOA FIBER MATS WILL SCRATCH OR MAR THE FLOOR, AND AS SUCH, NEITHER ONE OF THESE TWO TYPES OF MATS IS RECOMMENDED FOR YOUR FLOOR.)
2. In kitchens, use area throw rugs at high spill locations and at workstations - stove, sink, refrigerator. Cotton is generally the best fabric since it is easily washed.
3. Certain chemicals in wood oxidize in strong light, causing the wood to change color ("weather" or "age"). To avoid uneven appearance, move area rugs occasionally and drape or shade large windows in direct sun.
4. Put fabric-faced glides on the legs of your furniture. They allow furniture to be moved easily without scuffing the floor. Clean the glides regularly since grit can become embedded in them. Some furniture may require barrel-type roller casters as ball-type casters may cause damage. Grey, non-marking rubber casters are the best. Avoid any type of plastic caster.
5. Vacuum regularly, as often as you vacuum carpets; do not use a beater bar as a brush attachment works beautifully. Sweep or use a dust mop daily or as needed, but do not use a household dust treatment as this may cause your floor to become slick, dull the finish, or interfere with recoating.
6. Never damp mop a wax finished wood floor. There are some finishes (i.e. urethane) that can be damp mopped and in these cases use minimum water because water causes dulling of the surface and long-term deterioration of the wood itself, as well as the finish.
7. Wipe up food and other spills immediately, using a dampened cloth if necessary. Then wipe the floor dry with another cloth or paper towel.
8. Keep high heels in good repair. Heels that have worn down or lost their protective cap, exposing the steel support rod in the heel, will dent any floor surface, even concrete.
9. A humidifier is recommended to prevent excessive shrinkage in wood floors due to low humidity levels. Wood stoves, electric and gas heat tend to create very dry conditions.
10. In damp conditions, proper humidity levels can be maintained with an air conditioner or dehumidifier, or by periodically turning on your heating systems during the summer. [top]

Hardwood Flooring — Waxed Floors:

A waxed floor need only be rewaxed once or twice a year. It may be desirable to wax the floor slightly more often in drier climates, during the winter, and in heavy traffic areas. DO NOT USE AN OIL SOAP OR ANY CLEANING PRODUCT WHICH MIXES WITH WATER OR HAS A WATER BASE.

Buffing your wax finish hardwood floor between waxing will restore the original shine. Large heavyweight buffing machines impact a much higher shine to wax finish than small lightweight machines. Use a fiber bristle brush attachment only. For urethane finish floors, periodic damp mopping will suffice.

Hardwood Flooring — White or Bleached:

Because of the color of white and bleached floors, these floors are usually lighter than the soil that accumulates on them and, like white carpet or vinyl, are more susceptible to showing the effects of dirt and traffic than those with natural or dark stained finishes. Therefore they need - and deserve - more attention than others. Vacuum or sweep often. Wipe up liquid spills immediately. If waxed, follow the same instructions in the waxed floors section. [top]

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