Wood is an organic product and water is wood’s worst enemy. This is
exactly what you need to keep telling yourself every time you start
cleaning your wooden floor. You need to be gentle when you are cleaning
your wooden floor in order to make sure it last without damaging. Many a
times natural factors like dry wind, heat can cause wood to crack.
These cracks have to be dealt with immediately or you will need more
than just a mop to maintain your wooden floor. There are large varieties
of hardwood floor mops available in the market.
You can use flat mops, sponge mops or even dust mops. But you will have
to be very careful while you use these mops. While cleaning, you have
to make sure that you do not soak the mop completely in water and then
put it to use on the floor. This will definitely spoil your wooden
floor. If you use these above mentioned mops, chances are that you will
end up damaging your floor. The best type of hardwood floor mops are
microfiber mops.
These mops are specially designed for cleaning
hardwood floors. They are made up of special fibers called mop
microfibers that will not soak in excess of water. This enables proper
cleaning of the floors without damage due to water. The microfiber mop
is more expensive than a normal flat or sponge mop but is even very
efficient. Also, while using a microfiber mop, you will not have to add
too much detergent or cleaning liquid in the water.
There are
certain rules you need to follow while cleaning the hardwood floor. You
must take care not to brush the mop hard against the floor. If there are
sticky stains, then, it is better you get down on your knees and clean
it with a sponge or a cloth using mild detergent solution. Using a
sponge is better than a cloth since you can feel the dirt being removed.
The most important thing to remember when you are mopping your wooden
floor is make gentle sweeps along the direction of the grains of the
wood. The mop microfibers must brush gently across the wood. Never use a
hard scrub brush to get stains off your hardwood floor. If you do, you
are sure to cause damage to your floor.
The use of too much detergent can also damage the texture of your
wooden floor. Research shows that water or vinegar is ideal for cleaning
hardwood floor. You can also use mild cleaning liquids designed
particularly for wooden floors. Apart from taking extra care while
cleaning, you also need to take care that you do no walk over the floor
with hard shoes. Make sure you take off your shoes when you get home.
Also, if necessary cover your floor with a carpets or artificial
flooring mats.
If you want your hardwood to remain as good as new for a long time, take a little extra effort towards maintaining it.
