How To Clean An Old Hardwood Floor

Many don't realize how sensitive hardwood floors truly are. They undoubtedly add together a sense of luxury to a house, but they also require the right maintenance.

The way y'all clean hardwood floors depends on a few factors. These factors include things such as finish, whether they're sealed or unsealed, and age. If y'all're feeling unsure, don't worry, we've created the ultimate guide to cleaning hardwood floors.

• Why Maintain Your Hardwood Floors?
• Sealed vs. Unsealed Hardwood Floors
• Types of Hardwood Floor Finishes
• How to Make clean Hardwood Floors
• How to Make clean Old Hardwood Floors
• Additional Tips and Tricks
• Cleaning the Right Way

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Why Maintain Your Hardwood Floors?

Hardwood floors are a luxury. Equally you step into a firm, yous're greeted with a warm feel and a subtle wooden olfactory property that tin be then addictive. They add considerable value to a home and can last more than a lifetime.

Merely owning wooden floors also comes with its responsibilities. Failing to maintain your hardwood floors can alter the way they look and tin fifty-fifty crusade damage.

Thankfully, although these floors are sensitive, cleaning them isn't a hard task. They require minimum water and but demand to exist swept with a broom or vacuum. Dull floors are also quick to fix, and you can apply natural ingredients or specialized cleaners.

Sealed vs. Unsealed Hardwood Floors

You might have recently moved into a new home with hardwood floors, but are they sealed? How would you know?

Starting time, find a secluded area of flooring that's not too visible. Pour a tiny amount of water onto the area. If it gets captivated past the wood, the flooring is unsealed. If the droplets sit on the forest, your floors are sealed.

Unsealed Floors

Unsealed floors are frail and challenging to keep clean. Without proper maintenance, they can end upwards looking dull in no time. So, when cleaning unsealed hardwood floors, there are a few things you should and shouldn't practise:

• Practice sweep and vacuum regularly: Removing dust and dirt is an essential function of maintaining unsealed floors, and it should be done whenever necessary. Choose your tools carefully. For instance, only use a soft-bristled broom or a specialized vacuum for bare floors.
• Practise treat with oil: Treating your unsealed floors with oil once a month can help to keep them shining. You don't need to purchase an expensive product — jojoba or linseed volition do fine. After sweeping, apply the oil with a clean rag and stop off by buffing the floors with a dry mop.
• Exercise use wax: If you want to add together some extra shine, you tin also wax your floors betwixt cleanings. Choose petroleum-based and waterless waxes to avert scratches or warping. Apply a thin coat using a rag, and allow information technology to dry for at to the lowest degree one-half an hour. Buff information technology in using a dry mop.
• Don't apply water: Water is an unsealed floor'southward worst enemy. Without a protective blanket, the forest will absorb whatsoever liquid and swell. You will stop upwards with warping and cracks that are incommunicable to go rid of ⁽¹⁾.

Withal, although unsealed hardwood floors are ultra-sensitive, yous can become a practiced outcome every bit long as you're gentle.

Proceed In Heed

Cleaning products meant for hardwood floors aren't ever prophylactic for unsealed forest and can cause damage.

Sealed Floors

A finish protects sealed hardwood floors. The protective layer prevents moisture from penetrating and being captivated. So, cleaning your sealed floors is easier since you won't have to exist as careful.

However, finished floors also need to be resealed once in a while. When to do this depends on the type of stop and wear. By and large, though, a good time to do it is when the floor begins to look tiresome, even later a deep clean.

Some cleaning products reseal floors at the same time. These exercise need to dry for at to the lowest degree 30 minutes. Notwithstanding, resealing or refinishing your hardwood floors is generally best done past professionals.

Types of Hardwood Floor Finishes

In that location are many types of finishes available for hardwood flooring — each with specific benefits.

1. Water-Based Polyurethane

Polyurethane is ane of the more traditional finishes. It gives the floor a shine and wet look past using several coats. However, newer formulas are h2o-based and provide a clear finish.

Water-based polyurethane is bachelor in semi-gloss and satin. Many high-gloss hardwood floors are prefinished in the factory, making installation much faster.

This type of hardwood flooring is easy to clean, thank you to the gloss. Only it does crave more cleaning considering dust, dirt and pet hair tend to be quite visible. ^(two)

2. Hard-Wax Oil

Hard-wax oil end is like shooting fish in a barrel to apply for DIY'ers. It'due south an older way that'due south making a comeback. This finish gives the floors a lustrous terminate that's piece of cake to maintain.

You lot tin can clean the floors using a damp mop and occasionally utilise a specialized cleaner that adds smoothen.

A drawback to hard-wax oil finishes, though, is its low durability and vulnerability to staining. It also requires frequent reapplication; experts recommend it be refinished every two or three years ⁽³⁾.

3. Acid-Cured

Acrid-cured finishes are incredibly durable and, therefore, often used on exotic wood and those with a shine texture. These types of floors require extra protection, and then information technology'south not recommended to practise more than clammy mopping.

Applying this finish isn't an piece of cake chore — certainly not 1 to do yourself. For one, the formula is highly toxic during the curing process. Additionally, the curing procedure can final between 3 days to a month, depending on humidity.

4. Oil Sealer

Oil sealers are some other popular choice for do-it-yourself homeowners. They're easy to use and not-toxic ^(iv). The finish won't dry as difficult every bit polyurethane, but it brings out grain patterns and improves the color.

It also gives the wood a natural low-gloss, which is perfect for traditional-style homes. Tung oil is the primary ingredient in oil sealers. It'due south naturally-derived and, therefore, not permanent.

Oil sealers crave reapplication every 3 to five years ⁽⁵⁾. But, don't program on going dorsum inside right after a refinish; it needs to dry for at to the lowest degree 24 to 48 hours and requires multiple coats.

Besides, avoid applying oils or waxes in an attempt to restore smoothen. These floors are best re-glossed using a buffer or dry mop.

v. Aluminum Oxide

This is by far the near durable finish available every bit it lasts up to 25 years ⁽⁶⁾. This type is often used on engineered floors due to a thinner veneer that can't be sanded or refinished as oft.

These floors can exist cleaned similarly to polyurethane finishes — regular sweeping or vacuuming, and damp-mopping sparingly.

If you want aluminum oxide floors, prefinished wood planks are your only option. This is considering of the application and drying tools and equipment used. All the same, because they're prefinished, the application will be much faster.

How to Make clean Hardwood Floors

Getting a thorough make clean on your hardwood floors isn't catchy. Frankly, regular sweeping or vacuuming volition get rid of most dirt. Damp-mopping is also a life-saver when you need to restore shine.

If you want to know exactly how to clean hardwood floors using different methods, look no further. You can choose from one of the methods below.

ane. Naturally

Avoiding chemicals is one of the best means to preserve your floors. Fortunately, nigh of the items in our list of ingredients, y'all about likely already have in your pantry. Using all-natural products is also great for the environs and safer around children and pets.

Here are some of our favorite methods:

• Vinegar and water.
• Vinegar, water and institute-based liquid soap.
• Tea numberless.
• Vinegar and vegetable oil.
• Olive oil, lemon and hot water.
• Vinegar and vegetable oil.
• Warm water and borax.
• Blistering soda.

Warning

Using vinegar on hardwood flooring is controversial and care needs to exist taken. Never use it undiluted and always dry the floor in one case you're done.

Vinegar and Water

Vinegar is one of the most versatile products you tin find. Its high acidic levels make it constructive at cleaning most stains and surfaces. Vinegar can easily brand tough stains surrender and is an splendid way to get rid of bad odors.

To effectively clean your hardwood floors, mix vinegar and water in a spray canteen. Whip out your dry mop and spritz as you go along. Because vinegar is so acidic, yous mustn't over-do it — half a cup in a gallon of water is plenty.

Yous can also fill a bucket if you wish to damp mop, only retrieve to wring out all of the actress h2o.

Vinegar, Water and Plant-Based Liquid Soap

When you demand an extra-deep clean, vinegar and h2o might non cut it. Adding a scrap of found-based liquid soap tin can significantly heighten the mixture. Plant-based liquid soap is very mild and gentle on wooden floors.

Use one-eighth of a cup of vinegar and one-eighth of a cup of liquid soap in a gallon of water. You can either damp mop the floors or use a spray bottle for easy awarding.

If yous want to add together some scent, use a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Our favorite for cleaning is lavender; it adds a lovely floral fragrance that lasts.

Tea Numberless

Black tea is loftier in tannic acids, making it another excellent choice for cleaning hardwood floors ^(vii). It'south an easy method to apply, and no, y'all don't need to discover giant tea bags.

Let two tea bags soak in a pot of humid water for a couple of minutes — no need to add together sugar. Pour the tea into a bucket and utilise a damp mop to wipe your floors gently.

The tea will bring subtle smoothen to the floors, making them look refreshed. Information technology'll also add a calming smell.

If you like the spray bottle method, it'll work only fine with tea as well.

Warning

Using tea to clean hardwood floors is controversial. It may void flooring warranties and should merely be used on dark-stained hardwood flooring and flooring that's sealed.

Vinegar and Vegetable Oil

If you're actress careful with your floors, y'all might desire to stay abroad from water. Luckily, you can even so make an constructive cleaning solution using vinegar and vegetable oil. Simply mix equal parts of vinegar and vegetable oil.

This mixture will remove dirt and crud effectively while restoring some shine to your floors. It is best applied using a spray bottle and dry mop to buff it in.

Nevertheless, you might have to buff an expanse multiple times to get the oil in. If you leave the oil on the surface, it can concenter grit and clay.

Olive Oil, Lemon and Hot Water

This mix of olive oil, lemon juice and hot water works every bit a cleaner and a polish. It restores shine and won't streak. Olive oil is likewise fantabulous for hardwood floors due to its moisturizing abilities.

Fill a bucket with 1 gallon of hot water — information technology shouldn't be humid water, simply turn your faucet to the hottest setting. Add together three-quarters of a cup of olive oil and half a cup of lemon juice.

Then, stir the mixture using a wooden spoon until everything is combined properly. Dampen a mop and beginning at the furthest function of the room and work your mode towards the exit. The process takes a fleck of work since you might have to go over sections twice.

I bright spot, though: because information technology'south soap-costless, you lot won't take to rinse information technology. Simply leave information technology to dry and enjoy your revived floors.

Warm H2o and Borax

If you lot want more protection on your wooden floors, borax is a great solution. Information technology's a natural desiccant that dries water-damaged wood. Another neat affair about borax is that information technology's a natural pesticide ⁽⁸⁾.

Termites can chop-chop practice damage to a wooden floor. However, borax kills termites, likewise as other forest-enemies such equally fungus.

Dissolve one-half a cup of borax in a bucket with warm h2o. Then use a mop or sponge to make clean the flooring. The borax volition leave your floors with a refreshed sheen.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is some other universal, natural cleaning product like vinegar. It's alkaline, but can change the pH level of an acid when in contact ^(nine).

This is why baking soda is then effective at removing odors. However, if your wooden floors are unsealed, the baking soda could cause a stain, so please exist careful.

All you have to practice is locate the troubled surface area and sprinkle some baking soda to encompass. Scrub the spot briefly and and so remove the pulverization with a damp cloth. You lot may have to repeat if the stain is consistent, only the baking soda should become it off in no time.

two. With a Mop

Mopping is a crucial role of cleaning whatsoever floor. But, to effectively clean hardwood floors, you need to have the right mop.

Microfiber

Microfiber is one of the best materials to use on hardwood floors. It'south soft and designed to selection upwardly a lot of dust and dirt without leaving streaks ^(x).

A microfiber mop with a hinge handle is especially handy. It allows y'all to motility around corners and furniture with ease.

Wet the microfiber pad in your cleaning solution. Wring information technology until damp, and place it on the floor. Well-nigh attach easily to the base of the pole, so you won't have to fiddle around.

Spin Mop

Spin mops are very useful on hardwood floors because you tin get a lot of moisture out without having to utilise force. The head of the mop is also made of a very soft material that'southward gentle on wooden floors.

Fill the bucket with your desired cleaning solution. Wet the mop, and employ the spin to wring it thoroughly.

Spray Mop

A spray mop has a small container fitted that can be filled with a cleaner. Information technology has a spray function and then you can spritz wherever needed as you lot continue.

The mop features a trigger at the height of the handle. Point and spray where needed so glide the mop over the area.

You but have to be careful not to overspray and always dry the area thoroughly when done.

Steam Mop

Using a steam mop on hardwood floors is quite controversial. Some say it's fine, while others retrieve it's the biggest no-no.

However, steam mops marked as safe for hardwood floors will mop up excess water, leaving the floors nearly dry. Still, it's also merely advised to use steam mops on floors that are properly sealed.

When using a steam mop, fill up the pocket-size container with water and plug the mop into an outlet. Allow it to heat for as long as stated in the instructions. In one case heated, mop your floors as normal. The mop will brainstorm to create steam as it glides over the floor.

Steam Mops At Your Own Risk

Use a steam mop if you wish, only cull ane for hardwood floors, and dry the area apace subsequently. We highly recommend a microfiber pad due to the soft material and minimum streaking.

3. Textile and Spray Bottle

Cleaning hardwood floors with a cloth and spray canteen is quick and easy. You tin can use a microfiber cloth to clean without leaving streaks effectively.

This method is also useful for spot cleaning. Simply spray the minor area and wipe with a cloth.

iv. With a Vacuum

Using a vacuum is an effective way to become rid of dust, dirt and grime quickly. Withal, considering hardwood floors are so frail, information technology's crucial y'all choose the right vac.

Due to the hard surface, you won't exist needing any special attachments; all y'all need is skillful suction.

Yous should also avoid any vacuum tools designed for carpets, such as beater bars, rolls and hard brushes. These will create deep scratches on your floors.

Opt for no attachments, or choose specialized dust brushes instead. These are soft and gentle on the wooden surface. You'll too notice vacuums specifically designed for hardwood floors. They usually come up with suitable attachments and ability settings.

5. Without Water

Water is wooden floors' biggest enemy. But luckily, you don't actually need h2o to go on them clean.

Dry Mopping

Dry out mopping is very constructive at tackling dust and clay. These types of mops are usually fabricated of microfiber and accept a swivel handle for piece of cake maneuvering. Tackle your floors directly on or zig-zag your way down the hall.

Wax Paper

Similar to a dry out mop, wax paper is effective at getting the scoop on dirt and dust. Attach a slice of wax newspaper to a flat dry mop; you lot might need a slice of tape. Run it over your floors, paying attending to edges and corners.

Soft Broom

A soft broom might become your new all-time friend. It's quick to whip out and efficient at getting rid of dust bunnies.

Brand sure you cull a broom with flagged bristles. These are flared at the cease — like split up ends — and are softer and more constructive with fine grit.

How to Make clean Quondam Hardwood Floors

Taking intendance of old hardwood floors isn't as straightforward every bit new ones. Here are a few tips to keep them clean without harm:

• Daily sweep: Sweeping daily will keep dust and dirt at bay, minimizing stains.
• Vacuum weekly: Marking a day in your calendar every bit a reminder to vacuum weekly. Fragile floors can't handle the strong suction every day.
• Mop monthly: Water should exist kept to a minimum when dealing with old forest. But use a damp mop once a month to restore shine.
• Remove spills: As soon as you notice a spill or stain, wipe it off with a material.

Additional Tips and Tricks

Follow these tips to keep your hardwood floors clean and scratch-free:

• Schedule cleaning: Having set up times to clean is non simply meliorate for your floors, simply it tin also be easier for yous. Marking your calendar for daily sweeps or vacuuming, and observe a bye every week for mopping. Hardwood floors don't crave deep cleaning often, so yous tin too minimize your workload.
• Remove wet spills: Another nifty way to go along your floors healthy is by cleaning up spills immediately. This might become a tough task for parents since moisture spills are simply part of the job. But leaving moisture messes can create watermarks, damage, spots and stains. So have a few microfiber cloths at paw to chop-chop wipe abroad any mess.
• Use rugs: Placing a few throw rugs around the house can limit wear on your floors. Endeavour to place them in spots where scratches are more likely to occur, similar under tables and chairs. Avert rugs with a safety underside — this can create a humid environment betwixt information technology and the flooring, leading to damage.
• Get out shoes at the door: Take your shoes off as soon as you enter your home. Cleats and heels are deadly to hardwood floors since they can get out dents and deep scratches. Maybe put up a friendly reminder by the door so that anyone who enters will know to remove their shoes.
• Trim pet nails: If you have a loveable dog at home, keep those paws trimmed. Equally they run around, they can easily scratch the sensitive surface. Trimming their nails is also an of import part of their care.
• Doormats: To continue cleaning to a minimum, y'all also need to go on clay to a minimum. Having a doormat is a convenient way to leave clay and modest stones outside. During winter and rainy days, rain and snow tin can also come within via boots and shoes. These tin can crusade water damage if non removed.

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Cleaning the Right Way

Hardwood floors are delicate, simply non incommunicable to maintain. They add great value to a house, and it tin can exist the investment of a lifetime. How yous should clean your floors depends on whether they're sealed or unsealed (without a protective layer).

Hopefully, our guide has helped yous to know exactly how to make clean hardwood floors. Just retrieve to exist gentle when sweeping or vacuuming and proceed water to a minimum. Clean up spills as they happen, and your floors should be more than than fine.

Have you tried cleaning with natural remedies on your hardwood floors? Share your experience with us in the comments section below.

Source: https://ohsospotless.com/how-to-clean-hardwood-floors/

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