The methods of hardwood floor care that you should use will mainly depend on the type of finish you have on your floor. Before you pick up any kind of cleaning solution or wax for your floor, you need to determine what type of finish you have.
There are three common types of surface finishes on hardwood floors:
- Surface-sealed with urethane, polyurethane or polyacrylic
- Penetrating-seal-treated and oil-treated
- Lacquered, shellacked, varnished and untreated
Surface-sealed floors are more resistant to water and moisture, so you can use soap and water or a damp mop to clean them without damaging the wood itself.
Penetrating-seal-treated and oil-treated floors are more susceptible to water damage, so you will need to be more careful. It's best to use liquid or paste wax to protect the floor. This wax will need to be reapplied on a regular basis - just how often will depend on how much traffic and wear the floor gets.
For lacquered, shellacked, varnished and untreated floors, they are also not as resistant to moisture so you should follow the same methods as for oil-treated floors.
Aside from regular cleaning, there are several other things you can do to help care for your hardwood floors.
- Use carpet runners with non-skid backing to protect hardwood floors in high-traffic areas
- Vacuum area rugs and carpet runners regularly to keep dust and dirt from getting through the weave and scratching the floor underneath.
- Never drag furniture or other heavy objects across hardwood. Use glider pads underneath the furniture, or lift it from place to place, to avoid scratching the floor.
- Place floor mats at all entrances to minimize the dirt that gets tracked in on the bottom of shoes.
- Follow the flooring manufacturer's recommendations for cleaning and maintenance procedures. Maintaining your floor is a lot less costly and time consuming than have to refinish it or even replace it if it gets too badly worn.
Hardwood takes a bit more care than some other types of flooring, but if you follow these simple steps it will last you for many years.