12 June 2023

How to care for your Wood Flooring

Wood flooring is renowned for it’s beautiful, luxurious appearance and durability. Easy to clean and care for; wood flooring is an increasingly popular choice and it’s easy to see why. But what is the best way to clean it? Does it stain easily? Does it scratch? Here we take a look at how to care for your wood flooring and ensure it looks new for as long as possible.

Daily Cleaning Wood Flooring

Before looking into how to care for your wood flooring, first you will need to determine how your floor has been finished. Is it oiled or lacquered? Both types require different care and maintenance instructions.

If you are unsure which finish your flooring has, there are wood floor cleaners available that are suitable for both oiled and lacquered. Alternatively, if you would like to be more specific, there are also cleaners specifically designed for each type. A cleaning fluid for oiled flooring will both clean and nourish your flooring.

We recommend avoiding super market brands as they can often contain a high level of acidic ingredients. This can result in deteriorating the protective surface of the wood. Always use a brand that is specifically for wood flooring. Most manufacturers provide recommended products for this purpose.

Not everyone has the time to clean everyday. Removing debris and cleaning your flooring will ultimately ensure it looks it’s best. We recommend the following:

1. Remove debris regularly by sweeping with a soft brush or dust-attracting flat head mop and vacuuming. When vacuuming, ensure that your vacuum is set to ‘hard floor’ setting to avoid scratching the floor. (once – twice a week)
2. Dilute wood floor cleaner into water and then use a lightly damp mop/ cloth to wipe the surface clean. (once -twice a month) Avoid excess moisture and standing water. Allow to dry naturally.

Following these two simple steps as often as required. Will help to maintain your flooring’s appearance.

Protection

Protecting your flooring from everyday wear and tear comes in many forms. Wood flooring is incredibly hard wearing, however no flooring is 100% scratch proof.

1. Apply felt pads or furniture protectors to the feet of any furniture that comes into contact with your flooring.
2. Avoid wearing outdoor shoes, while in your home. Sharp fragments and debris can still cause scratches and damage the surface of your flooring.
3. Add internal and external matting at all entrances to the property. This will help prevent abrasive particles from being carried onto the floor, and avoid excessive wear.

Oiled Wood Flooring

The oiled surface of your flooring protects the wood from everyday wear and tear. It provides a barrier and helps to maintain the appearance of your flooring. Over time, this will begin wear away. Oiled flooring is maintained by re-applying oil to the surface.

It is recommended that areas of high use should be maintained with oil as and when required. The frequency of this entirely depends on the usage of the floor. For example, a busy kitchen-diner or hall, with heavy foot traffic and external doorways, may need more regular attention. For this we recommend once a year.

Areas with less daily use, such as living rooms and bedrooms may only occasionally need oil maintenance.

Directions:

Preparation

• Remove all dust and dirt with vacuum cleaning.
• Wash the floor with a wood floor cleaning solution using luke-warm water.
• Rinse well to eliminate any soap residue.
• Allow to fully dry, naturally. If the floor is still dirty then repeat this process.
• Allow the flooring to dry fully in between each clean. This is to avoid over saturating and damaging the wood.
• The floor must be dry before adding maintenance oil.

Application

• Maintenance oil can be applied to the surface with a buffing pad. This can be done by hand or with a buffing machine.
• Apply in sections, of 2 – 4m² 
• Use a lint free cloth to wipe each section dry (removing excess) before moving on to the next area. If using a buffing machine use a white pad to remove excess oil.
• Once the area is complete the floor should be dry after 6 – 8 hours. Ensure the room is well-ventilated.
• Avoid cleaning for at least 48 hours.
• After 48 hrs, you can clean the flooring with a damp cloth or mop pad (no cleaning solution). It will take 7 days for the flooring to be fully cured.
• Once the flooring is cured, normal cleaning maintenance can resume.
• Ensure Cloths/ rags used in oil application are put in water for 12 hours before disposal or reuse. This will help to avoid spontaneous combustion while the oil cures.

Lacquered Wood Flooring

The lacquered surface of your flooring protects the wood from everyday wear and tear. It provides a barrier and helps to maintain the appearance of your flooring.

In high traffic areas, over time the lacquered surface will require the lacquer to be reapplied. This is know as ‘re sand and seal’

The surface must first be cleared of all dirt and old lacquer. This is removed using a fine grit sand paper on a sanding machine. This allows a new coat of lacquer to be applied without sanding back to the bare wood. Once the surface is prepared, a new coat of varnish/ lacquer can be applied.

We advise employing a professional and experienced floor finisher, to complete this restoration.

Stains and Spills

We all have accidents from time to time. Reaction is key. The faster you attend to spills, the less likely it will stain.

Wipe up any liquid spills quickly with a non-abrasive , absorbent cloth or kitchen towel. Leaving spilled liquids can result in lasting damage. Oil and oil-fried food can react with oiled surfaces and should be wiped up directly.

Don’ts

To prevent damaging your flooring we suggest you avoid the following:

1. Do not steam clean.
2. Avoid excess moisture.
3. Don’t drag furniture across your flooring.
4. Don’t use harsh or abrasive chemicals to clean.
5. Avoid using builder or wet wipes. They contain harsh surface-active surfactants that can react with the oiled or lacquered finish and damage the wooden surface.
6. Only use soft pads and clothes to clean your floor. Using scourers or abrasive cloths, may cause damage to your flooring.
7. Avoid wearing outdoor shoes, inside. Any abrasive debri or sharp edges (stiletto shoes) may cause damage to the surface of the flooring.

Following these top tips will ensure your flooring looks like new for as long as possible.