Blog > Maintaining Hardwood Flooring
Maintaining Hardwood Flooring
April 5, 2016
Maintaining Hardwood Flooring
FLOOR CARE| Cleaning
We recommend Bona waterborne floor cleaners which are non-toxic and specially designed to be safe for floors, families, and the environment. In addition, Bona microfiber cleaning pads are machine washable up to 300 times, saving you money and protecting the environment. And, they are GREENGUARD certified for indoor air quality and the more stringent Children and Schools Program.
1. Vacuum
Vacuum, dry mop or sweep to remove any loose dirt or grit. The best method of removing dirt and grit is vacuuming with a soft brush attachment on your vacuum. If using the Bona Microfiber mop to dry mop, remove any loose dirt or grit after dry-mopping by rinsing with water and wringing out the mop pad prior to cleaning floor with Bona Pro Series Hardwood Floor Cleaner.
2. Spray
Lightly mist a 4’ x 6’ area of your floor or directly mist the cleaning pad with Bona Pro Series Hardwood Floor Cleaner.
3. Clean
Using a slightly dampened, well wrung-out Bona Microfiber cleaning pad, thoroughly clean the floor surface using your Bona Microfiber Mop. Finish one area before moving on to the next. When your mop pad becomes soiled, rinse with water, thoroughly wring out the pad and continue cleaning with Bona Pro Series Hardwood Floor Cleaner. When the mop pad becomes excessively soiled, launder and replace with another clean mop pad. Continued use of excessively soiled pads may cause streaking.
Your Bona Microfiber cleaning pads are reusable and washable. Do not use any fabric softeners, dryer sheets, or bleach on your Microfiber Cleaning Pad as these products will diminish the natural cleaning characteristics of the microfiber. When a spill occurs, soak up the liquid right away. Mist the area with cleaner, and wipe with your Bona Microfiber Mop or a Microfiber Floor Cloth.
4. Maintenance
Regular maintenance can improve the life of your home and protect your investment.
FLOOR CARE| Tips
1. Sweep wood floors often with a soft, fine bristle broom.
2. Vacuum once or twice a week to remove dirt and sand. Use a soft brush attachment to minimize scratching.
3. Since water is one of a wood floors worst enemies, get rid of water right away! Always remove spills promptly. While small drips of water may not harm the floor, be sure not to let excess amounts of water sit on the floor. Remove wet spills ASAP with soft towels or a wet/dry vacuum, then dry thoroughly.
4. Use a very dry damp mop when mopping wood floors, since excess water can seep into seams and ruin a wood floor.
5. Use furniture pads to place under table and chair legs and on the feet of dressers and armoires. They can be purchased at local hardware store or home center.
6. Never drag furniture or other objects across a wood floor. Instead, clean the floor thoroughly to remove dust and grit, then use “gliding” furniture pads underneath the piece to aid sliding it across the floor.
7. Install floor mats at each entrance so you don’t track in dirt and water/snow from the bottoms of shoes. Consider using carpet runners/ area rug (with non-skid pads) over wood floors in high traffic areas.
8. Vacuum area rugs and runners often so dirt doesn’t filter down through the weave and scratch the wood underneath.
9. If possible, do not wear heavy shoes or high heels on hardwood floors, as some heels can cause dents.
10. Maintain recommended relative humidity levels. Humidity recommendations range from 30-50% in a building. Temperature recommendations range from 60-80°F in a building. If you maintain normal living conditions within the recommendations, the amount of expansion and contraction in your hardwood flooring will be limited.