Hardwood floors have proven to be quite popular with homeowners especially along the Sunshine Coast. Vinyl & tile floors are strong and durable and require relatively little maintenance, while these hardwood floors require a polish to keep the floor preserved.
Even though hardwood floors have become quite common, maintaining them is not as straightforward as it might seem at first glance. What follows are a few tips that will help you preserve your flooring.
Flooring Maintenance on a Hardwood Floor
There are several things you can do to maintain your wooden flooring. Two of the more obvious tricks is to place floor mats near the entrances and removing your shoes when entering the home. Floor mats will catch much of the dirt and debris that enters the home and putting your shoes away will reduce the cleanup even more.
Make use of a carpet cleaner to clean rugs that are on the hardwood floor. This will remove the dirt and debris that otherwise might cause scratches. When you replace the rugs, put them in a different place. Otherwise, they will create lighter areas as they protect the flooring itself.
Try using a vacuum that does not have a beater bar. This will still clean the floor, but not create scratches. A good quality broom or a microfibre cloth works quite well.
Be sure to use a neutral cleaner that interacts well with the urethane finish that is found on many wooden floors. Like all products being used in cleaning services always read the label.
Water Damage on Vinyl and Tile Floor
Because the material is organic unlike tiles or vinyl, it pays to understand that they can scratch easily, and water damage can be considerable if the surface is not correctly sealed. When exposed to moisture, the wood can warp which means you will need to sand it flat and apply a refinish to properly repair.
Humidifier
You will need to use a humidifier if the room is dry. This may sound counterintuitive at first, but a very dry room may cause the hardwood to shrink, create gaps between the panels, and even crack. So, if you are heating the room with a gas furnace or wood burning stove, add a humidifier to keep some moisture in the air.
Floor Polishing on the Sunshine Coast
If you have new hardwood flooring on the Sunshine Coast do not wax or polish it. This is because the finish on the floor is probably aluminium oxide, urethane, or water-based finish that does not require additional polish or waxing for some time.
While polish is generally good to apply to flooring, it is not good for all types of floors. If your flooring has a urethane layer of protection, the polishing will be beneficial. However, if the floor has a penetrating finish such as tung oil, then you will need to wax the floor and not polish it.
Finally, try to keep the hardwood floors away from direct sunlight. The UV rays can damage unprotected flooring over time. Finding the right floor polish or sealant with UV protection can certainly help. For those along the Sunshine Coast who want wooden flooring over vinyl or tiles, the appropriate maintenance can go a long way to keep their floors in like new condition.
The team at Clean Machine can answer all your queries regarding Floor Polishing and all Cleaning Services. Please contact for a free quote.
