by Loretta Terry

Created on: July 18, 2008   Last Updated: July 25, 2008

Sometimes the fear of taking care of your wood floors is just that a fear. People sometimes become over anxious when they begin to think of all the products out there designed for wood floors. Honestly, the care and maintenance is much simpler than people give it credit.

Primarily, you need to determine if your floors are sealed. Many wood floors are stained and sealed with a polyurethane coating. Sealants are usually applied when the floors are laid or after they have been stripped to be refinished. Once you have determined if your floors are sealed, then you may determine the type of cleaning solutions that can be used. For any floor, that has not been sealed, any type of wet cleaning is not recommended. This can lead to damage of the wood, which in turn can lead to warping of the boards. If the water damage is severe enough it can lead to further structure damage.

Once you have determined if your floors are sealed, then cleaning them should be a cinch. Sweeping is necessary. As we all know wood collects dust. I recommend the use of a soft broom or a dust mop. Keeping a dust mop handy helps when you need a quick clean. I do not recommend the use of a vacuum cleaner. Many vacuums out on the market have rotating brushes and this can scratch the surface of your floor. Affecting the luster of the finish.

Take care when mopping and cleaning up spills. Many chemicals can be caustic and harmful to the finish of a floor. If the sealant becomes damaged then it could again lead to damage or discoloration of the wood. Mopping should be done with a very damp cloth mop. Again, excessive moisture is not good for your wood. There are many products out there on the market today, but one that I have found that works extremely well for general cleaning is Orange glo. They offer many products specifically designed for the cleaning and care of your hard wood floors.

The care and maintenance of your floor is very simple. With proper cleaning, you will enjoy the luster and beauty of your hard wood floors to come.

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