by Amanda Peel

Created on: August 17, 2009

Bamboo flooring is a valuable upgrade to any home. Both durable and beautiful, bamboo is available in many different colors and grain patterns that will complement any style decor. In order to keep your floors clean and maintain their beauty there are three simple steps you will need to follow.

First of all you will need to clean any dirt and grit off of the floor. This first step is very important to ensure you do not scratch your floor during the cleaning and polishing steps that will follow. A canister vacuum cleaner is always the best choice for any type of hardwood flooring. The soft bristles on the bottom of the hard surface attachment are less likely to leave any scratches on the floor than an up-right vacuum cleaner.

Once the floor is thoroughly vacuumed you can begin the next step. You will need a microfiber mop and wax-free hardwood flooring cleaner that is formulated for pre-finished and polyurethane coated wood floors. You can find the cleaners and microfiber mops that you will need at mybonahome.com or woodwiseproducts.com. Depending on the size of the area you will be cleaning you can spray the cleaner directly on to the microfiber mop or spray it directly on the floor. It is best to work in 4 x 4 sections being sure not to saturate the bamboo because leaving any liquid on hardwood flooring is harmful to the wood. Moisture can cause your floor to crack and buckle. Once the mop is dirty you can wash it out in the sink or simply place a new microfiber mop head on the end of your mop handle and continue cleaning your floors. The microfiber cloths are washable and reusable.

Now that your bamboo floors are clean the final step to maintaining their beauty is to polish them. Again, you will need to purchase a wax-free formula. Hardwood flooring polish is available in either a high or low gloss sheen that will not leave any residue or build-up on your floor. You can use your mop with a microfiber applicator pad to apply the fast drying polish as directed on the package.

Follow these three simple steps to keep your bamboo floors beautiful. Always vacuum your floors before using the hardwood floor cleaner and microfiber mop. Polish your floors once or twice a month depending on the traffic in your home. When well maintained bamboo flooring will stay beautiful for many years to come.

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