Mistakes To Avoid While Cleaning Your Hardwood Floors

A hardwood floor is one of the most coveted flooring options among most homeowners. It adds a splash of style and elegance like no other flooring. However, many people hesitate to update their flooring to hardwood as it is comparatively more difficult to maintain. It requires a bit of love and cares to keep it looking spick and span. As long as you avoid the following mistakes, your hardwood floor will look brand new.

Using Household Cleaners

While vinegar and ammonia-based cleaners are a go-to for cleaning homes, they can prove to be destructive for hardwood floors. These can damage the hardwood floors by eating away the surface slowly, taking away the protective coating of the flooring. Even natural cleaning products can prove to be harmful to your wood flooring. In order to clean your hardwood floors, you need to choose oil-based cleaners that do not damage or age the wood prematurely. 

Using the wrong Vacuum Attachment

Vacuum cleaners come with several attachments that come in handy while cleaning your home. However, some of those can have an adverse effect on your floor as well. You need to pick a vacuum head that does not scratch your precious wooden floor. Flooring experts at https://www.districtfloordepot.com/, advise choosing a soft brush attachment that doesn’t offer too much resistance to keep your hardwood floor clean. Steer clear of any vacuum attachments that come with rotating brushes or beater bars. These can cause a lot of damage to soft wooden materials.

Mopping with too much Water

Hardwood floors are porous and absorb plenty of water. This is why you need to avoid using a wet mop to clean the floor. The water will cause the floor to warp or even swell up. But worry not, you can still mop the floor with a dry or slightly damp mop. This will help keep the hardwood floor clean without causing any damage. 

Leaving Water on the Floor

As mentioned earlier, wood has the ability to absorb water as it is porous. This will cause the floor to swell or warp and damage it. In case you have an accidental spill, you need to clean it up as soon as possible to prevent the wood underneath from buckling. It might even leave behind ugly and discoloured patches that are difficult to remove. 

Once you have understood the things to avoid on a hardwood floor, it is time to understand how to clean hardwood floors without damaging them. Your indoor environment needs to be clean and hygienic to ensure that your flooring is well-protected. You need to sweep or vacuum daily, to keep it clean from dust and grime. A deep clean once a month can be done by using a bucket of cleaning solution and a mop. However, remember to wring out your mop when using it on the floor so that it is damp and not soaking wet. 

If you are not sure which cleaning solution to use for the floor, it is a good idea to contact the manufacturers to find out what works best. As long as you avoid harsh chemicals and incorrect brush attachments, your hardwood floor will continue looking good for years to come.