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MAINTENANCE for HARDWOOD FLOORS

The key to lasting beauty of your wood flooring investment is proper maintenance for the life of your floor. Included in this page are care guide lines, maintaining urethanes finishes, wax finishes, and the Do's & Don'ts of your wood floor product.

 

Preventive maintenance for wood floors today involves protecting the finish from scratches,
spills and moisture.

Customers who realize that their floors aren't impervious to an onslaught of spills, grit and
water will be less likely to call back with complaints in the future. That means explaining
proper maintenance. The key points to tell customers about maintenance include:

MAINTENANCE FOR ALL FLOORS:

~ Follow manufacturer's recommendations if known.

~ Install floor protector pads on the bottom of all furniture.

~ Place protective rugs or mats at all entrances to the area. These rugs help trap grit and also
absorb moisture before either one has a chance to damage the floor. These should be placed
after the finish is fully cured.

~ High heels should be kept in good repair - if they lose their protective cap, they will dent the
surface of any floor.

~ The floor should be swept, vacuumed and/or dust-mopped with a recommended hardwood floor
cleaner regularly to remove dirt and grit, and rugs should be shaken out frequently. (Use only
vacuums that have a special hard-surface setting).

ACRYLIC IMPREGNATED FLOORS:

These floors come in two types: those coated
with urethane, and those that are not.

~ Urethane-coated acrylic impregnated floors require routine sweeping. vacuuming or dust­
mopping. as well as damp-mopping with a recommended cleaner.

~ Non-urethane-coated acrylic-impregnated floors, typically used for commercial applications,
should be swept, vacuumed or dust-mopped. In addition. however, they should routinely be
buffed with a low-speed buffing machine and the appropriate cleaner. When the floor becomes dull,
some manufacturers recommend that the floor be lightly screened. and a conditioning product and
cleaner should be used.
 

 

URETHANE FLOORS:

~ Most finish manufacturers do not recommend wet mopping.

~ Never use a household dust treatment.

~ Always use manufacturers' recommended cleaning products. If the manufacturer is not
known, use a recommended hardwood floor cleaner available at local retail wood flooring
stores.

~ Never use wax on top of a non-wax surface finish.

~ Wipe up spills immediately with a lightly dampened cloth, then follow up with a recommended cleaning product.

~ For stubborn stains. lightly dampen a soft cloth with a manufacturer's recommended
cleaner or a hardwood floor cleaner. Apply directly to the stain and repeat as necessary.

~ Never use petroleum-based cleaners on waterbased finishes.

o When the floor loses its luster, it's time for a recoat.

WAX FLOORS:

~ Never use a water-based cleaner on wax floors.

~ Wipe up spills immediately with a dry cloth. This may dull the area. 50 buffing may be required.

~ To remove white spots caused by water spills, use a fine steel wool and a small amount of mineral
spirits. Rub gently in a circular motion until the spot is gone, then rewax the area and rebuff.

~When the floor loses its luster in heavy traffic areas. buff to a satin shine. \\'hen the buffing
does not produce a shine. rewax only the dull areas. Note that too much wax causes the floor to
scuff easily.

FACTORY-FINISHED FLOORS (Prefinished):

~ Impress on your customers that they should use the cleaning products recommended by the
flooring manufacturer - not doing so can void the floor's warranty.

~Using the correct cleaner on their wood floors is to include
the cost of the cleaner into the job with the initial bid, or at least offer it at the time you're
finishing the job.

~Customers should be aware of a recoat schedule. They'll be disappointed if they've been lead to believe that
their floors will look brand-new forever. Take a proactive stance in this regard. Leave behind a
recoating schedule, If the floor performs as you've said it will, the customer will feel
confident calling you when it's time for a recoat. Customer should make a note of this on the inside door or shelve of their cleaning product closet/area.

 

The Do's and Don'ts of Wood Flooring

Advanced finish technology and innovative products make wood one of the most beautiful and easy-care flooring materials today. FinishingWoodFloors.com offers these guidelines that will help preserve a beautiful finish and keep maintenance to a minimum:

1. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations (when known) for the proper care of a wood floor.
2. Know the type of finish on the wood floor. Follow the proper maintenance procedures for the particular finish.
3. Never wax a urethane floor. A majority of floors installed today have urethane finishes.
4. Never use sheet vinyl or tile floor care products on wood floors. Self-polishing acrylic waxes cause wood to become slippery and appear dull quickly. The only remedy in this situation is to sand and refinish the floor.
5. Consult with an installer, the finisher or the manufacturer if there is any doubt of the kind of floor finish.
6. Place mats and throw rugs at doorways, exteriors and interiors to help prevent the tracking of grit, dirt and sand.
7. Sweep or vacuum wood floors regularly.
8. Never wet-mop a wood floor. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discoloring residue.
9. Wipe up food and other spills immediately with a dry or slightly dampened towel (wipe dry).
10. For a wax floor, buff to restore shine. You may want to invest in a buffer. 
11. Do not over-wax a wax floor. If the floor dulls, try buffing instead. Avoid wax buildup under furniture and other light traffic areas by applying wax in these spots every other waxing session.
12. Put plastic or fabric-faced glides under the legs of furniture to prevent scuffing and scratching.
13. Remember: cleats, sports shoes and high heels can dent any floor surface.
14. When moving heavy furniture, protect wood flooring by slipping a piece of cloth or pile under the legs or covering each leg with a heavy sock or half of a milk carton.
15. For wood flooring in the kitchen, place an area rug in front of the kitchen sink to catch sink splashes and cut down on wear.