How To Clean Your Wooden & Hard Floors – Expert Cleaning Tips
When you see those showroom wooden and hard floors, you envy the shine and finish they have, and no matter how many hours you spend scrubbing them, they just never look the same. Well you have come to the right place to get that glow back, using our experience with hard floor cleaning, we want to offer our top tips to ensure your floors look as good as new.
If you want to enter the new year with enviable floors and be the talk of the town, read on to pick up the best tips from the cleaning industry leaders.
Types of Hard Floors & How To Clean Them
With each different type of flooring, there are varying tips that come with them to make sure you are cleaning the surface with the correct cleaning agents and equipment, minimising further damaging, and maximising the finishing shine.
Laminated Flooring
Laminate flooring is made by compressing layers of fibreboard together and placing a photographic image of wood grain, stone, or tile pattern over the fibreboard, this is very common in many homes.
You can clean most laminate flooring with a solution of vinegar and water – mix one cup of household vinegar with 4.5 litres of warm water. Use a slightly damp mop, ensuring you don’t flood the floor, as excessive use of water can cause spots or warping on laminate flooring.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood floor planks are made from a piece of wood and made to be anywhere from 18 to 20mm thick. Depending on the type of wood, certain floors will be harder than others, and the harder the floor, the less susceptible it is to marks and scratches. The floor can be sanded and refinished several times to restore its beauty, it depends on the depth of the wood as to how many times it can be re-finished.
Firstly, you must clean up any spills immediately, as this can be absorbed into the flooring and can cause staining. Secondly, sweeping and hoovering your floor regularly to prevent dust and grit build up that can cause scratching on your flooring is important. Finally, depending on whether your hardwood floor is oiled or lacquered, you can buy specific soap for the flooring, which can be used with very little water to mop it.
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is made using three to four layers of wood glued together to produce a 14 mm thick plank. Engineered hardwood construction produces a more stable product, this means it is less prone to changes from temperature and humidity conditions in the room. This type of flooring is more attractive than laminate, and cheaper than hardwood, making it a popular choice.
The best method to clean engineered hardwood floors is to use a damp mop and the appropriate floor cleaner, we advise you not to use any cleaning products that include vinegar, as well as soap-based cleaners or wax.
Bamboo
Bamboo floors come from bamboo grass stalks that mainly grow in Asia. The floors are produced in China, and come in a variety of styles and finishes to suit various decor options. Since it is a tropical grass as opposed to wood for trees, it is naturally resistant to moisture. The flooring is produced by pressing fibres together under high pressure.
Similar to hardwood flooring, you need to sweep/hoover regularly, wipe up any spills immediately, and clean your bamboo flooring with a microfibre mop and PH neutral wood floor cleaner. Whenever cleaning bamboo flooring, you must do so with the direction of the grain.
Nothing Beats a Professional Clean
There’s nothing like DIY, however, it never seems to produce the same finish that the professionals can achieve, but then there’s the hassle of finding someone you trust to do the job. Look no further, Rainbow International have years of experience with Hard Floor Cleaning & Restoration, using the best equipment and cleaning agents to ensure your flooring is as good as new in no time!
If you are interested in the Wooden Floor Cleaning service we offer across the UK, feel free to get in contact with us today, or check out the closest branch to you using our branch finder.