Cleaning Engineered Wood Floors: Essential Maintenance Tips

#Maintenance of a home is not the homeowners’ favourite thing to do in Ottawa. In some cases, homeowners barely have time to do much to or in their homes besides sleeping. So, conducting regular maintenance can be problematic. Having flooring that requires special attention can be something that gets overlooked. However, neglecting to cleaning engineered wood floors will greatly reduce the longevity of the floors. Wondering how to clean engineered wood floors? Cleaning regularly with a microfibre mop or wood floor vacuum is your best option.

What Are My Best Options To Clean Engineered Wood Floors?

Cleaning an engineered wood floor requires a variety of materials and equipment. To accomplish this task, you will want to do the following listed below.

• Regularly Clean – Utilize a microfibre mop or a wood floor vacuum cleaner and clean your floors.
• Damp Mop – Utilize a damp mop after you have completed your regular cleaning. Occasionally, using a damp mop will help keep dirt and dust off the high-traffic areas.
• Deep Clean – Depending on how dirty your floors get, consider a deep cleaning with a specialty water-based cleaner.

What Supplies Do I Need?

Just like with any project, you will need a few supplies or pieces of equipment. Let’s take a look at what’s best for cleaning your engineered wood floors.

• Wet mop and bucket with water
• A soft cloth or soft sponge
• Hardwood floor cleaner
• Soft-bristled broom 
• Microfiber dust mop
• Vacuum cleaner
• Don’t forget a good polish!

What Should Not Be Used To Clean Engineered Wood Floors?

In addition to knowing what you can use on the wood floors, you should also know what “not” to use on the wood floors. Using the products listed below can create substantial damage to your wood floods and even cause a hazardous walking area.

• Never use a floor steam cleaner on wood floors.
• Avoid using steel wool, abrasive cleaning items, or scouring pads. This will scrape the floor and do major damage.
• Do not use oil-based soaps or wax-based cleaners. This causes the wood to become very slippery and impossible to walk on.
• Refrain from using white vinegar, harsh alkalines, or other acidic products to clean the floors.

How Do I Preventatively Maintain These Floors?

Taking care of your engineered wood floors requires cleaning products, and other cleaning methods to remove trapped dirt in high foot traffic locations. Let’s take a look below at the best ways to preventatively maintain your wood floors.

• Utilize floor mats at all entry points of the home. This way people can wipe their shoes before entering.
• Clean your hardwood floors by sweeping or vacuuming the floors daily. Doing this helps prevent dirt and debris from getting into the surface of the floor and causing scratches.
• Occasionally, use a heavy-duty cleaning solution that is manufacturer recommended to get a deep cleaning done on the floors. This often revitalizes the floors back to their original shine.
• Use a mat at the kitchen sink. Placing one in front of the sink will catch spills and debris while keeping them from the wood floors.
• Anytime there is a liquid spill it should be wiped up immediately with a microfibre cloth.
• Place area rugs or runners along the wood floor so that dirt can be collected in high-traffic areas.
• Utilize protective padding under all table and chair legs. This keeps the furniture from marking the wood floors and leaving scuff marks.
• Repair any damage that has been done to the floors. In some cases, damage cannot be avoided. If the floors become damaged you will want to sand them down and refinish the floors with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

When Do I Call A Professional?

Installing engineered wood flooring is a great idea. Keep in mind, that to keep them looking so nice, you will need to maintain them. Cleaning your engineered wood flooring on a regular basis is key. If you aren’t sure who to ask to help you keep your wood flooring clean, reach out to your local home inspection team. They can inspect your engineered wood floors and let you know what is the best way to maintain them. Also, they can recommend a reputable flooring cleaning company that has experience maintaining engineered wood floors.

Conclusion

Choosing the right company to assist you with maintaining your wood floors is important. You want to hire someone that has experience and a great reputation dealing with engineered wood floors.