Cleaning Your Wooden Floors

It is important to properly wash your wood floors to prevent the possibility of wear and damage. The most important thing to remember is never, never, never use too much water or solution and let it dry. Water is woods worst enemy. The water or solution will seep into seams and ruin a wood floor. If you think you have used too much liquid, dry immediately. Now that we have that out of the way lets talk about how you are suppose to properly wash your wood floors.

1. Vacuum and sweep with a soft head broom to prevent dust and dirt build-up. If the floor is located in a busy area try to sweep once a day and at least once a week.

2. Wooden floors are best cleaned down on all fours. This is because you should only clean a small portion of the floor at a time. After you clean a small area, dry it and move on. Do not let the floor dry naturally for it can damage the wood and you are just asking for someone to slip.

3. Do not use oils, waxes or furniture sprays. Oil leaves a residue, furniture spray creates a slippery surface and wax takes time to apply and makes re-coating difficult.

4. Do not use straight ammonia, alkaline products or abrasive cleaners as they will dull or scratch the finish.

5. If no satisfactory cleaner is available a simple mixture of plain soap and water will do. Remember, never get too much water on the floor. Clean with damp mops, sponges clothes, or any other material you see fit and will not scratch the floor.