Timber Floors
Timber floor can make your home look absolutely gorgeous. However, they take a bit of knowledge and effort to maintain so you can prolong their pristine quality.
Cleaning them like you would your tiles or vinyl will damage your hardwood flooring. If you’ve invested in wooden floors and want to keep them in tip-top shape, here are 5 things to avoid when cleaning your timber floor.
If you want to learn more about timber floors, please check out our other resources:
1. How much does timber floor installation cost?
2. 5 Best types of timber for your floor
3. Why should you choose timber floors?
4. Engineers vs laminate vs solid timber flooring
5. What to consider before timber floor installation
6. 5 Simple timber floor care tips
#1 - Using a Wet Mop
Excessive moisture is the number one enemy of wood. Using a wet mop to clean hardwood floors can cause the liquid to seep into the wood, eventually causing it to swell, warp, cup, and/or crack.
These can lead to very expensive repairs or even a complete replacement. To clean a timber floor, use a damp instead of a wet mop. Wring out water from your mop so that it feels almost dry, and use a fan or air conditioner to speed up the drying process.
Never allow spills to stay unwiped for long, either! As soon as you spot a spill, wipe it with a dry mop or towel, or use a wet vacuum to remove moisture from the floor. If you spill and wet your rugs or carpet, hang them to completely dry outside before putting them back in.
Not only can prolonged water contact damage hardwood floors, but it can cause moulds to grow that might need professional cleaning.
#2 - Using the Wrong Cleaning Products
Apart from excessive water, there’s quite a number of common household cleaning products that you shouldn’t use on your timber floors. Vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and ammonia are among them, as well as abrasive scrubbers. These can scratch away the surface finish of your timber floor and eventually wear down their shine.
Vinegar and lemon juice can even change the colour of some woods. Instead of going for these household items, shop for a specially formulated hardwood cleaner in your local supplies store.
#3 - Vacuuming with the Wrong Attachment
We love good vacuuming on timber floors and recommend that you do this often. However, using the wrong attachment can scratch and damage the surface of the wood.
The standard brush roll attachment is often designed to be abrasive to expel deeply-rooted carpet dirt and dust. Switch this out with a soft-bristled head that’s specially designed for wooden floors so you can vacuum your hardwood with no worries.
#4 - Steam Cleaning
Never, and we mean NEVER, steam your timber floors. Steam cleaning would damage your wooden floors even worse than mopping with excessive water. Use a broom, a damp mop, or a vacuum cleaner, but never a steam mop for hardwood flooring.
The steam that comes out from your steam mop can enter the joints in the wood and cause it to rot due to the heat and moisture. On extra hot Perth summers when the air is humid, make sure to follow these tips to care for your timber floors.
#5 - Skipping Professional Maintenance
So you’ve done all you can to maintain your hardwood flooring. After a few years, you might notice that your timber floors no longer look as smooth and shiny as they did before. Some things you just got to leave to professionals and that includes timber floor repairs and maintenance.
Not only can we remove marks and scratches that you can’t, but we can restore your hardwood floor to showroom condition. Call us at 0407 983 020 or visit our website for a fast FREE quote.
Although they aren’t as easy to maintain as other types of flooring, there are still plenty of reasons why you should choose a timber floor. As long as you know what to avoid when cleaning your timber floor, you can keep them in superior condition for many years to come
If you live in Perth and are looking to redecorate with some new hardwood floors, fill up this form to avail of our offer of a FREE Timber Flooring Consultation (Valued At $195). Take a step towards your dream house by installing new timber floors today.
