Follow these tips to find out how to clean wood floors. Routine maintenance and using the proper hardwood floor cleaner makes cleaning hardwood floors a breeze and will keep your floor looking beautiful for years to come. HOW TO CLEAN YOUR HARDWOOD FLOOR Vacuum, sweep or dust mop your hardwood floor once a week, or more, if needed. The vacuum head must be brush or felt. Use recommended Bruce hardwood floor cleaners. HOW TO MAINTAIN THE BEAUTY OF YOUR HARDWOOD FLOOR Wipe up spills immediately. Use interior and exterior doormats at entrances to collect dirt and moisture and prevent them from being tracked onto the Area rugs are recommended in front of kitchen sinks, at all pivot points, and within high traffic areas. The rugs must be made of a breathable material to prevent moisture entrapment. Place runners and area rugs (with slip-resistant backings) along high traffic areas. Keep animal nails trimmed to prevent finish scratches. To prevent surface damage, avoid rolling heavy appliances and furniture on the floor.

Use plywood hardboard or appliance lifts, Use Armstrong® Residential Floor Protectors under all furniture legs. Replace hard, narrow furniture rollers with wide rubber rollers. Keep the relative humidity in your home between 35% and 55%. Protect your floor from direct sunlight. Use any of the following products (or products similar in nature) to clean your hardwood floor: ammonia-based cleaners, acrylic finishes, wax-based products, detergents, bleach, polishes and oil soaps, abrasive cleaning soaps, or acidic materials such Allow water to stand on your floor for any length of time – wipe up immediately. Walk across your floor in poorly maintained shoes with heel taps, spike heels or with any sharp object protruding from your Allow furniture to rest on the floor on small metal tips or hard domes. Use rubber, foam back, or plastic mats as they may trap moisture and possibly discolor your floor. Use vacuums with beater bars or hard heads while cleaning wood floors.

Spills and Tracked-in Dirt Apply Armstrong® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner®* or Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner* lightly to the surface and wipe with a sponge mop or a soft cloth. Excess cleaner that does not evaporate immediately should be dried with a clean towel. No rinsing is necessary. Spots Caused by Food, Water, Animals, Grease, Crayon, Ink Spots, Rubber Heel Marks Apply Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner or Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner to a clean soft cloth. Rub the area to remove the stain or spot. More stubborn spots may require additional cleaning with mineral spirits, followed by cleaning with Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner or Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner. Chewing Gum and Candle Wax Apply a sealed plastic bag filled with ice on top of the deposit. Wait until deposit becomes brittle enough to crumble off. After deposit has been removed, clean entire area with Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner or Bruce Hardwood & Laminate

Use Armstrong® Touch-Up Kit or Bruce® Touch-Up Kit in smaller areas. Apply Armstrong® Restore Hardwood Floor Finish, or Bruce® Fresh Finish™, or Bruce Fresh Finish™ Low Gloss when larger areas Individual planks, strips, or parquets that are heavily gouged or damaged can be replaced by a professional flooring installer.air duct cleaning cost estimate If needed, the entire floor can be refurbished by applying one or more coats of Armstrong Restore Hardwood Floor Finish orbest shark vacuum cleaner for pets Bruce Fresh Finish or Bruce Fresh Finish Low Gloss.best vacuum cleaner for pet hair amazon Expansion Cracks and Squeaksbest leather care audi

Hardwood floor dimensions will be slightly affected by varying levels of humidity within your home, so it’s important to control humidity levels within the 35-55% range. To protect your investment, follow these recommendations.dryer vent cleaning solutions A humidifier is recommended to prevent excessive shrinkage in hardwood floors due to low-humidity levels.best cylinder vacuum cleaner for pets Wood stoves and electric heat tend to create very dry conditions. Humid (or Wet) Season Proper humidity levels can be maintained by using an air conditioner, dehumidifier, or by turning on your heating system periodically during the summer months. Avoid excessive exposure to water from tracking during periods of inclement weather. obstruct in any way the expansion space around the perimeter of your floor.

What is the best way to clean my hardwood floors you ask? The answer may sound perplexing… There is NO one best way to clean your hardwood floors. What’s best for your floor depends how old your floors are and what type of finish is on your hardwood floors. If you don’t know what type of finish is on your floor, do your best to find out. WHAT KIND OF FINISH IS MY HARDWOOD FLOORS? To tell the difference in a pinch, just rub your finger across the floor. Be sure to do this on a clean floor. If no smudge appears, the floor is surface sealed. If you do create a smudge, the floor has been treated with a penetrating seal, oil finish, shellac, varnish or lacquer, and then waxed. Consider when your floors were installed as well. If you have a newer wood floor, it is likely surface sealed. If you’re not sure about what kind of finish is on your hardwood floor, review our blog to help you identify what the floor finish is. PROTECT HARDWOOD FLOORS FROM DIRT AND GRIME Use floor mats near your entry doors.

You can reduce hardwood floor cleaning time and wear by adding mats at your entrances. Position mats both outside and inside exterior doors to lessen tracked-in dirt. Tiny particles, like dirt, can act like sandpaper and scratch your wood. By placing a floor mat at each entryway and encouraging family members and guests to wipe their feet, the majority of dirt and grime will remain on the mat. In snowy or rainy weather, include a boot or shoe removal area to avoid damage from water and de-icers. Prevent marks by using floor protectors under furniture and by using rugs in play areas to ensure children’s toys don’t scratch the floor. SWEEP FOR DAY TO DAY HARDWOOD FLOOR CLEANING It might seem a little old-fashioned but the best way to clean your hardwood floor from day-to-day wear is sweeping with a high quality broom or using a microfiber cloth. If sweeping isn’t enough or those edges and corners need some attention, pull out the vacuum. Be sure to vacuum without the beater bar rotating which can scratch your hardwood floor finish.

USE APPROPRIATE CLEANING PRODUCTS When possible, use cleaning products recommended by the flooring manufacturer. In some cases failure to follow the recommendations can result in voiding your warranties. If the floors were finished on-site, talk with the installer for product recommendations. If neither is known, use a generic hardwood floor cleaner which can be purchased at a retail flooring store. Always test the cleaner first in some obscure corner, such as closet or pantry to make sure you are using the right product. Never use anything with wax or petroleum-based products in it, unless you know for sure that your floor is a wax finish (this is no longer very common). Wax and oil will actually hold onto the dirt, and then when you step on it, it will scratch the surface. Also, if you use a wax or oil, it can eliminate the ability to buff and coat your floor–a full refinish could be required, because the finish won’t adhere and will peel off. Some hardwood flooring manufacturers now offer their own brand of hardwood floor cleaner.

Flooring brands like Armstrong, BellaWood, Shaw and Bruce offer their own hardwood floor cleaners. Other hardwood flooring manufacturers and installers often recommend the following products: Bona, Method, Libman, Blanchon, EcoMist, Dr. Bronner Sals Suds or Wood Wash. Dust and dirt on your mop head acts like sandpaper and should be avoided. Be sure to use a mop with a removable mop head or microfiber mop for easy cleaning. CLEAN UP SPILLS AND STAINS QUICKLY Wipe up any spills immediately, using a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth. Start at the edges of the spill and work toward the center. Allowing spills to remain on hardwood floors could damage the finish, as well as the wood. Be sure that the floor is dry after clean up. BE CAUTIOUS WHEN DEEP CLEANING HARDWOOD FLOORS When your hardwood floors need a more thorough cleaning, don’t grab a bucket of water and wet mop it! Use a damp mop on the floor and be sure to use a well-wrung mop. Do not over-wet the floor – this can change the moisture levels and, over time, cause a floor to expand, resulting in cupping.