Learning how to clean hardwood floors is essential for protecting and maintaining your beautiful investment. Since dirt and grime can’t hide on hardwood floors like they can on carpet, cleaning your floors may seem “high maintenance.” However, once you establish your own routine, the best way to clean hardwood flooring won’t seem so difficult. Daily Schedule – Dust/Sweep Giving your floors a good dusting with a microfiber mop or cloth will be your best daily defense against scratches and surface damage. Microfiber cleaning pads often use static electricity to trap dirt, particles, and other household allergens. Using a broom to can be effective as well, but using a broom only pushes the dirt around. When you want to clean your floors without damaging them, avoid lifting your microfiber mop up off the floor when you clean—this way you keep the dirt trapped on the pad. Weekly Schedule – Vacuum/Mop Weekly maintenance will deal with the harder to reach areas that a daily dusting can’t reach.

Vacuums and wet mops are ideal for getting dirt out of trouble areas like corners and the spaces between each piece of hardwood. However, using vacuums and mops come with extra caution when you want to clean floors without damaging them. If your vacuum has a beater bar, make sure it doesn’t hit the bar floor. Also, the wheels on a vacuum might damage the floor. When you’re using a mop, remember that water and wood don’t mix! Avoid putting excess liquid on your floor. Lightly misting your floor with a hardwood floor cleaner will be enough to give it a great clean. A gentle touch is one of the best ways to clean hardwood flooring. Use proper tools to clean your floor – a mop paired with a machine washable, microfiber pad for dusting and cleaning. Electrostatic action attracts dirt, microparticles and common household allergens. Avoid using water and vinegar, soap-based cleaners, wax or steam cleaners on your hardwood floors. Vinegar and water actually dull the floor’s finish over time, while soap and wax leave residue.

Steam cleaners put heat and excessive water on your floor, which can lead to cupping and long-term damage.best way to clean urine from leather couch Regular dusting and cleaning keeps hardwood floors looking new. dryer vent cleaning problemsBut protective mats can further your floor’s life. dryer vent cleaning kit professionalUse natural rubber rug underlayments with a waffle pattern in entry ways or high traffic areas, and use felt floor protectors on furniture. Depending on the amount of traffic in your home, we recommend polishing the floors every 2-3 months with our Bona Hardwood Floor Polish and sanding and refinishing approximately every 3-5 years. Monthly Schedule – Polish

Polishing your floor every few months is a great way to clean hardwood flooring. Polishing renews and refreshes the finish that protects your hardwood floor. With floors that have some kind of protective sealant, it is the finish that is getting the most attention when we clean—not the actual hardwood. Polishing your floor fills in microscopic scratches and evens out a floor’s protective surface. Polishing a hardwood floor is not a difficult task and can be done with a minimal amount of effort. Yearly Schedule – Deep Clean With all the abuse we put on our hardwood floors, consider giving your floor a deep clean or a sand and refinish every 3-5 years. Sanding and refinishing your floor completely removes the old protective finish and replaces it. If your floor has some deep scratches or gouges, sanding and refinishing can repair this damage, leaving you with immaculately clean hardwood flooring. Here are some extra tips that will lead you on the best way to clean hardwood flooring: • Use Mats.

Place mats or rugs at entryways or other traffic areas to minimize the amount of dirt and debris that gets onto your floors. Make sure the protective coverings you use are designed for wood floors. Some rubber-backed mats can trap moisture, damaging floors in the process. • Things to Avoid. Avoid using water and vinegar, soap-based cleaners, wax or steam cleaners on your hardwood floors. Steam cleaners put heat and excessive water on your floor, which can lead to cupping and long-term damage. As you come up with your maintenance routine, remember that the overall use of your floors will dictate how often you need to clean. High-traffic areas may need to be mopped or polished more often, while less-frequented floors can go a bit longer between more intense cleanings. Finding the best way to clean hardwood floors will take some time and patience, but with the right tools and techniques, you’ll be able to keep your floors looking their best. Remember that the time you spend maintaining your floors pales in comparison to how much time you’ll spend enjoying your floors.

Bona offers a wide selection of cleaners and hardware that will make cleaning your hardwood floors a breeze. Find the right tools and give your floors a phenomenal clean.We’ve all heard about these kinds of floors but let’s be honest, if you’re not a contractor, a decorator or builder you’re likely unsure about the real differences. So, what is the difference between a laminate, hardwood and an engineered hardwood floor? The answer: 3 simple parts! Laminate is durable, cost-effective and comes in a variety of colours, textures and sizes.The core of product is typically made of High Density Fiber (HDF) as opposed to actual slabs of wood. The top layer is a photographic layer which is designed to mimic the look you’re going for i.e. hardwood, bamboo, knotted wood, etc.  Laminate planks are typically 3/8” thick and are installed using a tongue and groove locking system, meaning you can install or uninstall with ease. It’s the most durable and easiest to clean (read: it can handle the most abuse).

When you walk on it, you hear a shallow tap. Hardwood floors are made from solid, natural wood and depending on the kind of floor you want, you can purchase a variety of wood species. The entire plank is made from wood, it is the only material used in the manufacturing of hardwood floors.  Modern hardwood is typically made with a tongue and groove system for easy installation . Hardwood floor is easy to sand and refinish, and requires a healthy amount of maintenance to keep them looking great.  They are easier to damage than the two other floor types discussed here though, so buyer beware.  Not only do they dent easier (i.e. if you walk with stilettos or drop a heavy object on the floor you’ll see dents), they cannot be left  wet or else they’ll become damaged (the boards will swell and expand). Hardwood flooring is almost always more expensive but no one can argue how gorgeous it looks or feels when you walk on it. The best way to describe engineered hardwood flooring is to think of it like a hybrid car;

it’s a little bit of  laminate and a little bit of hardwood. It’s core is usually plywood or high-density fibreboard (HDF) and the  top layer is composed of a of hardwood veneer which is glued atop the core to mimic nearly any species of hardwood.  Engineered hardwood has the natural characteristics of the selected wood species as opposed to a photographic layer (which is what you get with laminate).  The reason people tend to choose engineered hardwood over natural hardwood is garner greater moisture and heat resistance because of the core material. Despite the differences, all of these floor types can be cared for the exact same way. Use a  simple solution composed of a ‘pinky nail’ sized drop of dish liquid added to a bucket of hot water.  Sometimes, I’ll add a capful of plain white vinegar to the mix too, it helps cut dirt.  I recommend a microfibre twist mop which is well wrung out to mop the floors.  You can also use a steam mop or a flat head mop.