Wood flooring is a beautiful option for small businesses. If you have a fine dining restaurant, a high-end retail store, or a smile mom-and-pop storefront with vintage style, wood flooring can be a unique and stylish design option that will enhance the mood of your interior. However, with the beauty of wood flooring comes maintenance challenges.
Most people treat wood flooring like tile, which can cause damage long-term. Even wood that is sealed should be cleaned using special wood products and avoid moisture to prevent rotting as it ages. Below are the most common care mistakes we see with wood flooring, and what you should do instead to preserve your hardwood:
Do use the right cleaner.
Hardwood is one of those flooring options where buying specialty cleaners is worth the extra expense. An all-purpose cleaner may be too acidic or too watery for your hardwood and cause rotting or warping over time. Oil-based cleaners and wood cleaning sprays are ideal for daily cleaning, while tough cleaners like Pine-Sol can help remove stains from the floors.
Don’t use water on your hardwood.
Hardwood flooring can suffer from water damage just like a wood table or other piece of furniture does. When mopping, it’s a common mistake to use water and soap on hardwood, but over the years this can cause the wood to crack, rot, or come up from the floor due to warping. Use specific wood floor cleaners to mop without water instead.
Do clean up spills right away.
Food, drinks, paints, and other staining agents will run hardwood much faster than it will tile or other easily cleaned floors. If you spill something on your hardwood, clean it up immediately. Stains from wear and tear can often be cleaned with an oil-based cleaner, while hard-to-remove stains like inks and paints can often be cleaned with a bit of alcohol and a heavy-duty wood floor cleaner.
Don’t use scrubbers or abrasive cleaners.
A scrubbing sponge or steel wool can scuff the finish on hardwood and cause damage to the wood grain itself. If you have a hard-to-clean spot on your floor, use a toothbrush or the soft side of a sponge to gently remove it.
Do polish and refinish flooring.
While your hardwood will require daily cleaning, it’s important to also schedule professional deep cleaning once a year or so to keep your flooring looking new and fresh. A professional can deep clean your hardwood and add a new finish or polish to it, which not only keeps the wood healthy but will extend its service life by several years.
MaintenX offers flor cleaning and installation services for businesses across the U.S. If you have questions about your hardwood or would like to learn about installation services, give your local MaintenX a call today!
