Keeping your hardwood floors clean and well-maintained is a must to keep your place looking attractive. However, cleaning the hardwood floors requires utmost care and attention. Otherwise, wrong practices can turn your hardwood floor dull, scratched, and warped.
To prevent that, our experts have listed some common mistakes to avoid while cleaning hardwood floors. They will help preserve the beauty and charm of your flooring and ensure safe and effective cleaning for your precious hardwood floors.
Top 6 Mistakes To Avoid When Cleaning Hardwood Floors
1. Using The Wrong Vacuum Attachments
Vacuuming is one of the best ways to clean your hardwood floors and keep dirt, dust, and other debris away from them. However, don’t use common vacuum attachments like beater bars for this purpose.
Beater bars contain hard bristles and plastic wheels that can scratch or damage your hardwood floor. To avoid this, just use your vacuum’s suction without any attachment for effective cleaning without any side effects.
2. Over-wetting Your Hardwood Floors
Most homeowners think wet mopping is a great idea to clean their hardwood floors and make them look new again. While it can be effective with less water, excessive moisture can degrade your hardwood floor’s finish and may leave water in the boards, which can cause warping.
Besides, water can also cause your hardwood floors to fade and discolor, making them look dull and unattractive. Instead of wet mopping, our experts recommend using a damp mop. A damp mop effectively picks up dirt and grime without affecting your hardwood floor.
3. Using Abrasive Tools
Never use abrasive tools such as steel wool or scouring pads when cleaning your hardwood floors. These tools can create scratch marks on dents on your hardwood flooring and affect its appearance.
In addition to this, abrasive tools can damage the delicate finish, which protects the wood from dirt, moisture, and daily wear. So, use a soft-bristled brush or a microfiber cloth instead of abrasive tools, as these tools are gentle on the wood and do not scratch the surface.
4. Refrain From Harsh Chemicals
Harsh chemicals are one of the most prominent reasons your hardwood floor looks dull and unsightly. They strip the natural oils from the wood, making it look dry and brittle.
They can also cause fading and discoloration on your flooring and leave behind a residue that can attract dirt and grime, impacting the look of your hardwood floors.
But most importantly, harsh chemicals like ammonia and bleach are also harmful to your health. Therefore, it is best to avoid such chemicals and use mild ones.
5. Not Cleaning Up The Spills Quickly
Hardwood floors are porous, which means they can absorb liquids quickly. If you keep a spill uncleaned for a long time, the liquid can seep into the wood and cause stains. Moreover, the moisture can also provide an ideal environment for mold and mildew to grow.
This fungus can discolor your wood and may spread odor in your space. For these reasons, you should clean up spills from hardwood floors as early as possible. If you notice a spill on your hardwood floor, blot it up with a clean cloth immediately.
6. Not Having A Regular Cleaning Schedule
Hardwood floors help you in improving the overall appearance of your space. However, they are also susceptible to dirt, grime, stains, and other debris.
Lack of regular cleaning and maintenance is also the reason your hardwood floors get damaged easily and look unattractive. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain a regular cleaning schedule for your hardwood floor and follow it regularly.
Such a practice benefits your hardwood in the long run by extending its lifespan and protecting it from damage so that you can enjoy your floor for many years.
Summing Up
Hardwood floors make your room look more attractive and inviting. But to get the most out of your wood flooring, you should keep it clean and well-maintained.
However, there are some common mistakes that you must avoid when cleaning them, as these mistakes can do more harm than good. With the help of the right cleaning techniques and ways, you can clean your hardwood floor effectively and help maintain their shine.
