Thinking of getting prefinished hardwood floors installed in your home and wondering about how much work they will be? Already have prefinished hardwood floors, but curious about how to maintain them? Well, in this article we are going to discuss the best way to maintain and clean prefinished hardwood floors.
To start, let’s just cover the basics. If you don’t know, hardwood flooring can come either “prefinished” or “unfinished.”
“Unfinished” flooring is flooring that has not yet had coats of protective finish applied to it, meaning you can still apply a custom stain. When unfinished flooring is installed, the process is usually quite lengthy and therefore it is often preferred when an entire space is being constructed or renovated.
By contrast, “prefinished” flooring is flooring that has already been sanded and sealed. This means it can be installed quickly and there is no need to apply a protective finish as that process has already occurred. Prefinished flooring comes in many varieties, although it is not quite as customizable as unfinished flooring.
It is important to know whether your flooring is unfinished or prefinished because cleanliness and maintenance procedures do vary. Keep in mind that this article is only focused on how to maintain and clean prefinished hardwood floors.
The best way to ensure your hardwood floors stay free of damage is to utilize mats and rugs where possible. In particular, make sure people and animals cannot step on your prefinished hardwood floors without first wiping their feet or taking off their shoes. This helps minimize the amount of dirt and water coming into your home. Water, especially, will damage your prefinished hardwood floors so you want to stop it from getting in however you can.
The other thing you will want to do is avoid putting objects on your prefinished hardwood floors that will scratch them. This means that all of your furniture should be padded on the bottom unless there is a rug in between the furniture and the floor.
To get the most out of your investment, it is best to clean prefinished hardwood floors most days, even everyday if possible. You can do this by sweeping or by utilizing a dry mop. Just make sure whatever you go with will not scratch your floors. Also, please note that water should not be used to clean prefinished hardwood floors. Doing so will only cause damage.
It is also helpful to use a cleaner made for prefinished hardwood floors on a semi-regular basis. There are a variety of products available, all of which will help your prefinished hardwood floor stay smooth and shiny.
One last important tip for cleaning prefinished hardwood floors is to note that although vacuums can be used, you need to make sure you use the right type. It is important to avoid vacuums that utilize a beater bar aka a rotating-brush unit. Not only are they less effective on hardwood floors, but they will also cause scratches. If you do want to use a vacuum (which is a good idea) then make sure to look at options that will not damage your floor.
So now you know more about how to maintain and care for prefinished hardwood floors. Whether you already have prefinished hardwood floors in your home or if you are thinking of getting them installed, we hope you found this helpful. If you are looking for installation, refinishing, or repair services on any of your floors – prefinished hardwood or otherwise – then give GID Flooring a call. We have over 15 years of experience in the flooring industry, and we can help you out with all of your flooring-based needs.