Keep Your Hardwood Floors Shining

Cleaning Tips That Keep Hardwood Floors Shining

Once you invest in new hardwood flooring, you’ll do anything to keep it beautiful. Your hardwood floors can last a lifetime with the right care and maintenance. A simple, easy way to keep your hardwood floors looking as good as they did the day they were installed is to clean and shine them every year. At Bryan Flooring, we specialize in high-quality flooring solutions. We can install, replace, and repair hardwood flooring, luxury vinyl plank, carpet, tile, laminate, and luxury vinyl tile. Here are our tips on how to get that perfect hardwood floor shine and keep your flooring looking amazing.

Identify the Finish of Your Hardwood Floor

Before using a hardwood floor cleaner, wax, or any other product, it’s important to know which finish your hardwood floor has. Most natural hardwood floors are sealed with a polyurethane or polyacrylic urethane finish, and some are also finished with a paste wax. You can try to identify the finish of your hardwood floor by conducting a simple test in a high-traffic area of your floor. Place a drop of water on the floor. The hardwood floor isn’t sealed if the water is absorbed quickly and causes spotting. You should never use water on an unsealed hardwood floor. If the water sits on the surface, the floor has been sealed. Next, take a steel wool ball and rub it very lightly over the floor. Choose an out-of-the-way area. If the floor has been waxed, you will see waxy residue on the floor or on the steel wool.

Determine Why Your Hardwood Floor Looks Dull

Next, you want to find out what is causing your hardwood flooring to look dull. There are a few common reasons that natural hardwood floors will lose their shine over time:

• They are dirty and aren’t being cleaned properly.
• You are using a cleaner that is damaging the finish of the hardwood flooring.
• You are using a wax that is different from the original wax that was on the floor.
• You are using too much water or cleaning products.
• You aren’t buffing your floor after mopping or waxing.
• Your hardwood floor is severely scratched.
• There is a waxy buildup on the floor, especially in low-traffic areas.
• The floor needs to be refinished.

Clean Up Spills and Dirt Right Away

If you leave dirt, dust, and debris on your hardwood floor, people will walk on it, which can scratch the floor and damage the finish. Spills can damage the finish of your floor, or they can be absorbed into the wood. Over time, this will cause stains, uneven texture, and water damage. You should sweep, vacuum, or dust mop your hardwood floor daily. If your floor isn’t sealed, you should only dry mop it and never clean it with water. Clean it up as soon as you notice dirt, debris, or a spill.

Make Sure You’re Using the Right Cleaning Supplies

Using the wrong cleaning products and supplies can damage your hardwood floor, remove the seal or wax, and destroy its shine. It’s important to know how to shine hardwood floors with the right tools and products so you don’t cause further damage. A hardwood floor that isn’t sealed should never be cleaned with water or liquid cleaners. Using vinegar or an acid-based cleaning solution can deteriorate the wood and destroy its finish. You should only use gentle products that are pH-neutral. Use microfiber cloths, a dust mop, or a vacuum on the hardwood setting to remove debris or spills.

Don’t Oversaturate Your Floors

If you’re unsure how to make hardwood floors shine, don’t just dump a lot of hardwood wax on the floor, assuming that will make them shiny. Only use appropriate amounts of cleaning products or wax. A waxy buildup can dull your floor as it doesn’t allow the natural hardwood to shine through. Too much cleaning product can remove the wax entirely.

Protect Your Floor From Damage

The more foot traffic your home gets, the more wear and tear your hardwood floors will experience. You can protect your flooring from damage and reduce the risk of scratches, gouges, and other issues. Use felt pads on all your furniture, and use furniture cloth or towels when moving furniture. Don’t wear high-heeled shoes in your house. Wearing slippers or soft-soled shoes in the house is your best option. Put down a rug or runner in high-traffic areas or if you will have a party. Don’t let your pets’ nails get too long, or they can scratch the hardwood.

Choose the Right Wax

There are two primary types of floor wax you can use for hardwood floors. The type you choose depends on the result you want to achieve and what type of hardwood flooring you have:

• Solid paste wax – Solid paste wax contains more wax and less solvent. It is thick and is applied by hand using a cloth. You won’t need to do very many coats or layers to make your hardwood floors shine.
• Liquid wax – Liquid wax is sold in cans and bottles. It contains more solvent than wax and has a thinner consistency. You must apply it with a mop, and you need multiple coats.

Make sure you use a wax made for use on floors. Use a solvent-based wax, not a water-based or acrylic wax. You should also choose a traditional wax that requires buffing after application.

Call Bryan Flooring for Hardwood Floor Solutions

At Bryan Flooring, we offer hardwood floor solutions that can keep your floors looking amazing, shiny, and brand new. Our flooring experts can tell you how to get hardwood floors to shine and protect them from spills, stains, pets, children, debris, and scratches. Call us today or contact us online to learn more or schedule a flooring repair or installation consultation.