Depending on the floor material, the answer will differ. Not all products are intended for all types of flooring and some can actually leave residue that will dull the finish of your floors. Here are some tips that will help your flooring look great for years to come.
Sweep!
No matter what flooring material is in your home, we can’t stress enough what a difference sweeping daily makes. When you sweep, you pick up dirt and dust that can scratch the finish of your floors simply by walking on them.
Dry Mop
The most common type of dry mop is a dust mop although microfiber dry mops are quickly replacing them. A dry mop picks up smaller bits of dust than a broom and leaves the floor looking clean without the use of chemicals.
How to Clean Your Floors
Our first piece of advice is to look at the manufacturer’s recommendations for mopping your floors. Most will say to use a pH neutral cleaning product. The cheapest and most common is a mixture of about a cup of vinegar to a gallon of water. There are other commercially available products on the market. We always advise our customers to avoid any product that says it “seals and repairs scratches”. It will leave a film on your floor, especially on laminate, engineered and hardwood flooring.
No matter what your flooring material, here are the steps you should take:
- Sweep with a soft bristle broom
- Dry mop or vacuum to remove as much from the floors before mopping
- Damp mop with a pH neutral cleaning product
We don’t recommend using a steam cleaner on vinyl, laminate, engineered or hardwood flooring. If you have tile floors, it’s a great option. However, a steam mop has too much moisture for wood-based flooring and flooring that’s installed with glue.
Floor Restoration
If you’re concerned it’s too late for your flooring, there are a few options you can try. First, sweep and dry mop and then try damp mopping with a mixture of one cup ammonia to one gallon of water. This may break down the residue from the cleaning products used previously. It take take a few moppings to notice a difference.
Another option for hardwood flooring and some engineered wood floors is to do a screen and recoat. This is where a floor refinishing company removes the top layers of finish and recoats your floors. It’s a much less intensive process than installing new floors or a total refinish.
Of course, if you don’t love your floors and feel they’re beyond repair, you can always call Authentic Hardwood Flooring. We can let you know if it is indeed time to replace your floors or if they can be restored with proper cleaning or some type of refinishing process. If you decide you need new floors, we specialize in laminate and hardwood flooring installation. Call today to learn more – (727) 786-6330.
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