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Gone are the days when cement flooring used to rule and every building had cement flooring done for longevity. It's the era of durability and style and that’s what makes wooden flooring extremely popular all over the world. Along with the classy appearance, wooden flooring comes with a variety of styles and colours to choose from for your home and office.

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Wooden floors aren’t something that you ‘get and forget’. After installation, wooden floors require regular maintenance and cleaning to make sure the finish and functionality go the distance. That being said, listed below are some easy maintenance tips you must know.

Choose the right cleaning products

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As a homeowner, you will want to understand that wooden floors cannot be treated like cemented floors. Since the construction material and installation process are different, it is fair to expect that the choice of cleaning products will vary. You don't want to ruin the texture of your wooden flooring, which is why it is important that you choose the cleaning products carefully, lest your wooden floor may get discoloured and lose finish due to furniture movement. Basis the type of floor, you can choose from a variety wooden floor cleaners available on the market which can easily scrub off dirt and grime.

Avoid too much soap

Soaps and wooden floors don't go well together. It is advised against using heavy dose of soap to clean wooden floors, because soapy residue may attract dirt easily and make your floors dirty pretty soon again. Most soap-based cleaning products contain harsh chemicals, which may erode the shine and quality of the floors. Also, using too much soap would require too much water to clean it off. And too much water is not good for your wooden floors either. However, if you want to facilitate the cleaning process, use steam cleaning techniques instead.

Opt for easy to use products for oil- finished floors

Oil finished floors are becoming popular for their unique appeal and lustre. Oil finish also acts as a protective layer for your floors and harden the wood fibre for improved durability. Although oil finished floors are easy to repair, their durability must not be taken for granted. That being said, they should be rendered the care and maintenance they deserve. Maintaining oil finished floors was a problem in the past but with advanced flooring products, the process has become easier than ever. The oil care dries up quickly and makes the floor usable within one hour. Such easy-to-use products can make wooden floor maintenance quick and stress-free.

Regularly clean oil finished floors

Since oil finished floors demand as much care as other types of wooden floors, it is important to clean them as and when required, besides applying oil at regular intervals. When you clean your floors regularly, you are actually preventing the need to get it sanded frequently. This way you will be able to use your wooden floor for years, at lower maintenance expenses. When it comes to cleaning your oil-finished floors, instead of using ordinary soap or detergent, use professional cleaning products that are designed to not only clean the floor but also provide long-term protection against wear and tear.

Limit liquid cleaners

You might be under the impression that liquid cleaners work great as an all-purpose cleaning solution, but when it comes to wooden floors, it’s not the best method to go by. It is advisable to go for dry cleaning methods to minimise drying hassles and maximise longevity. You can clean the floor with the help of a microfiber mop, which would trap dirt and dust and give better cleaning results. Limit the use of oil soaps or hard wax oil for wood floor cleaning and make your floors live longer.

Vacuum the floor
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Another great technique to maintain your wooden floor in good shape is to vacuum it regularly. Vacuuming once a week will get all the dirt out in the nooks and corners where you are not able to reach with general everyday cleaning tools. You may also use suitable attachments with your vacuum cleaner to ensure more cleaning in less time. Vacuuming is highly recommended for wooden floor cleaning, as there are no chemicals or moisture involved in the process.

General tips

Some simple considerations and observations can help you prolong the life of your wooden floor. In case you have pets, keep their nails trimmed. Also, avoid spike heels inside the house to prevent unnecessary scratches. Place rugs at the entrance door to help collect all the debris and dust. Sliding doors will surely leave scratches on the floor which will be quite visible, so try not to install sliding doors. Instead, you can get sectional doors to meet the purpose in certain spaces, like porch, garage, etc.

Wooden floors look classy and sophisticated and if maintained properly, they stick for the longer haul. So make sure to keep these maintenance tips in mind to retain the beauty and functionality of your wooden floors.