Cleaning a Hardwood Floor

by S Tennant
(New Zealand)

The three worst enemies of a hardwood floor are water, sand or grit, and scratches. It is best to dry-clean your floor as much as possible--rather than mopping, vacuum or sweep.


Do this regularly to avoid grinding grit or sand into the floor, which over time will abrade the surface and cause mini scratches and dulling. (Mopping isn't entirely a no-no, but only use a slightly dampened mop, and never mop a wooden floor with surface damage.


If water penetrates the finish, oil and wood, it can cause problems from swelling to rot). Bigger scratches can be avoided by padding the bottoms of chairs and moveable furniture with felt. Never drag heavy objects across a wooden floor!


For deeper, occasional cleaning of hardwood floors, a detergent solution may be enough. If the floor is extremely greasy or dirty, however, opt for a commercial hardwood floor cleaner, which should be pH neutral. If scrubbing is required, make sure you scrub with the grain of the wood.


You may choose to apply wax to the floor, which is best done in small sections. Afterwards, for a very professional look, a buffing machine can be hired to make the floors glow! It is possible to buff by hand, but this can be a backbreaking and time-consuming task.