How to maintain your new solid oak floor

Once your new solid oak flooring has been laid, think about the time, effort and expense that went into choosing the floor and having it fitted. You’re probably extremely pleased with how your new solid oak floor looks; however to keep your natural oak flooring looking in peak condition you will need to now think about the on-going care and maintenance you will need to carry out to keep the oak wood flooring staying that way. Oak flooring and solid wood flooring has been a favoured choice of flooring for many years- mainly because with some basic care and attention it will stay in great condition for hundreds of years to come.

However different types of hardwood floorings have different coatings and each one will need to be cleaned differently using different cleaning methods and solutions. Using the wrong product or cleaning technique on your oak floor can make your warranty no longer valid, so it is vital that you do some thorough research and make sure that you follow the cleaning instructions provided by the retailer carefully before you do your spring clean.

Secondly, to protect your wood floor you will need to lay a mat or an off cut of carpet near any entrances. This helps to prevent any dirt, debris and excess water from being trodden into your floor which can ruin the beauty of it.

All hardwood floors will need to be swept or vacuumed on a regular basis- however if you do decide to vacuum your floor you will need to ensure that it does not have what is known as a beater brush. A good rule to follow when cleaning the wood floors with water and a mop is to never allow the water to pool. You can reduce the risk of this happening by using a damp mop head which has been thoroughly wrung out.

You will also need to be careful when choosing which cleaning product to use to mop the floor with. You should never use any cleaning solutions which contain ammonia, bleach or oil. If your hardwood floor is covered with an acrylic seal, you can clean it in a similar way but may need to use a buffer intermittently to keep the floor looking shiny.

For floors which have a polyurethane coating, you should always use cleaning products which have been recommended by the manufacturers and you should never use a wet mop on this type of floor. It’s also generally recommended that you do not use any petroleum based products, such as wax or polishes on these floors either. If the floor loses its shine, you should simply apply another coat of urethane. For floors which have a wax covering, do not use water based cleaning solutions and products and should buff the floor when the shine begins to fade.

If you would like to find out more information hardwood floors, or are interested in purchasing hardwood flooring please visit http://www.easystepflooring.co.uk/