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    How to Care for Real Wood Flooring

    Wooden Flooring has been our choice of flooring for centuries, and it is usually the focal point of many rooms. The natural strength of wood and its aesthetic beauty makes real wood the material of choice for flooring.

    Although sturdy and a great choice for longevity, wooden floors still need to be cared for. Whether you have stripped back an old floor to find a natural wood flooring below, recently installed a new solid wood or engineered floor or even used reclaimed boards, looking after and maintaining your wood once oiled or varnished is key. Wooden floor finishes that have been well maintained will look better and last much longer than those that have not.

    So, what is the best way to look after and maintain a wooden floor? Below we have outlined the best products and techniques to upkeep your floors, and the best part is – it doesn’t require a great deal of work.

     

    Keep Wooden Flooring Clean

    The most everyday threat to your flooring is the dirt that we walk in from outside that tends to scratch and dull the surface. The easiest and most effective solution to preventing scratches and colour fade is to regular clean the floor with a broom and vacuum.

     

    Keep Wooden Flooring Dry

    Arguably the biggest threat to hardwood flooring is… water. Water can be troublesome mixed with real wood, as it can cause warping in some cases. With this in mind it is good to remember that spills and damp feet should be cleaned up immediately to prevent the water seeping into the cracks of the wood.

    Another top tip to help keep your flooring dry, is to make sure you use only a slightly damp mop when mopping floors. Instead of regular mopping, sweeping with a soft-bristled brush will keep a hardwood floor free of dirt that can scratch or dull floors if allowed to build up.

     

    Protect Wooden Flooring from Furniture

    Furniture legs can be some of the biggest culprits that are responsible for scratches and marks to solid wood flooring. A good tip to help minimise against damage is to invest in furniture tips that are available at most home improvement stores. These tips are attached to furniture with a built-in, non-damaging adhesive, and they cushion the parts of the furniture that touch the wooden floor directly.

    Floor rugs are also a great barrier between floor and furniture, not only can they help to protect most used areas of flooring from foot traffic, sunlight and general wear and tear, they also act as a reliable cushion for furniture.

    At the Floor Store we have a fantastic range of Cleaning and Adhesive products that are suitable to use on real wood flooring. Find an overview of our range below, and how best to use these products on your flooring.

     

    Cleaning Oiled Wooden Flooring

    Oiled floors are best cleaned with a dedicated pH balanced wood floor cleaner to protect and preserve the finish. Using standard household cleaning products can start to degrade and strip the oil finish of your floor. Our floor cleaners at the Floor Store are available in both ready-to-use and concentrated formulations that are diluted with water. Here are some of our most popular oiled floor cleaners:

    ·       Osmo Wash and Care: A water-soluble cleaning concentrate for interior oiled floors

    ·       Bona Wood Floor Cleaner Spray: A ready-to-use cleaning solution for use on oiled wooden floors

     

    Cleaning Varnished Wooden Flooring

    Stubborn scuff marks and surface dirt are a common issue with varnished floors. Using the right floor cleaner will help to remove these marks whilst retaining and protecting the varnish finish.

    ·       Bona Cleaner Concentrate: An everyday concentrated cleaner for all types of interior wooden floors

    ·       Bona Wood Floor Cleaner Spray: A ready-to-use cleaning solution for use on varnished wooden floors

     

    Wooden Floor Tools

    Specialist floor mops offer a convenient and effective way to clean and maintain wooden floors. Here are the range of mops we offer at the Floor Store that are specifically proven to work perfectly on wooden floors.

    ·       Bona Wood Floor Spray Mop: An effective, all-in-one spray mop system for cleaning interior wooden floors

    ·       Bona Microfiber Cleaning Pad: A microfibre floor mop specially developed for mopping wooden floors

     

    Here to Help

    Speak with one of our flooring experts here at the Floor Store, we are on hand in-store and online to offer free advice on all flooring queries, including the best way to clean and maintain your wooden floors. Contact us here or alternatively visit us in one of our stores.