Wooden flooring gives a beautiful finish to any room. It works well with modern designs to provide a minimalist feel, or with comfy farmhouse décor too. However, it is more delicate than carpet or tile and will need you to provide the proper care to keep it looking its best.
Spillages, marks, and scratches are bound to happen, especially if you have children or pets, so it’s important that you understand the right aftercare for your wooden flooring to stay on top of any issues. Water damage, cracks, or scratches will only get worse if you don’t fix them straight away.
To protect your floor from damage, you’ll need to apply some rules in your household.
- Always remove shoes when you walk on the floor.
- Keep your pet’s claws trimmed to avoid minor scratches.
- Put down a rug if your children intend to play with their toys in that room.
Say Goodbye to Scratches and Marks!
To keep your floor looking shiny and new, you’ll need to understand how to maintain it properly and ensure you keep up with your care routine. Accidents happen but can be resolved more quickly if you constantly maintain the floor. It’s much more difficult to pull it back to perfection if you don’t continue the upkeep.
- Ensure you give your wooden floor a good clean once per week. For this, try not to use a hoover or hard bristle sweeping brush. Microfibre mops are the best solution. They’re gentle on your floor and will remove the dust without creating scratches.
- Don’t use abrasive chemicals. Some cleaning products can damage the protective coating on your wood, even if they say they’re intended for floor use. Instead, use a damp (not wet) microfibre cloth with clean, warm water.
- Never use a mop and bucket. Soaking your wooden flooring could cause the wood to warp and bend, creating large cracks.
Handy Tips
Depending on the type and colour of your wooden flooring, there may be items in your pantry that can help you maintain and provide the proper aftercare for wooden flooring.
Olive Oil and Baking Soda – After removing any dust or dirt from the floor surface, you could mix some baking soda with a couple of drops of olive oil until it makes a paste. Gently apply this to any areas of scratched flooring, leave for a few minutes, then buff away with a microfibre cloth. Your scratches should appear reduced.
Walnut Finish – The rich oil within walnuts can help disguise a scratched or marked wooden floor. Simply warm up the nut first (in your hand will do), then gentle rub on the affected area in a circular motion. This acts as a wood stain and will cure any visible blemishes.
Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is thick enough to fill cracks in its solid form. Rubbing a little into a larger crack, letting it dry, then buffing off the excess can help restore a smooth surface.
Wood Stain – Wood stain is a great idea to recover from any scuff marks. Gently sand away the affected area with fine sandpaper then conduct a patch test in an unseen area to ensure you have the right colour and finish. Remember, wood stains will dry slightly darker.
Once you’re confident that your damaged wooden flooring has been restored to its former glory, you should finish it with a water-based silicone polish to maintain its integrity and shine.
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