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Wood floors: pleasure or headache
Tips to enjoy your floors for longer
Many people choose wooden floors, parquet because of their environmental friendliness, natural material, hypoallergenic properties, the ability to keep warm well, and a pleasant warm feeling for the foot.
Or maybe such a floor already exists in a rented apartment.
The parquet which our grandfathers and great-grandfathers had was from treated wood, varnished, and was not only very beautiful but also incredibly durable.
Now in private apartments and houses floors made of untreated wood have become very popular, but in use, they, unfortunately, are not entirely practical, more precisely, they require more maintenance, and as a result, a zealous housewife can get more stress than joy if initially does not pay attention to the intricacies of care ...
Agree, parquet is really a very pleasant and beautiful material that brings a lot of enjoyment to the owners, and in return, it requires attention to itself and appropriate care, which, however, is quite normal.
Of course, if the floor is used for its intended purpose,
then signs of wear cannot be avoided over the years:
The shine is lost (if the coating is glossy), whitish spots, small cracks, and dents appear.(therefore it is important to carry out restoration work on time, to refresh the flooring: oil, wax or lacquer)
Now let's see what to do and how to be so that the pleasure of use outweighs the sadness of stains and scratches (and the cost of removing them)
Treated parquet
If you "got" such a floor, then you are darlings of fate ))), because it is easy to look after such a floor. It is protected, varnished, and if drops of juice fall on it or even water spills, you have time to take a rag and wipe up the spilled.
Untreated wood
Any drop (even water!) That falls on the floor can stain the floor if you don't wipe it IMMEDIATELY. Unfortunately, this is exactly the case ...
To maintain such a floor in decent condition, it is necessary to treat it several times a year with specialized compounds containing oil, wax, etc. (it is best to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, knowing exactly what is the covering of your floor).
Furniture
To prevent the covering from rubbing off and damaging the flooring underneath your furniture, place soft sliders on the legs of your furniture. You can simplify the task and put carpet or matt under the furniture legs.
Footwear
Outdoor shoes, heels, or stilettos are harmful in a home with wood and parquet floors. It is better to wear soft slippers, soft shoes or socks. Any minor damage can cause a whole chain of negative reactions (but you will only notice this over time).
It is better to put a carpet in the hallway, but do not forget to clean under it often.
Indoor humidity
The wood flooring is sensitive to moisture!
In winter, when heating, dry air may appear and humidity drops to 20%, floors will dry out and cracks may appear.
Indoor humidity should be 40-55%. In summer, when the humidity rises from 60%, moisture will be absorbed from the air, and the wooden boards can swell and rise in certain places even if there are gaps along the walls left by parquet flooring masters when laying the parquet.
(!) If the parquet consists of small planks, and one of them is at least slightly raised, then the coating in this place will quickly absorb moisture, the plank will begin to crawl out further.
Humidity regulators or dehumidifiers in humid rooms will also help a lot.
If the kitchen floor is wooden ...
Oddly enough, but in the very place where most stains appear, sometimes untreated wood is installed. In this case, it is best to place rugs next to cooking surfaces as well as in the dining area.
Droplets that fall will leave stains, and food pieces can literally eat into the wood. And if there is a small child in the house, then it is almost impossible to control. A small piece of tomato that has fallen imperceptibly, and then dried out and eaten into the floor, leaving only a dry "tightly stuck" peel on the surface, can become a problem.
Cleaning equipment
For regular cleaning and dirt removal you will need a broom, a mop, and a vacuum cleaner.
Of course, you can often sweep a wooden floor with a soft brush or vacuum with a special soft nozzle so as not to leave scratches, or resort to using a robot vacuum cleaner. (it is better to vacuum the sand, and not to clean it with a brush/broom)
Spray mop with telescopic handle is very practical and convenient for parquet floor cleaning.
Cleaning supplies
It is best to check with the flooring manufacturer which cleaning and care products are most suitable for this type of floor and how often it is recommended to clean and care of the floor.
For regular cleaning you will need Parquet cleaner to add in the wash water.
Heavy dirt or stubborn spots can be removed with an Intensive parquet cleaner or Parquet spot remover.
Never use hard sponge to get rid of stubborn spots or food dried into the floor. Only soft cloth and special intensive parquet cleaners (consult with a master)
The right rag
A cotton rag is best for cleaning parquet floors, and microfiber can be used to remove stains.
How to wash
Wipe the parquet with a damp (NOT WET) cloth (the floor must dry within 1 minute after wiping).
Wet cleaning of untreated wood floors is carried out no more than 1 time in 2 weeks with a high-quality parquet cleaner.
Care is essential !
Use care products from time to time that will saturate the floor surface well and refresh it. After using intensive parquet cleaner, use parquet care for sure– then the grateful floor will serve you longer, the stains will less eat into the floor, which is extremely important.
To summarize: GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
- If the parquet was just installed make sure that Initial maintenance was made to the floor, ask for it your installer, or make it yourself. It will make your parquet use and maintenance much easier.
- Always carefully read theinstruction of your parquet company before use (ask your landlord about the type of parquet) it will be very helpful.
- Remove water and other liquids from your floor immediately.
- For areas of heavy use, it is recommended to use a standard protective matt out of transparent plastic or other rugs
- The best option is to use cloths, parquet cleaners, and mop care recommended by the parquet manufacturer.
- Aside from cleaning your parquet definitely needs REGULAR CARE for rejuvenation. Chose the proper care depending on the cover of the parquet (oiled or lacquered, matt-lacquered, high gloss lacquered, B-Protect)
- Scratches and abrasion can be repaired with special care products (the best is to choose from the manufacturer’s range).
Take care of your wooden floor properly and it will gratefully bring you the pleasure of using it!
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