5 Steps to Keep Your Wood Floors Shining – Our Guide

Wood floors may seem tough, but they are still vulnerable to scratches and scrapes. While you can go through refinishing, or the process of sanding floors down in order to apply a new surface finish, it is an expensive method and oftentimes unnecessary. Polishing is an easier and more inexpensive solution to regain shine, minimize the appearance of imperfections, and increase the life of your hardwood. All you need is a flat-head mop with a microfiber cleaning pad and commercial wood floor polish.

Polishing is suitable for certain finishes, such as a waterproof barrier such as urethane. However, floors that have penetrating finishes such as tung oil or unsealed wood will require wax rather than polish. It is imperative that you use the right product for your floor, or else you will face a range of problems such as dull finish and floors that are too slick. To help you keep your floor in pristine condition the right way, here are some important steps that you should follow:

Step 1: Determine the Finish on Your Wood Floor

Make sure that you know what kind of finish is on your floor. If you are not certain, you can find out by scraping off a small bit from a hidden area with a sharp knife. If you see that the finish is smudged but there is no clear material, then you likely have a penetrating finish and you should not polish these floors. However, if you see a clear material, then it means that your flooring has a surface finish and you can go ahead and polish your floors. That being said, it is still safer to test out the polish on a small and inconspicuous area on the wood before polishing the whole floor.

Step 2: Clean Your Wood Floors

Clear the room and remove as much furniture as you can to allow the floor to be cleaned thoroughly. Vacuum or sweep the floor, then use a commercial wood floor cleaner to mop it and follow with warm water to remove any remaining grime. With a clean, water-dampened mop, mop the floor once again to clean off cleaner residue. Then, dry the floor completely using a clean towel.

Step 3: Polish Your Wood Floors

Starting from the back corner of the room, pour a small amount of wood floor polish onto the floor, making an S-shape. With a flat-surface mop, wipe the solution back and forth in the direction of the wood grain and even out any air bubbles. It is a good idea to work in small areas so that you can control the amount of polish you have applied. Make sure that you cover the entire floor with thin layers of the solution as they will dry quicker than thick ones. Apply another coat as needed. Also, make sure that you avoid getting polish on drywall and baseboards as it can easily stain those areas.

Step 4: Wait One Day Before Resuming Normal Use

After polishing the floor, it is important that you wait at least one hour before allowing light traffic through the room, and at least a full day before moving the furniture back into the room. Be careful when you move your furniture around the room. Do not drag or slide furniture across the floor to prevent scratching. You can also attach felt furniture pads underneath your furniture for additional protection.

Step 5: Maintain Your Polished Wood Floors

Maintain your wood floors and keep them looking new by placing rugs by entry doors to minimize dirt from being dragged inside the room. For a kitchen with wood flooring, place a rug at the sink area so that it can catch drops of water. Make sure that you stick to a regular cleaning routine. Vacuum your floors every week and give them a deep clean every month. Avoid using homemade cleaning solutions that have diluted vinegar or ammonia on all wood floors.

If you’re looking for a commercial cleaning service in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Cleanrite Services is your best option. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help.