If you go online or ask your neighbor, you will find several options for cleaning hardwood flooring. Some will be homemade, and some will be from companies that want to sell their products. Many of them really do not explain how and why the products work. Cleaning products provide certain properties that you should understand.
Cleaning products should provide solutions to remove soiling off the surface of the wood. The cleaner should have a product in it to make the dirt release from the surface of the wood. Once the dirt is released, the mop that you are using will then pick it up from the floor. When you have tougher soiling, such as cooking grease from a kitchen, the cleaner may need to be stronger. Stronger cleaners usually have a higher pH. The stronger pH allows the cleaner to break down and cause the dirt to release from the flooring, but you must then rinse or clean off that cleaner with the higher pH. If a cleaner with a higher pH is left on the floor, it can cause damage to the finish on the floor and in some cases cause skin irritation if you have skin contact with the floor. You will notice this if you have young children.
Many products say they can be used for wood floors. They just might and work well too, but they may also damage the wood floors because you did not follow the instructions on the bottle. Many different cleaners tell you how much to use for different surfaces. A lot of you may think, if I use some more cleaner in the water, it will work better. WRONG! Using to much concentrate will leave a film and cause it to get dirtier faster. The residue left behind will work as a magnet to new dirt.
Some of the cleaning products that you must stay away from use terms such as: “Look New Again, Shine, or All in One”. STAY AWAY FROM THEM!! If you are cleaning the floor, then you are cleaning the floor. Any product that has these words or the word polish in it should not be used on your wood floors. They contain acrylic polish that will provide a surface coating that will make your floors shine. Over time though, the finish scratches easily and dulls down. It is softer than the finish that is on the wood flooring.
The best practice for caring for your wood floors is to use Basic Coatings Squeaky for everyday cleaning. It is a truly neutral pH product, and it leaves no streaking behind as it dries. To help find a professional in your area to help you take care of your wood floors, go to Basic Coatings web site, and use the locator tab to find certified contractors. When your daily cleaning is not enough, they can bring the Dirt Dragon hardwood floor cleaner to your home and remove that tough dirt film. They also have processes that help you maintain the finish on the hardwood floor over the years so you may never have to sand your wood floors again. When you use the professionals and the right products, your wood floors will look great for years down the road.
BPS Southeast is a certified contractor for hardwood floor cleaning. We have serviced Western North Carolina in Rutherford, Henderson, & Polk counties as well as Upstate South Carolina Spartanburg & Greenville county. Caring for your wood floors is important to us.
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