Wooden floors: how to clean and protect them using natural products
Wooden flooring is probably the most-wanted addition any home-owner could aspire to have. Dark wood flooring, in particular, brings a feeling of "royalty" in the home and creates a beautiful spectacle when illuminated by natural sunlight
But an illuminated wood floor also shows off its defects too. Dust and damage become clearly visible on a brightly-lit wooden floor. Maintenance and cleaning of a wooden surface, then, is a fundamental, vital chore that cannot be ignored.
Let's see together how to best do this and which products to use:
Cleaning a wooden floor
As you probably know, there are many commercial products available specifically aimed at cleaning wooden floors. Parquet, for example, is very delicate and needs attention and care to keep looking its best. That said, there are many who don't like using commercially-produced chemical products, and preferring using more naturalist remedies. And this is where some DIY tips can come in handy.
When preparing to clean a wooden floor, the first thing to do is to remove all the surface dirt and grime that could cause scratches when you mop. Once the this surface dust, dirt and grime has been removed, you can move on to the washing phase. But what are the products can be used for this phase?
Natural products for cleaning wood floors
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To ensure that your wooden floors remain clean for a long time and in pristine condition, you can use some natural products to clean them:
- Vinegar: To remove stains and dirt from wooden flooring we can use vinegar. Dilute half a glass of vinegar in two liters of water, soak a soft cloth in this mix, wring it out and pass over the floor. To avoid damaging the flooring, test the mixture on a hidden part of the floor first.
- Lavender essential oil: Known for the great scent it gives off, not everyone knows that lavender oil is great for cleaning wooden surfaces. Thanks to its properties, this oil is able to clean perfectly and maintain the sheen of the wood.
- Tea tree oil: Excellent not only for its scent, tea tree oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties and is great for cleaning wooden floors. This oil is not aggressive and leaves an wonderful scent that will be released throughout the home. You can choose to dilute with water or vinegar - either way, the results will wow you.
Whatever our method you choose, never forget to let the floor dry out thoroughly after washing and never use excessive amounts of water (which could cause the wood to swell and crack).
How to prevent dirt and scratches from forming on wooden floors?
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Once washed and clean, you can now turn to some further care considerations for your wood flooring:
- First of all, insist that those entering the home remove their shoes. This will not only prevent the flooring from getting dirty, but will also prevent it from getting scratched.
- Secondly, you need to be disciplined about your cleaning frequency schedule. Never let too much time pass between one cleaning and another. Failure to do so will lead to the accumualtion of dirt which will be ever-more difficult to remove over time.
- Last but not least, when something falls onto the wooden floor - perhaps a drink or some food - clean the mess up immediately so that stains do not get a chance to form on the wood.
Beautiful and delicate
As you can see, then, the proper maintenance of your wooden flooring is vital to keep it looking beautiful and damage-free.
How do you keep your wooden floors looking pristine?
