Cleaning Your Oak Flooring
27th Nov 2015
The cleaning of your oak flooring is a vital step in ensuring its longevity. Not cleaning the floor properly or using the wrong products can decrease the lifespan of your oak floor finish. So how should you clean an oak floor?
One of the most simple yet effective methods of cleaning oak flooring is a general sweep. This should be done using a soft brush. Daily sweeping your oak flooring will help to remove any dust, dirt and grit particles which could be sitting on top of the boards. Pushing said particles across the top of your oak flooring can cause scratches. Alternatively, a vacuum cleaner can be used to perform the same function. It is worth noting that when using a vacuum cleaner, the brush setting should be used. This will help to ensure that the vacuum does not scratch the surface of the wood.
To wipe away dirt and marks, the floor should be given a regular damp mop (steam mops are not recommended). The mop should be well wrung out before application to ensure the wooden flooring does not get too wet. How often this damp mop is required depends on the traffic of the room. Light traffic areas may only require mopping once a week. Heavy traffic floors however may require daily cleaning.
In your mop bucket it is important that no detergents are used, as these can wear away your finish. Instead the right wood soap products should be used. What product is most suitable for your floor depends on your chosen finish. For example the Blanchon Hard Waxoil has the Blanchon Natural Soap For Oiled Wooden Floors, whereas the Osmo Polyx-Oil has the Osmo Wash and Care. These products have been specifically designed to clean their chosen finishes whilst also boosting their protection.
As time progresses eventually your oak flooring may need additional maintenance that simply cleaning cannot remove. To combat this, we recommend using a maintenance oil. More information on this can be found on our guide on How To Maintain Your Oak Floor Finish.
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