How to Clean your Hardwood Flooring

Prefinished hardwood floors are very durable and easy to maintain, however they are not indestructible. As the homeowner, it is your responsibility to care for and maintain your hardwood flooring. If you follow our guidelines, your hardwood floor will look beautiful for a lifetime.

Before Move-In

Relative humidity must be maintained between 30-50%

Ensure floor is clean before moving in, so small pebbles and debris don’t scratch the floor.

Install felt pads on all furniture. Sharp edges on furniture can scratch and damage flooring. We recommend Flexi-Felt (www.flexifelt.com)

Use extreme caution when moving appliances. The wheels on the bottom of stoves and refrigerators will dent your hardwood flooring. We recommend a product called “Glide Guard” to protect your flooring when moving appliances.

Office chairs can be very damaging to your hardwood flooring. Grit and dirt that build up on the caster wheels is very abrasive and will wear off the finish on your hardwood flooring. A plastic mat on your hardwood floor can be equally damaging. They can trap dirt and moisture on the surface causing damage to the flooring and the finish.

Cleaning Hardwood Flooring

The only cleaning product we recommend are floor cleaners intended for hardwood flooring and suitable for your hardwood floor finish. Cleaning products with a large amount of soap will leave a residue on your hardwood floor, and will eventually make it appear cloudy and not clean. Using water on your hardwood flooring will also leave a film because the water will settle and dry on the surface of the hardwood floor. The water can also cause damage to the finish on the hardwood flooring because the water is absorbed by the wood flooring which causes the finish to check and crack. Never use Murphy’s Oil Soap, water, or a steam mop on your hardwood flooring.

Step 1
Vacuum or sweep your hardwood flooring to remove debris and other solid particles from the floor’s surface. If necessary, Swiffer your hardwood flooring to remove any excess dust not picked up by the sweeping.

Step 2
Spray floor with hardwood floor cleaner and spread on the hardwood floor with a mop.

Step 3
Before the cleaning solution is dry, place two layers of paper towel between the mop and the hardwood flooring. Buff the flooring until dry, this will remove excess film from the hardwood flooring.

Some Tips on Maintenance

• Sweep your floors or use a dust mop daily, but do not use a household dust treatment (Endust, Pledge, etc.), as this may cause your floors to become slick or dull the finish.
• Vacuum your floor regularly, as often as you would vacuum carpets. Use only vacuums that have a soft-bristled special hard-surface setting or attachment with a soft brush.
• After sweeping or vacuuming, you may use a dry Swiffer broom to touch up and get any hair or dust left behind – ensure that the Swiffer cloth is clean and free from debris/abrasives which may scratch your floor.
• Do not clean your wood floors with water or water-based products on a regular basis – clean only when necessary.
• You may clean your floor’s coated surface with a lightly dampened cloth using a recommended cleaning product, and according to the manufacturer’s directions for use – Never wet mop a wood floor.
• Clean light stains and spots by rubbing with a barely damp, soft, clean cloth.
• Avoid using mops or cloths that leave excessive water on the floor. Never let a spill of water or any other liquid dry on the floor.   Dry immediately.
• Before furniture is placed onto the wood floor, floor protector pads should be installed on the bottom of all furniture legs. Pet nails should be trimmed regularly to prevent finish and wood damage.
• Be especially attentive to potential spill areas, such as dishwashers, sinks, icemakers and stovetops.   Other potential problem spots include household plants and Christmas tree stands.
• Depending on the traffic on the floor, most floors will need recoating at some point during the life of the floor. Call a wood professional when you think the floor might need recoating.
• To avoid frustration and disappointment – please: Do not call installers to arrange or estimate your installation date until you physically have your flooring, in boxes, in the room they are to be installed, acclimating (recommended acclimation time – 3-5 days minimum).
• Feel free to contact installers regarding installation quotes, job site evaluations, general information or to set up appointments to see references or work they have done, but do not try to plan ahead for your installation date(s).
• Once your flooring has acclimated to the conditions of your home, the relative humidity is between 30 – 50%, and difference in moisture content between the hardwood flooring and subfloor are within a 1-2% difference, your flooring is ready to be installed.
• If you do not acclimate your flooring, your BreezeWood warranty is null and void.
• Please note that Installers are not employees of BreezeWood or associated companies.

Download the Pioneer Finish Care and Maintenance Guide [pdf]