Hardwood floors add a touch of class, warmth, and character to any home. Hardwood floors are long-lasting and resilient. But just like any flooring, it also requires proper care and maintenance so that these floors can maintain their sheen and shine throughout the years.
Many homeowners think that hardwood floors are hard to maintain. On the contrary, it is easiest to clean and care for. While spills and stains leave a mark and pet-fur accumulates on carpets, hardwood floors require a simple wipe to remove spills, stains, fur and dirt.
The proper care will help retain the sheen of the floors. This will keep your home looking clean and put together at all times. Other benefits of polishing include:
- Polishing restores the floor’s protective layer of finish.
- Polishing ensures that any scratches are less visible and keeping the floor looking sleek and shiny.
- Regular polishing also gets rid of any micro-scratches to make them less noticeable. This is especially crucial if you have pets.
Learning how to care for your hardwood floors is essential. Most of the time, you can do this on your own. As long as you have the right tools and equipment, polishing becomes a simple job. However, you are not prepared, it can lead to unintended results for your floor.
Follow this guide on how to polish hardwood floors perfectly:
Polish the hardwood floors gently.
Gentle care is the way to go when you polish hardwood flooring. You don’t need to be aggressive or apply a tremendous amount of pressure to polish your floors. The polish will do the heavy lifting in this situation.
Use a suitable floor cleaner and polish.
Get cleaners and polishers designed specifically for hardwood floors and read the instructions to use carefully. Different manufacturers have different directions on how to use their polishers and cleaners.
When using cleaners and polishers, it is essential to shake the polish bottle so that the ingredients inside the bottle mix well and you get a consistent sheen level across your entire floor.
Spread the polish evenly.
Most polishers come with an applicator pad. Use it to spread the polish across your floor to achieve an even layer of polish. Guide the puddle of polish across your floor using the applicator in a back and forth motion. This ensures that the polish gets inside every wood grain. Remember, only apply fingertip pressure when doing this.
If your polish does not come with an applicator, your next best solution would be to use a microfiber cloth. It’s gentle on the hands, soft enough for the floor and durable to be used for big surfaces and several polishes.
Polish the floor in small sections.
If you have a huge floor, it’s always good to work in small sections. This way, you don’t trap yourself in a corner, and you don’t get overwhelmed throughout the process.
Polish depending on the foot traffic.
Hardwood floors don’t require polishing every once a week. The best frequency is to polish once every two or four months. Of course, this also depends on the foot traffic in your home. If a specific area requires more cleaning, it would also require more frequent polishing.
Don’t mix polish with water.
Avoid contaminating the floor polish by transferring it to another container or mixing it with water. Most polishes are not meant to be combined with water as it will result in a milky-looking floor instead of the high sheen you’re expecting.
Apply your polish the right way.
Most polishes work by direct application in an S pattern onto the floor. You don’t need to pour the polish into a spray bottle or mop unless it comes in a spray format.
Don’t use the wrong type of applicator.
If your polish comes with a designated applicator, use it. If not, your next best applicator would be a microfiber cloth. Never use a sponge, string or wring mop to spread the polish. This can cause ugly streaks to form on the floor and unwanted stains.
Don’t use harsh motions.
Always use the right action when applying polish. Never use a scrubbing or cleaning motion to polish the floor. You only need to apply the polish gently by utilizing an applicator or microfiber cloth. It doesn’t need to be rubbed in as the polish itself will take care of this task. When appropriately applied to the floor, the polish will seep into the wood grains on its own.
Don’t use the polish past its expiration date.
Polish should be used within one year of opening the bottle. The polish bottle is already exposed to various elements when it is opened. Using it after its expiration date could have disastrous consequences for your floors.
Once you’re done polishing the floors, wait for 24 hours before resuming traffic and returning furniture and rugs into place.
