Wooden floors bring in warmth and elegance to any room. They add a lot of character and charm to the entire house. Wood flooring may be either solid hard wood flooring or parquet flooring.
Either way it requires special care and maintenance to keep its beauty untouched over time. There is plenty that you can do to keep the floors looking good.
Before you decide to start any kind of repair or maintenance finish, it is essential to know the type of finish used on the floor.
Older wooden floors will generally have shellac, lacquer or varnish finish whereas the newer floors will be finished with polyurethane.
In order to be sure about it, choose a hidden area of the floor and dip some cotton in acetone or acetone based nail paint remover. Rub it gently on the area chosen.
If the cotton ball is stained and the floor looks tacky, then it has been finished with shellac, lacquer or varnish. If the cotton remains clean and the floor smooth, then polyurethane has been used to finish the floor.
For daily basis maintenance it makes sense to protect the floor from unnecessary wear and tear. Dirt, sand or grit can cause scratches on the surface. To keep them away use door mats on entrances and throw rugs on areas with frequent traffic.
You should refrain from using high heeled shoes and boots on wooden surfaces. A daily routine of sweeping and mopping will also help. Remember not to damp mop wooden floors with wax polishes.
At no point should water be allowed to stand on the floor. Spills should be immediately taken care of irrespective of the floor finish.
Non abrasive liquid cleaners and a 0000 steel pad are the best friends for a polyurethane finished floor in case of spills, shoe scuffs and marks.
Remember to use a manufacture recommended finish product after the clean up. In case of old fashioned finished floors, you will need to apply paste wax on the damaged area. When dry, buff it with a soft cloth.
